Divided opinions as Gov. Soludo vows to turn around Anambra

 

Phil Okose

 

Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo of Anambra State has reiterated his determination to turn around Anambra State , commencing with cleansing Okpoko, Onitsha suburb, that he described as the largest urban slum  in the Southeast zone

 

He made the disclosure at St. Lwanga Catholic Church, Okpoko,  where he addressed the residents on  his plan to better their welfare .

 

Hear him,  “Ụmụnnem, (my brethren ) ife dị na Okpoko; ( things are in Okpoko) the genius, the unemployed and the criminal. The challenge before us is to decide whether to continue ruing the ugly situation or turn the flipside that will provide us enormous opportunities for the development of our Homeland. “Okpoko is the largest Urban slum in Anambra State. Therefore, we have to begin our urban renewal effort from our weakest link. Like my now 16-year-old daughter once asked me when she was just 14, “it is not enough to wish change or show the will to cause a change. How are you sure, Daddy, that the people themselves want to change? Of course, this is not so easy a question to be answered without far-reaching consultation with the people. So far, the people of Okpoko and residents, from Ndikpa to East Niger, are more in a hurry for a change than we can ever be.”

 

“That trip I made in 2009 to Okpoko where I was accosted by a little boy, who raced towards me and audaciously demanded, “Soludo nyem ego” (give me money) still occupies a better part of my memory. That boy, and millions like him need much more than money. They need a life. May God help us!”

 

Urging the people to remain responsible citizens by paying their tax and engaging in other civic duties, the governor stated categorically that the issue of touts and illegal collection of levies and taxes have come to an end in the state.

 

The state chairman of Civil Liberties Organization, CLO, comrade Vincent Ezekwueme, flanked by his executive members that included, Chidi Mba and Hyginus Chinedu Udensi, Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer respectively. In a lecture titled, “let us rebuild our state,” which he delivered in a workshop said, “As Professor Chukwumah Charles Soludo took over from Obiano, CLO has made a passionate appeal to the governor to rescue the state from despicable state of lawlessness, anarchy and man’s inhumanity against man very prevalent in the state due to unbridled quest for materialism and wealth by ubiquitous revenue agents, their sponsors, collaborators and beneficiaries of illegal revenue extorted and exploited from citizens and visitors on daily basis. His vision to transform Anambra State as Taiwan -Dubai in Africa will be a mirage if activities of illegal revenue agents and their sponsors are not halted immediately. It is incredible but existential reality that outgoing government directive for contractors building illegal shops at only park at Onitsha Main market to demolish the shops is observed in breach as works continue unabated.

 

Soludo should constitute an all inclusive government regardless of political affiliations, rekindle people’s confidence in government by eradicating illegal revenue agents, touting, emblem boys and task forces. Soludo should discard with great disdain services of sycophants, praise singers, hangers on and every government in power. Worthy of note is for him to reduce drastically outrageous cost of governance, commence evacuation of waste bins in all nooks and crannies of the state and immediate dismantle and prosecution of those who still extort monies from petty traders, hawkers, trucks and barrow pushers on daily basis in breach of directive from government that abolished such inhumane and barbaric exploitations and extortions.

 

He should conduct Local Governments election within six months of his swearing in. It is of prime importance for him to also democratise Towns Union and Markets leadership. Security and roads should be given priority attention it deserved. CLO extol the incoming governor for opting for low keyed inauguration in other to save money for the development of the state. Such prudent management of public funds for public goods should be emulated by the political class. CLO equally solicits for radical prayers, support, solidarity and goodwill for the unprecedented success and accomplishments of lofty visions of Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo for the State”.

 

On the clean up exercise, the Deputy Governor, His Excellency, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim, led the team for the clean up exercise in the four local Government Areas of Idemili North, Ogbaru, Onitsha North and South which commenced in the early morning Saturday, 2nd April, 2022, for the exercise.

 

The team first arrived Okpoko, Ogbaru local Government Area, from where they took off to Port Harcourt road, Fegge, Onitsha South, where His Execellency inspected clean up exercise up to Ochanja round-about, where the team encountered disturbing level of waste.

