Traders, rights group, ex-Aviation Minister, others on high expectations from Soludo

As Gov Charles Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra state commences work as the sixth executive Governor of the state, Anambrarians that include, traders, rights group, ex-Aviation Minister, among others are on high expectations from him. In an interview with Phil Okose, they have this to say, read on:

Among the traders that have high expectations included, the chairman of Chain Saw and Allied Products Dealers Association, (CAPDA) Head bridge market Onitsha, Chief Onyebuchi Umeojianya, who said that, “it is now that real Igbo man has come to leadership of Anambra state and the entire Southeast political zone .we expect good leadership like former Governor Peter Obi did, Soludo will even do better. He picked those that will work with him irrespective of the place or party they belong to”.

Flanked by some of his members that included, Kenneth Okafor, Okonkwo Chukwuemeka Amandiansze and Chief Peter Okala, he said, “as traders we want him to smoothen and make easy for us the running of business in the state especially in our markets. He has even started because when the illegal revenue agents stormed my shop on the arrival of my goods to collect revenue I told them that the Governor has directed that such illegal revenue collection be stopped immediately and that I was a brother to the Governor, they left immediately.”

“Soludo should also work on the roads, evacuate the mountains of refuse that have taken over Onitsha and it’s environs.when I was oversea I didn’t experience such thing and there should be enough power supply and judiciary should live up to expectations. There should be implementation of court orders. At the Bridge head market court gave an order but the former Commissioner of Trade, Markets, Wealy Creation, Hon. Uchenna Okafor, did not obey the court order and he has done so in many markets. Soludo should ensure he is not reappointed in his goverent. I’m not saying if there were commissioners that did well that they will not be responsible. The commissioner in question failed woefully in markets and business in the state. He was a disappointment and didn’t score up to s pass mark in terms of achievements to the state. What he did at Bridgehead market was installation of illegality and I will not be happy if he is reappointed.

I urge all and sundry to support Soludo . If he can manage Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN and stabilize the economy of Nigeria then Anbra is a small thing to him. He promised to give work to the unemployed and I believe he will do that, I even need three people in my employer”.

In his own expectations, the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA National Publicity Secretary, Prophet Tex Okechukwu, urged Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, not to listen to traducers in the party adding, ,”they should give the Governor a breathing space to enable him execute his five-point contract to the people of the state.”

“They claim to be so intimate to Soludo thereby causing confusion to the people on how the new administration would be run .They claim to have direct discussions with him or detailed informations as to how the new government will be run thereby passing wrong signals to the generality of the people particularly to APGA faithful, giving them the apparition and false analysis of their exclusion in the scheme of things. Just to attempt to consummate their bemused perplexity in the joyous political terrain, but Charley Nwamgbafor is a focused person who has been in the public domain at various levels locally and internationally and had experienced sycophants and back stabbers and wouldn’t find these terribly strange and difficult to manage.

The situation appeared more worrisome to some people when the transition committee was inaugurated , some people believed that he had sold out, since the membership ot the transition committee were more or less technocrats from various fields of endeavors contrary to the conventional all APGA party affairs; but Nwamgbafor is focused on getting the best for the Ndi Anambra and wouldn’t bother about unconstructive criticisms. To achieve his goal he has to alter the conventional political trajectory by introducing the talent data bank system. The state became more tensed when he rolled out the https:/www anambratalentdatabank.ng , for those Ndi Anambra who actually have some meaningful developmental strategies or skills towards the designed milestones to come up. Criticism increased beyond measure,all in a bid to distract the governor elect and create disharmony but Nwamgbafor kept his focus, and made it clear that if you have something worthwhile to elevate the state irrespective where you come from so long you an Anambrarian come up with it.

Come to think of it, supposing he did not throw it open to the generality of Anambrarians how would he achieve his 5point agenda for Ndi Anambra as he promised with precision.

