Chinedu Nkwonta
GOVERNOR OBIANO’S SUPERLATIVE FEATS IN ANAMBRA.
Indeed it would be unfair to assert that nothing has changed in Anambra state since Governor Willie Mmaduaburochukwu Obiano assumed the mantle of leadership in the state in one year and eight months. Besides physical developments which all and Sundry could see, he had also jacked up human capacity building which thousands of people in the state especially the youths are beneficiaries.
The state has fully enjoyed peace and tranquility which practically eluded her in the past. Governor Obiano has proven that democracy and good governance could be attained devoid of flexing physical muscles, brandishing of axe, cutlasses or suppressing political opponents.
Before assuming the mantle of leadership in the state, Obiano the achiever was the first black man to occupy the position of Chief internal Auditor in Texaco Nigeria for over nine years and had worked in Fidelity Bank Plc as the executive director in charge of business banking for twenty three years. Thus, he had managed money and human beings. These enormous experiences have propelled him to administer good governance to the people of Anambra state.
Those who were in doubts of his competence, experience and political will have been silenced by his enormous achievements in Anambra state despite the drastic dwindling of the monthly allocation coming to the state. When he took over the steering of the ship from Mr. Peter Obi the former governor of the state, Obiano who is a tested technocrat with proven track record both nationally and internationally knew how, why, and where he would take the state to and today, he has taken Anambra state to an enviable level. He is relentlessly poised and well positioned to also make the state a tourist center were foreigner could nod at while Anambrarians would be happy and be proud of as their own state.
Through his visible achievements and his defense for Ndigbo in Nigeria, he had shown that he remains an incontestable conscience of Igbo nation, the voice of the voiceless and the person the Igbos bank on to champion their cause at this critical time in Nigeria. Weeks after president Mohammadu Buhari was declared winner of 2015 general election by the INEC, Obiano went to Buhari in Abuja where he congratulated him and presented the needs of Ndigbo to the Kastina born president. This has also proved that as a conscientious objector, he is the moral voice clamouring the continued subjugation and dehumanization of Igbos in a nation that belongs to all.
When he took over the leadership of this state, Obiano who saw great potentials of the state was uncomfortable with the insecurity in the land and the gradual diminishing of the human essence in a state with the largest market in West Africa. He swiftly swung into drastic action by equipping the security agents in the state with communication gargets, patrol vehicles, Armoured personal carriers and gun boats for security operation in the coastal areas. Criminal elements were forcibly smoked out from their hide-out in various parts of the state, those who were recidivists that operate in and around upper Iweka, Onitsha were given a hurt chase, scores of them were arrested while many of them fell to the superior fire power of security agents during a gun duel. Today upper Iweka Onitsha a commercial nerve center in the South East is peaceful and enticing to transact businesses.
Any leader who firmly grabs the heart of the people, achieves the impossible. Obiano has the hearts of Anambrarians in his conspicuous palms. He has shown purposeful leadership that connotes commitments, competency, humility, service, transparency, frugality and subordination to the rule of law. He had given his few months salaries to the orphans and vulnerable children, a kind gesture that is unprecedented in the annals history of leaders in this nation. He is an advocate on childs right and discrimination against Nigerian women. He has anchored his campaign on the need to stifle various factors hampering the development of women and youths as well as other issues that concern their socio-political and economic environment in the country. Thus, in his present administration he appointed women into different key positions as commissioners and youths as his special Advisers.
He had shown a high sense of due diligence, unparalleled commitments to service and exemplary dedication to duty. He runs the affairs of the state devoid of exaggerated sense of self image and overriding air of indispensability.
Indeed, governor Willie Obiano’s economic policies in Anambra state have continued to magnet the investment community which had invested over/ almost one hundred billion naira in strategic sectors of the economy. Given to the dwindling of oil prices in the international market which had affected the economy of Nigeria as it depends solely on oil to generate her revenue, monthly allocations to states in the country had tinkered thus many states governors could not pay their workers the monthly salary. Many workers in various states of the federation had embarked on prolonged strike.
But governor Willie Obiano has never owed Anambra State workers one month salary. Infact, on 25th of each month, workers receive alert in their phones, indicating that their salaries had been paid into their various bank accounts. He had embarked on ten thousand housing scheme for civil servant in the state, a huge project that was never conceived nor planned by past governors in the state. He had also offered local government staff the privilege to reach grade 17 in their career progression in the state. He deserves an ovation.
Obiano’s one year and eight months administration has increased the salaries of teachers in the state and had approved payment of three thousand naira for teachers who teach core subjects of English language, mathematics and sciences as incentives. He had approved ten million naira for Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) for completion of NUT house, deployment of ICT facilities in schools, distribution of laptops to private schools, construction of standard school blocks and renovation of dilapidated ones to enhance conducive learning environment, driving advanced partnership with Education Trust Fund, maintaining strong partnership with the missions for overall training of these children, driving the public private partnership to support education, enforcing the child right acts and ensuring child-friendly education.