 

Addressing the crowd who were in jubilant mood on seeing him, the Deputy Governor personally inspecting the clean up exercise,  informed them of the Governor’s commitment to ensuring clean and healthy environment, while assuring residents that he would be with them to inspect the clean up until Onitsha and its environs were cleaned.

 

He warned that, any delay in evacuation of the waste in the commercial city would lead to epidemic, hence the urgency of the exercise.

 

Ibezim equally reminded them that the citizens of Anambra State employed them to work for them, and that is exactly what the Governor is doing.

 

On the entourage of the Deputy Governor included the speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly, Rt Honorable Uche Okafor, Edward Ibuzor, member of Onitsha North II,  Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Solo Chukwulobelu, Commissioner for Environment Designate, Engr Felix Odimegwu, Transition Committee Chairman of Onitsha South, Hon  Asoanya Emeka,  among other top government functionaries.

 

In line with the Governor Chukwuma Soludo-led administration’s urban renewal effort in Okpoko, Ogbaru Council Area, its environs and the state in general, an enforcement team led by the state Physical Planning Board today, began marking of structures for removal in Okpoko.

 

The enforcement team was led by the Executive Chairman of the Board, Barrister Chike Maduekwe.

 

Armed with the Master Plan of Okpoko, the team sited the area from the Second Niger Bridge.

 

In the process, it was established that over two hundred structures are blocking the road, drainage and water way, thereby preventing successful emptying of flood water into the Niger River.

 

Okpoko, a sprawling slum which has a population of over a million, sits on the east bank of the Niger River just north of the larger city of Onitsha.

 

The clean up exercise is one of the major deliverables of Soludo’s plan to make Anambra a liveable city.

 

Barrister Maduekwe explained that “the major challenge in the area is that many people blocked the waterway especially the Sakamori drainage, saying that when it rains, it stops water from emptying into the Niger River, causing flooding with its attendant danger. The Governor has given instruction to mark every house on the waterway and give them notice to remove by themselves, and if you don’t remove those structures, government will do so and charge you for the expenses”.

 

The Chief Surveyor, Anambra State Physical Planning Board, Somto Atuenyi who pointed out that his mission is to be a guide, said that the board remains focused and committed to the mandate.

 

Some of the residents expressed joy that the Governor has kept his promise, praying God to help him complete what they described as genuine desire to transform the state.

 

You will recall that true to his promise, Governor Soludo Visited Okpoko on the 18th of March, 2022, a day after he was sworn in as Governor, where he performed on the spot accessment of the area.

 

 

Reacting, the chairman, Board of Trustees, BOT,  Association of Music, Film Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria, AMFPMN, Chief Obuoha Uzoma, while commending the new administration for the clean up exercise, hinted Sunday in his Onitsha office, Anambra State, that the association fought piracy for 24 years without success sequel to the inability of the three tiers of government to provide the enabling environment to help fight piracy.

 

He commended the Governor for the evacuation of refuse in the four local Government Areas and desilting of the drainage systems.

 

He pledged that the association would assist Soludo to curtail the unemployment problem by empowering 200 talented youths in any field they are destined to be.

 

Pleading to Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo to come to the rescue, the BOT chairman said that, “to worsen the situation our colleagues in the Western world have come up with MP3 virus because they feel our music is better than theirs.”

 

“Entertainment is the highest employer of labour and because Nigerian artists/musicians have better music than the European music, they create MP3 virus, which is faking our music to frustrate us and it has resulted in some of our members being unemployed.

“Soludo is God-sent to Anambra and I hope he will put a stop to piracy. Most youths die with their talents, so instead of wasting their talents they are made to pursue their destiny in the entertainment industry as we assist them to utilize their God,-giving talents”

 

He expressed optimism that the association will work in synergy with Governor Soludo’s administration for the betterment of the youths who according to him, “indulge in consumption of methamphetamine (Mkpulummili) because of lack of employment.

 

However, mixed reactions have trailed the marking of about 200 houses for demolition in Okpoko, Onitsha suburb, by Anambra  State Government as part of Governor Chukwuma Soludo-led administration’s urban renewal effort.

