Prof. Abdulmumin Ajia, the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate in Kwara State, has promised a N120,000 wage award for workers and the clearance of outstanding gratuities within his first term if elected in 2027.

Ajia unveiled the proposals on Wednesday at the News Keg Engagement Series of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Correspondents’ Chapel, in Ilorin, where he outlined his agenda for workers’ welfare, healthcare, transportation and accountable governance.

He said the wage proposal formed part of his Workers and Working Families Compact, designed to improve public servants’ earnings, career progression, working conditions and retirement benefits.

Implementation, he explained, would follow payroll verification, salary-grade costing, consultations with organised labour and the preparation of a realistic funding timetable.

The candidate also pledged to publish an annual promotion calendar and introduce a digital entitlement register to help workers check their records, identify errors and track corrections.

On retirement benefits, Ajia described prolonged delays in gratuity payments, including outstanding entitlements from 2014, as unacceptable.

He said his administration would verify pension obligations, distinguish inherited arrears from new liabilities and publish funded payment schedules.

According to him, clearing the backlog would be a priority during his first four years, alongside measures to ensure that subsequent retirees received their benefits promptly.

Ajia also proposed recreational centres for senior citizens in all 16 local government areas and a Public Service Fellowship through which retired professionals could voluntarily mentor younger workers and support public institutions.

Speaking on healthcare, he advocated annual medical check-ups for residents and a phased network of regional training hospitals to strengthen medical education and increase the number of trained doctors.

He said the facilities would complement the state’s medical sciences university when fully operational.

On infrastructure, Ajia pledged to prioritise projects according to their usefulness, affordability and maintenance requirements, identifying water supply, drainage, sanitation, feeder roads and electricity for essential facilities as areas requiring attention.

He expressed concern over waste management and promised organised collection systems, alongside initiatives to turn waste into economic opportunities.

The candidate also outlined a statewide mass transit scheme to ease travel for workers, students, farmers and traders.

He said the programme would involve route planning, improvements to motor parks and affordable transport passes for workers and students, in partnership with existing operators.

While commending Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for introducing similar initiatives, Ajia said further measures were needed to meet residents’ transportation needs.

He also proposed an Ilorin light rail project, beginning with a corridor linking the Post Office area, Oja-Oba and the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, with possible extensions.

The project, he said, could attract private investment through public-private partnerships, ease commuting pressure and create alternative employment opportunities for commercial motorcyclists.

On grassroots governance, Ajia promised functional offices for councillors across the state’s 193 wards, supported by clearly defined duties and resources.

He said the offices would provide accessible points where residents could seek assistance with education, healthcare and other public services.

The candidate further proposed a four-working-day response policy for government agencies, requiring timely feedback on requests and complaints, even where final resolution would take longer.

To support community development, he outlined a Citizens Development Partnership and Community Matching Infrastructure scheme, under which government would provide matching funds and technical assistance for community-led projects.

Ajia pledged to assess government revenue, liabilities, contracts and public assets within his first 100 days in office to establish a basis for spending and project decisions.

He also promised to review expenditure, strengthen revenue administration, reduce financial leakages and pursue development partnerships.

His proposed first-term delivery compact, he said, would contain 25 measurable commitments, with designated officials responsible for implementation and quarterly performance reports.

The reports would use green, yellow and red ratings to indicate progress and identify areas requiring urgent attention.

Ajia said his administration would distinguish between budget approval, fund release, expenditure and actual delivery so that residents could assess the results of government spending.

He also pledged greater access to revenue, expenditure and contract records, subject to legitimate security and privacy considerations, alongside a review of the state’s implementation of the Freedom of Information Act.

A public information dashboard, he added, would help residents and journalists obtain government information more easily.

Calling for cooperation among public institutions, organised labour, businesses and communities, Ajia said his goal was to build a government responsive to residents’ everyday needs.

He invited journalists to examine his proposals and hold him accountable for the commitments.