Governor Obiano Assures Anambra Workers Of Solving Their Housing And Accomodation Needs

                                             

AN ADDRESS PRESENTED BY HIS EXCELLENCY, CHIEF WILLIE OBIANO TO MARK THE 2014 MAY DAY CELEBRATION IN AWKA, MAY 1, 2014.

 

Your Excellency the Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Nkem Okeke

Your Excellency, my beloved wife, Chief Mrs Ebele Obiano

The Honourable Speaker, Anambra State House of Assembly, Princess Chinwe Nwaebili

The Chief Judge of Anambra State, Justice Peter Umeadi

The National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance, Chief Victor Umeh

All members of Anambra State House of Assembly here present

All royal fathers here present

Gentlemen men of the Press

Ladies and gentlemen

Ndi Anambra ekenem unu!

It gives me a great pleasure to be here with you today. Today is a special day for two major reasons. First; it is a day set aside all over the world to celebrate and re-affirm the virtues of hard-work and the aphorism that there is dignity in Labour.

Second, it is the day I would be involved in the ceremonial demands of my office for the first time since I was sworn in as your governor. Consequently, I would like to say “Thank You” for voting massively for me during the last gubernatorial elections in Anambra State. Let me assure you that in voting me, you demonstrated your wish to accelerate the pace of socio-economic development in Anambra State. But in voting for me also, you voted for peace and industrial harmony in Anambra State. So, I congratulate you and your colleagues across Nigeria and the rest of the world on today’s celebration.

As we celebrate this great day, we may do well to remember that no other day quite reminds us of the symbolism of hard-work as a prelude to reward as it does. Ndi Anambra, our oral tradition and written history bear testimony to the fact that our fathers and grandfathers did not only believe in the dualism of hard-work and reward; they also lived this principle out practically in their daily lives.

Ndi b’anyi, my administration is determined to encourage this principle in everything we do in Anambra State. Indeed, since my Deputy, Nkem Okeke and I assumed office on March 17 this year, we have tried to demonstrate the virtues of hard-work for which our people are known in every waking hour. I have personally toured the three zones of Anambra State to sound the wake-up call and inform our people that the time has come to gird their loins for hardwork – tetanu n’ula! Some people have heeded our call from Onitsha to Nnewi and from Awka to Ekwulobia. But for our work in Anambra State to be fruitful, every onye Anambra must heed our call across the 21 local government areas and 177 communities of Anambra State because oke adi ata ife onye mu anya! Ndi b’any, oburo eziokwu?

However, I must quickly add that while the wake-up call is for the entire people of Anambra State, my special message belongs to you – members of the organized labour in Anambra State. Let me state it clearly here that you are very special to me.

The reason is simple; you people are the government of Anambra State in flesh and blood. If Anambra State will succeed as a distinctive group of people, that success must begin with you. In fact, Anambra has no real hope of progress without your commitment and your passion! My administration counts on your determination and efficiency to deliver the blessings of democracy to Ndi Anambra!

Ndi b’anyi, as your governor, I am fully aware that one reliable way of knowing the strength of a state is through a careful understanding of the level of efficiency of its organized labour force. We are at a point in our growth as a people where we must make the necessary sacrifices to sustain the progress we have made. Indeed, our dream of a better Anambra can only be realized faster if we work together as one.

As ndi olu oyibo (members of the organized labour), my administration counts on you to ensure that Ndi Anambra have a clear understanding of the policies and programmes of this government and the direction where we are going as a people.

It is a common knowledge that the challenge we have in Anambra State has nothing to do with competence or absence of the appropriate human capital but lack of enthusiasm and drive. The lot falls on you to rekindle the fire in our civil service! The lot falls on you to take home the new gospel of hard-work and reward that we preach here today and always!

As you return to your offices tomorrow, let the people know that the change we have been waiting for has finally come. With my background in the private sector, my administration will uphold the virtues of due process but we have little patience for the slow grind of negative bureaucracy for which the typical civil service is known. We shall not tolerate any practice that will slow down our pace to a better Anambra State.

I am also aware that to get the best out of an industrious people like Ndi Anambra, we must make a provision for commensurate reward.  As I assured you during our first interactive session shortly after my inauguration, we have commenced a review of the civil service with a view to ensuring that some of the things you have long been hoping for will soon come to pass.

Our efforts are geared towards ensuring that no Anambrarian in the state civil service will feel shortchanged or denied a sense of belonging by his or her state. We shall look into promotions, confirmations and other incentives that will enhance your productivity. We shall also look into the need for training and other capacity building programmes that will position the civil service to drive the change we envisage.

 I have also held several discussions with the Honourable Commissioner for Housing, Chief Law Chinwuba, on your housing and accommodation needs.

Ndi Anambra, in conclusion, I must not fail to remind you that the fight to secure Anambra State and the rest of Nigeria from the merchants of terror and violence must begin with you, first as individuals and then as members of groups.

My administration shall not waver in our resolve to rid Anambra State of all the criminal elements that deny our beloved state the benefits of both local and foreign investments by foisting a climate of fear.

As we push for the final reclamation of Anambra State, all hands must be on deck to make our efforts a resounding success.

Ladies and gentlemen, as you join your colleagues in Nigeria and across the world to mark this special day, please remember that we owe it to ourselves and posterity to build a new and better Anambra State!

The journey to that great future begins with you!

May God bless my beloved Anambra State!

May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria

Chukwu gozie unu!

Chief Willie Obiano

Governor, Anambra State