If he operates sentimentally, wrong hands definitely might be fixed in sensitive areas resulting in either delaying or destroying the route of progress. What the governor elect wants is to fix a square peg in a square hole; which will obviously save time and resources. The talent data bank is open for all Ndi Anambra to contribute their wealth of experiences to bear, APGA members and other Anambrarians who have what it takes for the development of the state are free to apply.I believe that since the first stanza ended on the 28 day of February 2022, it may not ordinarily foreclose further opportunities if they are meritorious .This method is strange but personally do not believe that it is out of place, because the team of experts brought into the seamless transition would have meant well, for Ndi Anambra, for they are distinguished men and women of high integrity and will not propagate faulty processes.The benefits derivable from this method will be enormous and would be applauded at last; otherwise it will be counter productive and constitute a clog in the wheel of progress, if it is not followed diligently.

My personal interactions with Charley Nwamgbafor unveiled a lot of lofty promises and assurances of massive development in the state.He pledged not to lavish time and resources of the people during his inauguration.He vowed to get straight to his office at the government house Awka to commence work immediately after the inauguration.Soludo further said that his inauguration will not take more than 30minutes.

The next day or thereabout his first move is to get down to Okpoko a slum areas in Onitsha within Ogbaru local government despite the fact that he did not win in that local government during the Nov 6 gubernatorial election, evident that he is not vindictive I believe his movement to Okpoko is to evaluate the state of affairs thereto, thereafter commence work there immediately.

These areas are densely populated with little or no government presence and infrastructures.

This is an illustration of what Anambra State will look like in the next four years. Okpoko is a hide out of hoodlums where all sorts of adulterations and fake products are produced.The security challenges bedeviling Onitsha metropolis and its environs stem from there.

With his intervention there will be a relief, some of the bad and unemployed elements will be compelled to engage themselves meaningfully or vacate the state.

He further emphasized that he is not going to covet the resources of the state, in other words he will render selfless services for his people, what a love for motherland.

He had worked nationally and internationally and has had rewards for his labor enough for him and his family and having acquired a lot of experiences and grace from God he decided to bring them to the benefit of Ndi Anambra.

He vowed to equip public schools with staff, academic materials and infrastructures..He feels that some government assistants will be reduced to cut down cost.

He further assured me that every part of the state will experience fantastic development and that he will not disappoint Ndi Anambra.

Some argued that as a banker and a technocrat, the professor will not disburse enough funds for projects without undue rigorous and stringent measures and may not accommodate the party faithfuls.

But I know that the governor , Charley Nwamgbafor will obviously reward APGA party faithful and the political gladiators who worked tirelessly for his victory; and will judiciously disburse funds in relevant, sincere and meaningful projects.The talent data bank was designed to get functional, proficient, practically skilled Anambrarians to achieve results.

The idea of talent data bank was not for mere certificate qualifications, possession or presentation but for a more practical proof of skill, ability, competence and performance in the interest of the people.

It was not intended to scheme out APGA party faithfuls. He acknowledged the fact that APGA faithfuls stood for him throughout the electioneering challenges.

Professor Charles Soludo is friendly, humble , amiable and intellectually focused and can easily discern right from wrong modus.

My plea therefore is LET US GIVE PROFESSOR CHUKWUMA SOLUDO A TOTAL SUPPORTIVE MANDATE TO ELEVATE ANAMBRA STATE

God bless governor Willie Mmaduaburochukwu Obiano Akpokuedike global!

for giving Ndi Anambra Soludo.

God bless Charley Nwamgbafor!! Anambra! God bless Ozonkpu Dr Victor Ike Oye for his doggedness during the election!!

God bless the APGA nwc and other bodies that stood firm all through the electioneering challenges,!!!

God bless us all in Jesus Name”

Speaking, the former Minister of Aviation and and also former Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Chief Osita Chidoka stated that, “17th March 2022 was a remarkable day in Anambra State; it was a day Governor Obiano birthed his true legacy. As a Governor, he struggled. His choices were questionable, his actions contentious, and the absence of a coherent philosophical compass marked his government as nebulous. Chief Willy Obiano’s governance records would remain a subject of debate, his quest for physical legacies doubtful. Yet he ended it well.”

“He ended it well not because he built a conference centre or an airport with the longest runway, those would not define him. Chief Obiano ended it well because while he thought himself suitable for Anambra, he chose a successor whose pedigree and past was clearly above his resume before he assumed office. That is a mark of greatness. The failure of political leaders in the South-East to embrace quality successors, people who have measurable results in their work-life, is at the heart of the progressive governance collapse in the region. By his admission, Governor Obiano’s legacy is that he has given Anambra people somebody better than him. Whether by choice or circumstances, former Governor Obiano showed through his support for Governor Soludo that he has no complex. He has shown that he is not that iroko tree that wants to stand alone in the forest.