Obviously, he had added a fresh and big smile on the faces of rural teachers by collaborating with the Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB) in procuring twenty one speed boats for teachers and pupils of the river rine areas.
He has obviously ensured sustainable health care delivery by improving access to health care through the establishment of health centers in communities and continuous availability of drugs and functional medical equipment in all health facilities, refurbishing, equipping and modernizing the teaching hospitals and reviewing the incentive mechanism for health workers which had facilitated their constant presence in their work places.
In agriculture, the governor had empowered and encouraged formers and the rural dwellers. He had increased public sector investment in the provision of agricultural research, extension, credit, input supply and marketing. He has also facilitated extensive financial credit to farmers in the state. At present, Anambra is the food basket of the nation.
In order to generate a fresh impetus for growth, Obiano’s administration has constructed many roads, some are ongoing while scores are being rehabilitated. He knows that transport networks are paramount to the health of the state’s economy because of the need for regular flow of goods, services and people. He is constructing three gigantic fly-overs in Awka the Anambra state capital while solar light were installed in many towns. He had also inaugurated the construction of an ultra modern Abateur in Awka. His positive steps in commerce and industry, oil and gas speak great volume.
At present, the 1st phase of the 20,000 unit international market at Oba in Idemili South Local Government Area is nearly completed. Serious work is ongoing on the three buildings that will form part of the second ICT Business park in Onitsha in addition to installation of close –circuit cameras (CCTV) in main market Onitsha which has reduced pilfering and pick pocketing. Onitsha shopping mall, a public-private partnership initiative with Africa capital Alliance has taken off.
The Anambra State governor has raised infrastructures and has cultivated a creed of selflessness and sacrifice in the over all interest and growth of every person in the State. He is living a disciplined life of commitment and had resolved to emancipate Ndi Anambra totally from the mercantilists scavengers whose sole aim is senseless acquisition of wealth and deliberate plundering of the state. He is true to himself and to the people of the state. He is a man of conscionable principle and redoubtable veracity. His hearts is uncluttered. His vigorous pursuit is simply about excellence, hard work and the progress of mankind in general.
On industrialization, industrial layouts had been established in Onitsha and Nnewi to balloon out industrialization in the state. On oil and gas, his Excellency had table a bill in Anambra State House of Assembly for the establishment of Anambra State oil and gas Development Agency aimed at harnessing all the prospects in the upstream, midstream and downstream value chain. And on April 17th, 2014 the State House passed the bill into law. Anambra is endowed with over One billion barrels and 30 trillion cubic feet of oil and gas. There is ongoing construction of access roads and bridges to the oil fields in Aguleri in Anambra East Local Government Area and ongoing construction of an international cargo airport in Umueri with three dual-carriage ways that opens access to the airport.
Furthermore, governor Willie Obiano has taken a bold step in transportation by giving the people of the state a comprehensive mass transit scheme with 200 brand new taxis and 40 luxurious buses. Over 150 traffic officers have been trained to sanitize the roads and highways in addition to the provision of over 50 ultra modern traffic control posts with inbuilt solar panels for illumination and modern bus stop at various points in the state.
Willie is willingly working. His administration has also accorded priority attention to the welfare of the youths by training and equipping 500 youths every two months in life-enhancing skills at the technology incubation center Nnewi. This programme is aimed at building the youths and assisting them to stand on their own. In the tourism and hospitality industry Obiano’s administration has attracted over $400 million investment. His nascent administration has also created jobs and will still create about 130, 000 jobs in different sectors of the state’s economy.
Governor Willie Obiano has preformed superlatively well. He is bequeathing enduring legacies to Ndi Anambra and at present, the difference he has made is crystal clear for even the blind to see.
Enumerating all governor Willie Obiano has done in Anambra state will be enough to fill a book but suffice it to say that government’s presence is today felt in every community. To cap it all, he has been providing money at the end of each year to communities to address areas of greatest need.
I use this medium to thank Ndi Anambra and those from other states who reside in the state for voting massively for governor Willie Obiano during the 2013 governorship election in the state. I also urge all and sundry to demonstrate patience with the governor. With his undisputable achievements on ground, let us whole heartedly support his administration, stop unnecessary criticisms and distractions. Let us offer him via the various channels our constructive advice where and when necessary. It is well with Anambra State.
John Ikeli, a writer and pressman
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Owelle Onyeka Mbaso
SSA Political to Gov. Obiano
Support Gov. Obiano's Administration and APGA
Willie is Working, QED.
Hon. Chinedu Nkwonta
State Publicity Secretary, APGA
09097700000
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