 

According to the team, the houses have been preventing successful emptying of flood water into the Niger River

 

“As a result Governor Soludo gave instruction to mark every house on the waterway and give them notice to remove by themselves”, stating that, “if they don’t remove those structures, government will do that for us and fine us.

 

Consequently, the Deputy Governor, His Excellency, Ibezim has  on behalf of the Governor, invited all those whose houses are marked for demolition to Onitsha South local Government Secretariat for a meeting on the way forward by 12 noon on Wednesday.

 

To this end, a landlord who identified himself as Peter Ijem, said, “in as much as we welcome giving Okpoko a face lift, government should compensate us before marking our houses for demolition” Some of the houses allegedly marked for demolition are not blocking any drainage system. We have lived in Okpoko for years,” he posited.

 

Also contributing, another land lord who identified himself as Chief Okoye, stated that, “Soludo started well but not to forgo our houses because he wants to reposition the state., We demand for compensation for any building demolished because we used money to have the land allocation and building”

 

“We are in full support of the demolition and plead that our case be looked into as some of us have no other business doing than to eat from the meagre money we collect as house rent” he pleaded

 

Also for allegedly sacking touts and illegal revenue agents from markets, parks and roads by Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State, traders at Oseokwodu market, commended the Governor describing the sack as a welcomed development.

 

Making the commendation through  their chairman, Hon. Anthony Onwuetiaka, they also applauded Governor Soludo for suspending all revenue contracts operating in the parks, Markets and roads till further notice.

 

Hon. Onwuetiaka lamented that touts have done more harm than good to the state, even as he stressed that touting was nothing to harbour in any state that needed to move forward.

 

” I commend professor Soludo for his brilliant initiatives, at least, Onitsha business activities can now boom again like before. And this is exactly the major reasons why we traders clamoured and endorsed Soludo even before the primary election because, we knew he has a solution for Anambra State. So, traders supported the decision of Governor Soludo and we will continue to support him.

 

Ose Market now enjoys conductive business atmosphere because touts and fake revenue agents vacated immediately State Government banned illegal tolls and our Market taskforce and security set up serious monitoring to ensure that no trader pay money again to touts in their market.”

 

” We are complying very well in check mating the activities of touts and for now there is nothing like that in Ose Okwodu Market and traders are happy. The new administration in the state should urgently come to our rescue by fixing damaged gutter which led from old Market road to Emejulu street/ Oseokwodu junction, as the only access road through which traders could bring in their wares inside the market.

 

We traders campaigned extensively for the election of the former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, we knew that he would definitely reposition the socio-economic and political status of the state and we advise him never to heed advice from the opposition who voted against him  but now cluster him for selfish interest.”

 

On Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo’s end of Monday Sit-at-home in Anambra State, a resident of Okpoko, Onitsha suburb, Mr. Emma Akaekeya, said that,”this Monday is better than the previous ones because you can atleast see people now on the streets and few vehicles are on the roads especially tricycles (Keke) plying to and from Onitsha .

 

One thing is certain, until the markets are open nothing will work, it will remain like this if Governor Soludo likes let him shout from now till next year”

 

Also at Bank road Nnewi, a staff of one of the Banks who simply identified himself as Francis, said that, “we bankers are not the problem but the traders, once they open the markets then we follow suit. It is not a question of forcing the traders rather dialogue with this agitators because things have since gone wrong, the Igbo have been deliberately marginalized but that should not warrant spilling blood”

 

“So Governor Soludo should soft pedal in his unguarded utterances as a father to avoid innocent souls being victims of circumstances”

 

A trader at Ekwulobia, Aguata local Government Area who pleaded anonymity said that, “my brother journalist, please I don’t want to talk on the Governor’s end to Monday sit -at-home order because nobody even the government is not ready to listen to me.”

 

“We, Igbo are endowed with human and material resources but instead of us to make use of our God-given wealth, we rather envy ourselves and take up arms against ourselves in the name of unknown gunmen. Even the Governor who is our father claimed to have known it all when he does not know that politics is different from economics, he should make consultation for the way forward”.