I hope our Governors and people of the South-East will learn from this great action and work to improve the quality of the leadership pool in the region. South-East governors and leaders should resist the urge to enthrone mediocrity in the false belief that they would control the person. That model has consistently failed—time to rethink it and try a new way. I wonder if past Governors see the link between the breakdown of law and order, the collapse of governance infrastructure, and the region’s restiveness to the quality of government in the area. I can see the causal relationship.

The burden is now on Governor Soludo to carry this torch aloft and, through his conduct, solidify the example of technocratic–political leadership that he represents. His inaugural speech holds out promise. His effort to locate APGA in the historic national alliance of the 1960s UPGA made up of NCNC, AG, NEPU, and UMBC sets a new template for Igbo engagement with Nigeria. His strong message against criminality and an olive branch to IPOB is another opportunity to reclaim our homeland. Governor Soludo’s example of buying Nigerian and buying made in Anambra is a practical step in job creation and the fight against poverty.

Yet these are words, now is time to act. All eyes are on Governor Soludo, waiting to see whether a livable and prosperous homeland for ndIgbo is possible. Stakeholders are looking to see how his government will birth a new governance model for the region, where experience, knowledge, data and quality human resources combine to deliver public goods to citizens. In other words, whether Gov. Soludo would combine Uche, Uchu, Egwuchukwu and eschew Nkali, Mkpali and Mmegbu in the conduct of affairs of state. The first steps are encouraging.

Former Governor Obiano should go home proud that he gave vent to the yearnings of the Anambra people and rest confident that his true legacy is in his choice of successor. Whether the outcome meets expectations would not be his headache, for ultimately, the Anambra people chose this solution to their governance needs.

The Anambra state chairman of Civil Liberties Oganization, CLO, comrade Vincent Ezekwueme, had in his expectations said that, “as Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo assummes office as the executive Governor, the expectations from him are high as one who when he was in the Central Bank, CBN, as the Governor, stabilized the Nigerian currency and made it to compete with other foreign currencies”.

In a press release jointly signed by the State Chairman of Civil Liberties Organization, CLO, comrade Vincent Ezekwueme, his secretary, Chidi Mba and treasurer, Hyginus Chinedu Udensi, treasurer, the trio urged Soludo to rescue the state from all manners of crime and criminality that have taken over the state unabated.

The release titled, “let us rebuild our state”, read in part thus: “as

Professor Chukwumah Charles Soludo takes over from Obiano’s, CLO makes a passionate appeal to Soludo 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 an incredible but existential reality that the 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”.

He should discard with great disdain the 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 dismantling and prosecution of those extorting money 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.

Soludo should conduct Local Government elections 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 they deserve.

The rights group however extolled the governor for opting for low key inauguration in order to save money for the development of the state adding that such prudent management of public funds for public goods should be emulated by the political class.

It equally solicits for radical prayers, support, solidarity and goodwill for the unprecedented success and accomplishments of lofty visions of Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo.

Recall that in his inaugural speech, Soludo stated that, “As I stand here, I feel the weight of history. I stand on the foundation laid especially by our elected predecessors— Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe GCFR, PC, Dr Michael.I. Okpara, Chief Jim Nwobodo, Chief Christian C. Onoh, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Dr Chinwoke Mbadinuju, Dr Chris Ngige, OON, Mr Peter Obi, CON, and yes, our own Chief (Sir) Willie M. Obiano. You all did your best and well for our people, and I salute you all. As I wear the APGA muffler on my neck, I feel the weight of Africa’s historic progressives like the Great Zik of Africa, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, GCFR, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, Dr M.I. Okpara, Malam Aminu Kano, Chief Joseph Tarka, Malam Balarabe Musa, Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah, etc. Not to talk of the millions of living African progressives, who still dream of Renascent Africa. We will never let them down

As the first true progressive party in Nigeria since 1999, our ideology is a combination of Zik’s neo welfarism, Awolowo’s scientific socialism, and Aminu Kano’s democratic humanism, to form what we see as the Pan African market progressivism.It is a Pan Africanist ideology that integrates the social democratic values with the principles of competitive markets.

