By Polycarp Onwubiko
Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo celebrated his second year in office on March 17, 2024 at the International Conference Centre, Awka Anambra state.
It is exhilarating to note the
high points of the strenuous journey so far which are:
1. His mindset of planning for
the future say 50-100 years state of Anambra state. To actualize the gigantic
policies and programmes, he has plans to expand the roads as dual carriage ways
namely: Nnewi, Nnobi to Agulu, Awka etiti to Igboukwu, down to Ekwulobia; from
Ekwulobia down to Agulu to Amawbia, and from Ekwulobia down to Uga, and
probably down to Umunze. The originally designated rural towns like Ekwulobia,
Nnewi, Agulu and probably Otuocha, are to be made urban towns by Governor Jim
Nwobodo.
2. By his free education and
health care delivery, Soludo is preparing educated people with sound health
given that good health is integral part of productivity and prosperity.
3. Anambra state is getting
strong and stronger everyday by his futuristic prognosis in multi sector
policies and programmes.
4. The planned civilized
standard of living in the state lies on technology and innovation to make it an
international liveable and prosperous society as model for other states in the
country.
5. His earlier election
campaign Manifesto as PDP Governorship candidate had the
mantra: "Anambra Vision 2017 with five
pillars which are still the template for his governance today.
6. Nigeria economic situation
today is frustrating for seriously minded political leaders but Soludo's mantra
is: "tough times demand tough leaders" which includes the capacity to
execute incredible projects and programmes with lean or resource constraints.
He is not crazy about foreign loan but depends on austere government with top
priority on the downtrodden and communities that had apparently been forgotten
by the past state leadership.
7. Accountability and
transparency is his watchwords even planning big for more goodies for the
people.
8. If there will be need to
borrow, it will be for productive ventures based on feasibility studies which
will have the potential to pay back the loan from the products produced from
the factory and other businesses.
9. The Truth Justice Peace
Commission TJPC Report submitted on march 6, was a veritable roadmap for
effective tackling of the insecurity in some parts of the state even as it can
be used as a credible template for the entire country. It was a marvelous
assignment by the team of sound intellectuals.
10. Soludo's governance
template is based on"Needs Assessment" and not politically motivated
for another election to be assured of second tenure. Roads construction like
the sprawling slums and ghetto in Okpoko , within Onitsha south was a
deliberate priority to turn around the despicable situation and primitive
living standard in the place with amazing population. Roads rehabilitation is
also in the rural areas noted for massive food commodities farming to enable
the farmers become rich through transportation of the farm products to the
urban and semi urban towns.
11. Urban Regeneration and zero
portholes program are geared towards
opening the clogged streets and roads which will attract more business outfits
and lead to quantum leap in the Internally generated revenues to augment the
monthly Statutory Revenue sharing.
12. The completion of the new
Government House cum Lodge planned since 33 years ago, is geared towards proper
ambience for Government activities and prestigious in terms of visitors from
other parts of the country and beyond.
13. The electricity quagmire
syndrome all over the country will be frontally addressed taking the Abia state
example done by the indigenous company which has assured power supply for
twenty four hours. Soludo knows that power supply is a fulcrum around which
industrialization revolves. Soludo emphasized that Anambra state being the hub
of industrialists, manufacturers, logistics and commerce the issue of twenty
four hours power supply is considered done within a foreseeable future.
14. Railway infrastructure and
Water transportation which will affect homes in both the rural areas and urban
towns will definitely be a price for futuristic prognosis to safeguard the
civilized living standard of next generation in the state.
15. Replicating the former
premier of old Eastern Region, Dr. Michael Okpala's Agricultural revolution,
Soludo is making what he described as "silent revolution in
Agriculture" through the procurement of high yielding palm trees and
coconut trees seedlings distributed to the communities as more seedlings and
other high yielding food crops seedlings are in the pipelines to earn
reasonable income for the farmers through value chains, food self-sufficiency
and export for foreign exchange and even for agro allied manufactures for
massive employments and wealth creation. Anambra state will be a destination
point and will no longer be a departure point. Soludo pointedly boasted
"the dynasty of poverty must stop".
16. There is plans for equality
of opportunity for the children of the poor by turning the poorly resourced
public schools into the hub of smart teachers with cutting edge technology,
quality teaching, technical innovation digital economy.
17. The One-Youth-2-Skill
program was a masterpiece if not a game changer to frontally address youth
restiveness and unemployment. It was modelled after the time- hourned Igbo
apprenticeship scheme where the state government paid for the training to
impart the skill and after mastery, the successful ones were given start-up
money and even bought tools for the trainees to start business which in the
long run will be in the position to employ.
18. In view of the unspeakable
privation of public servants and pensioners, Soludo expressed compassion and
promised to add some money called "wag augmentation" to both
categories before the new minimum wage comes into effect in May. The long
standing issue of Pension Harmonization is expected to be finally implemented
since the affected pensioners from May 2011 have been shortchanged in the
monthly pension. Section 173 of the 1999 Constitution stipulates that Pension
should be reviewed every five years or at new minimum wage implementation.
Sadly, since Governor Chris Ngige's government, Pension Harmonization has not
been done which subject the affected pensioners to privation and inability to
live out their God ordained years on earth.
19. The ebullient Governor
Soludo appealed for strategic partnership and all hands on deck especially on
how strategize on deepening security architecture to secure the entire
landscape of the state to be made attractive for Foreign Direct Investment,
FDI.
20. Governor Soludo's strategy
roadmap to make Anambra state to become the first international mega city is
assured because of the massive turnout of people at the Anambra state
International Conference Centre. The impressive architectural excellence
initiated and completed by Chief Willie Obiano was filled to the brim even as
massive people were outside. This is a testament of the popularity of Soludo
and the assurance of his second tenure.
21. He really typified the age long saying that "Statesmen plan for the next generation while mean minded politicians plan for the next election with mind bogling financial malfeasance.
Polycarp Onwubiko, media commentator
writes from Awka, Anambra State.
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