167 Kilometers Of Roads In 100 Days? This Is How Not To Be Governor Of Anambra State Please Chief Willie Obiano

                                     Odogwuchampionawka.com reports that Okechukwu Anarado reports on the 100 days in office of Governor Willie Obiano. This is the story of a hundred days journey, very interesting and a stepping stone to the great Anambra Obiano is targeting :

 One might ask the worth of celebrating anniversaries of historic events. Why, for instance, should a government spare time to mark 100 days of its institution? The rationale varies with the nature of the events, the social milieu and the intentions of the celebrants.

Beyond the social angle of celebrations, political landmarks afford politicians and their watchers the opportunity of taking stock of the achievements of the major drivers of the political process in a political enclave. It is in the light of this appraisal that the Government of Chief Willie Obiano of Anambra State engages the attention of trackers of events in the state 100 days after its inauguration.

The singularity of the event of 100 days in office of Chief Willie Obiano as the governor of Anambra State attracts a conspicuousness that imposes plenteous critical evaluations on the character of his government. The policy thrust of the administration attracts thorough scrutiny from both pundits in developmental politics, and charlatans.

 With no distractions from parallel political milestones taking place simultaneously across the states of the country, critics of all hues and bents enjoy all the liberties of prying into the governor’s avowals and establishing linkages between ambitious executive speeches and actual acts of the government.

Chief Obiano was sworn-in as the governor of Anambra State on the 17^th day of March, 2014; the only governor in the 36 states of the Federation whose administration was inaugurated on that day and whose 100 days in office will be marked on the 24^th of June, 2014. This incidental peculiarity is in memorial of the three years rugged legal battle that Mr. Peter Obi of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, fought and won against Dr. Chris Ngige of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra gubernatorial election of 2003. Mr. Obi assumed office three years after his co-governors, giving birth to the peculiar political cycle Anambra runs today.

The Inaugural Address of Chief Willie Obiano gave great hope to Ndi-Anambra who came out in their numbers to celebrate the man they overwhelmingly voted into power. Though Chief Obiano’s declaration that the thrust of his administration would hinge mainly on the four pillars of agriculture, oil and gas, trade and commerce, and industrialisation excited the people, they probably wondered how he would attain this dream of repositioning the state to the ‘point where its high promise in human and material resources can be finally matched by the lived experiences of its people.’ Not even the resoluteness of the governor’s stance to tackle criminality convinced Ndi-Anambra of his capacity to contain the gamut of criminal acts that nearly assumed the face of Anambra State. But barely three weeks in office, the governor convoked a Security Summit that attracted top class international security operatives.

There, the challenges and peculiarities of ensuring the security of lives and property in the state were critically addressed. Sequel to that was the robust launch of security fund which pulled some resources from Ndi-Anambra and the organized private sector towards assisting the State Government combat crime. The government has thereafter provided huge logistic supports to the law enforcement agencies by way of providing patrol vehicles, security gargets and funds to facilitate their operations.

In 100 days, Governor Obiano’s successes in freeing ‘the state from kidnappers, armed robbers, drug barons, extortionists etc.’ became manifest. Onitsha, the commercial hub of Anambra State which hitherto was largely a hotbed of criminal activities of all shades has attained an appreciable quietude that gladdens the hearts of the residents. The notorious Upper Iweka region of the commercial city has been cleared of the many unkempt motor parks and the nuisance constituted by the miscreants who bred therein. This strategic section of Onitsha which largely spells ‘Brand Anambra’ has been cleaned up.

Kidnapping kingpins have been arrested and made to face the wrath of the law. This feat has been made possible by the robust support the government has given to the joint security outfit – the Operation Kpochapu – which Chief Obiano constituted for crime fighting and prevention. The government has boldly pulled down houses of kidnappers at places like Aguleri, Ihiala, Ogidi, etc as deterrent to whoever might be attracted to the allurements of quick ill-gotten wealth. Armed robbers and their suppliers of arms and ammunitions are hunted down and brought to book; just as illicit drug dealers are not spared.

Governor Obiano has successfully led campaigns to ensure that there is sanity in the disposal of wastes – domestic and industrial. While appealing to the consciousness of Ndi-Anambra to embrace cleanliness as a virtue, his insistence that anybody who is caught fouling environmental laws is duly penalized adds some bite to the persuasion.

The state government has provided large quantities of improved seedlings and other stalks to farmers who have been encouraged to form functional cooperative societies to enable government relate with them directly. The government has equally provided over one hundred tractors to aid its campaign for mechanized farming. Governor Willie Obiano exhorts Anambra youths to embrace farming as a profitable means of livelihood.

The agriculture friendly policy of the government yielded its first major partnership in the establishment of Coched Agro-Industrial Farm at Anaku in Ayamelum Local Government Area of Anambra State. Chief Cosmas Maduka of Coscharis fame is partnering with the state government in the venture which promises great increase in rice production and processing while creating many employment opportunities along the value chain of its operations.

Governor Obiano administration has continued to partner with missionary bodies in the provision of adequate infrastructures in the health sector. In keeping his 4Cs concept of continuing, completing, commissioning and commencing projects, the governor is completing the projects at the frontline missionary hospitals at Adazi-Nnukwu, Ogidi, Ihiala, Onitsha, and Amichi. He is doing the same in schools and other core MDG interest sectors.

While the government of Chief Obiano churns out short, medium and long term policies for a greater Anambra, it recognizes the primacy of providing motorable access to remote locations of arable farmland and industries. Governor Willie Obiano has therefore flagged off about fourteen strategic roads exemplified in Umueje-Oil Rig Road, Aguleri Uno–Oil Rig Road, Achina–Oneh Agbudu Ogboji Road, Ugwunwasike–Azu Ogbunike–Amawa–Osile–Ifite–Umueri–St. Monica College Road, Ozzu Umunachi Road etc. Indeed Governor Obiano has flagged off over 167 kilometres of roads within his first 100 days in office. Apart from this Governor Obiano is assiduously working towards giving Ndi-Anambra a befitting state capital in terms of infrastructural uplift: roads, flyovers, housing estates, modern markets, etc.

Tourism is receiving a boost like never before in the state, as the governor is resolute in turning the famous Ogbunike Cave and the Owelle-Ezukala Water Falls and their environs into world-class tourist spots. He is no less committed to the completion of the on-going construction of the imposing Agulu Lake Tourist Resort.

Governor Obiano has persuaded the people of the state who have excelled in their chosen areas of endeavour to form a synergy towards the growth of the state. This nostalgic warmth of home is assuming an irresistible pull. The future of the state looks a lot more stable with ‘sons and daughters of the soil’ repatriating marks of their expertise to Anambra.

Governor Obiano has aided the transportation needs of Anambra workers by supplying them buses which will take them to and from work at minimal cost. He is equally doing a one thousand housing scheme that is scheduled for the state civil servants. Given the magnitude of Chief Obiano’s achievements in the first 100 days of his administration, and given his determination to attain his vision of a safe, peaceful and developed polity, other things being equal, one wonders the heights the state will attain at the end of his tenure.

Okechukwu Anarado writes from Adazi-Nnukwu.