Anambra under our watch will mirror this ideology, and we believe that this should be Nigeria’s compass to the future. We will seek active collaboration and cooperation with the Federal Government, our neighbouring and other states as well as the international community to provide our state truly people-centred governance. We will consolidate the progress made under our predecessors to continue Anambra’s upward trajectory.

Today, I stand up for the millions of Ndi Anambra for whom this mandate means everything. The hopes and expectations rise up to the heavens. Understandably, all of us wish that I could perform miracles – by waving my hands and all our problems will be solved. I hear you. I feel your pulse. For your sake I keep awake at night, sometimes having palpitations about not letting you down. Well, since God is the Miracle Worker, I will look up to Him in prayer and faith as we all start the work ahead of us. I see and feel all the humongous challenges.

I know the lean financial base of the state. I know the limitations imposed upon a subnational state such as Anambra by the peculiar structure of our federation. But here’s my promise: I will give it my all. I will work very hard every day, with you, to make Anambra proud. Every kobo of your tax money will be deployed to provide you maximum value. People ask me why we are not celebrating today as it has become customary. My response is that we all—party members, supporters, family and friends– celebrated in thanksgiving and prayers after you decided to employ me last November 6 and 9.

But today, my first day at work, is not a day for celebration. First, there is no venue that can contain the tens of thousands of Ndi Anambra and friends all over the world who would wish to join us on this historic occasion. Second, the State cannot afford any such expensive ceremonies. Third, and as a matter of personal philosophy and as a true progressive, I do not subscribe to using the paltry tax collected from the women selling pepper on the roadside or the okada/keke drivers on a fleeting fanfare and banquet.I insisted that this event must not cost the government of Anambra one kobo.

I would rather use such resources to lay the foundation stone for a public hospital at Okpoko or elsewhere

Yes, I will not celebrate, and certainly not with the tax payers’ money.Umunne m Ndi Anambra!I come to this job prepared to serve you. For 12 years since 2009 when I first indicated interest to serve you, I persevered through the turbulent politics and here we are. Once again, I present to you the Soludo Solution—our contract with the people which we intend to vigorously implement subject to resource availability.

Our contract with

Anambra people derives from three seminal documents: (a) “Anambra Vision 2070—a 50-Year Development Plan” which I chaired the drafting; (b) “The Soludo Solution: A People’s Manifesto for a Greater Anambra”; and (c) “The Transition Committee (Combined) Report”—which built upon the first two.In sum, this is an agenda for an itinerant tribe in search of a livable and prosperous homeland. Driven by the philosophy of One Anambra, One People, One Agenda, our goal is to build Anambra into a livable and prosperous smart megacity.

We aim to transit beyond petroleum into the digital world of the 4th Industrial Revolution, and envision Anambra as an industrial, technology, and leisure/entertainment hub of West Africa.Our detailed Plan rests on five key pillars: law and order (homeland peace and security); economic transformation as Nigeria’s next axis of industrial-tech and leisure; competitive and progressive social agenda (education, health, youth, women and vulnerable groups); Governance, rule of law and a rebirth of our value system; and aggressively tackling our existential threat posed by the environment—towards a clean, green, planned and sustainable cities, communities, and markets.

For me, this agenda is also personal: I am here to build a society where I would be proud to live in after leaving office.Ndi be anyi, what we propose is that we collectively build a new social and economic order that guarantees and defends economic freedom and reward of private enterprise to secure our future such that any child born in Anambra will have little incentive to rush elsewhere in search of opportunities and anyone persecuted anywhere in the world can return to a happy and prosperous homeland. Such a new order will, of necessity, entail a massive disruptive change and creative destruction, with short-term pains but guaranteed long-term benefits.

As a humane and progressive government, we shall strive to deliver the difficult change with a human face.As we transit into a non-oil economy, our strategy is a small open economy framework embedded in 21st Century imperative of Everything Technology: we seek to bring the world to Anambra and take Anambra to the world especially in the context of the African continental free trade area (AfCFTA).