 

“Thank God that today few vehicular and people’s movement have been recorded even if the markets, shops, banks, courts, among others  remain shut . It is a gradual process”

 

Prophet  Nwachukwu Nweke Ogori, of Christ Healing Centre Akpugo Eze, Enugu state, hinted Sunday in Onitsha, Anambra state, that people didn’t believe his prophecy when he prophesied of Governor Charles Chukwuma $oludo’s victory two years before  the Governorship election that he won .

 

“The same thing is happening now as they don’t believe the brawl between Ebelechukwu Obiano, wife to immediate past Governor of the state, Chief Willie Obiano and Bianca Ojukwu, widow of late Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, former Biafra war lord, was a spiritual cleansing of the office for Governor Chukwuma Soludo to have smooth sail as he assumed work as the sixth executive Governor of the state”.

 

“With this cleansing whoever that comes to the governor in bad fate will be cursed by the gods as the Governor’s Victory was not of man but God. The cleansing has paved the way for smooth administration  and I mercy for those who may knowingly or unknowingly want to harm him (Governor). He is not there by his power. When I prophecised Soludo’s victory earlier people didn’t know he was coming out.

 

I told them that  out of the scores of the gubernatorial aspirants that included one Dr Godwin Maduka, that they would not win except Soludo and that Maduka would spend his money for nothing.

 

“On July 2001 it was Soludo that was revealed to me that he would take over from Obiano and I sent the revelation to Soludo.I told the other aspirants that God brought Soludo to better the welfare of the people of Anambra and the entire Southeast zone. We shall put him in prayer”

 

“I warned Soludo that former Governor Willie Obiano should not join him to do campaign and that any disobedience to that would be catastrophic .However, in about two years time the state will be better than what it is now. I also pray for Imo state so that God will touch the state, most of the elders who are suppose to speak out have all died”

 

In a press release signed by the APGA National Publicity Secretary, Prophet Tex Okechukwu, and made available to newsmen in Onitsha, the APGA National Chairman, while introducing members of the NWC to the Governor, narrated the chronicles of the expedition of Professor Soludo to the seat of governorship saying, “I  prophesied on the 27th of August 2017  that Charley Nwamgbafor will succeed Governor Obiano after an earlier prediction failed.”

Mr Governor was very reluctant to accept the proposal considering the fact that he had such an offer earlier and was eventually disqualified from running.

 

But I kept assuring him for over 5 hours, insisting that I heard from God. After much pressure he yielded and accepted the proposal”.

.

“On the 17th day of March , my prophesy came to fruition, Charley Nwamgbafor is now the Governor of Anambra State.”

 

The National Chairman however eulogized the Governor for his indefatigability and escapades in just three weeks of his administration .

 

He applauded the strict measures by the Governor to eradicate criminality in the state and the speed in desilting drainages and carting away refuses which had already made roads impassable in the major cities of Onitsha, Idemili and Ogbaru local Government Areas of the state.

 

The Bishop on the Niger, the Rt Rev Dr Owen Nwokolo, Thursday lauded Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State for embarking on carting away of what he described as embarrassing heaps of refuse which he said had long challenged the state.

 

Making the commendation as part of his 2022 Easter Message in his office at the Bishop’s Court, Episcopal House Onitsha, Bishop Nwokolo expressed profound satisfaction for the government’s initiative and the degree of success so far made in ridding the state of filths.

 

Lamenting that the governor inherited a chaotic refuse environmental situation, he stated that the present level of technology, manpower and strategies employed were not enough to bring the state to the acceptable degree of environmental cleanliness expected of the state.

 

Among other suggestions, Bishop Nwokolo said that there ought to be permanent sites for refuse disposals from which points government refuse management agencies could be taking the refuse away in professional manner.

 

He further suggested that with the application of high technology and professionalism, refuse management could involve systematic sorting and recycling of parts of the discarded materials for manufacture of different domestic and industrial items.

 

He called on the government to come up with a grand master plan of how to properly manage refuse in the state.

 

Hear him, “regrettably, when the new governor was sworn-in, it was like he was welcomed with heaps of refuse that littered all over the major towns in the state. Some parts of major roads in the state then, in fact, were covered by the Refuse.