Our “Made in Anambra” and “Anambra Standards” agenda underpin this strategy. If you can produce it in Anambra, I will be your chief marketing officer, provided that your standard meets the “Anambra standard”—which is excellence. The Anambra State Government will only patronize Made in Anambra products and services unless such goods or services are not currently made in Anambra, then made in Nigeria, Africa, etc, in that sequence. When you see me in Innoson vehicles or in my Akwete dress with a pair of shoes made in Ogbunike/Nkwelle Ezunaka and Onitsha, we are making a statement.Today, the light refreshment to be served after this brief event is abacha from Umunze, ukwa from Isuofia, Anambra rice with ofe akwu, nkwu enu from Awgbu, ngwo from Awa and Oba, and malt and bottled water from Onitsha.As part of our “made in Anambra”, cultural renaissance and healthy living agenda, when you come to the Governor’s Lodge or attend any state government’s function, be sure to be served only “Made in Anambra”.

We want to go back to where M.I. Okpara stopped with the palm revolution and plant millions of palm trees. In some years, we will seek not only to export palm produce but also fresh palm wine from Anambra State.We will seek active collaboration with the federal government not only to export manufactured and agricultural products, but also services (especially tech, leisure/entertainment, and skills/talents as we seek an educational system whose products are productive at home and exportable).

Anambra’s greatest resource is our human capital, and we shall grow and mine this resource to its maximum, leveraging on technology.We will soon inaugurate the Anambra Innovation and Technology Advisory Council to drive the emergence of the digital tribe and mainstreaming technology and innovation across all aspects of our lives, our International Investment Council, our Global Friends of Anambra in Development, as well as the Council on the Ease of Doing Business.

We will conduct local government elections. No doubt, the uniform local government system as the third federating unit is one of the contested features of our federalism. But we must make the best of a bad system, by unleashing the potential of governance at the lower levels. Over the next two years, we shall review/amend the relevant legislations, reform and strengthen the system for efficiency, restructure/strengthen the Anambra’s Independent Electoral Commission, and conduct local government elections. We will collaborate and coordinate actively with LGAs to ensure synergy and complementarities. Let the revolution get to the grassroots.We shall reinvigorate and mainstream the public-community-private partnership (PCPP) – as a veritable framework for service delivery and development.

We will develop pragmatic frameworks for private sector and communities to: adopt schools, build roads/infrastructure, manage government assets, receive and manage development matching grants; participate in sanitation and securing law and order, etc. There is a subtle but powerful revolution underway, raising the bar on our age-old community development model.Yes, every community embarks upon community development.

Besides the well-known Nnewi model, some communities such as Neni and Adazi Ani are showing new examples. At Neni, an individual has tarred 18 kilometres of road (together with others at 24 kilometres in the community) and they are now refurbishing and empowering public schools in their community; an individual in Adazi Ani has done 13 kilometres and wants to surpass the Neni record.

The Government will provide a framework to incentivize and unleash the momentum of this new phenomenon at the village/community levels.Our government is committed to promoting the expeditious dispensation of justice especially the prompt resolution of commercial disputes. We shall collaborate with the Chief Judge and his colleagues to significantly improve the physical and technological infrastructure of the courts, and hopefully also implement some structural reforms to fast-track the path to justice and make Anambra the number one in the speedy dispensation of justice and ease of doing business.Part of our future is in our past. We will mainstream our values of hard work, integrity, compassion, and sanctity of life.

The fringe but destructive minority which embodies the “get rich quick by all means” philosophy, cultism, drug addiction, blood-letting criminality, kidnapping, etc do not represent us, and cannot define us. As a new social order and “everything technology” philosophy take life, many unproductive systems will give way. There will be new and better ways of managing our parks and markets, different and better ways of collecting government revenue, managing waste, and general service delivery to citizens.

The land registry will be digitized; we shall leverage technology to ensure a responsive and accountable public service together with our initiative for an ID Card for every Anambra person wherever he/she may be; and a code of conduct for political appointees to mainstream servant leadership by example. We must rid Onitsha and all our roads and markets of revenue touts and make shopping in Anambra a pleasurable experience. Today, I will sign an executive order to suspend all revenue contracts operating in the parks, markets and roads until we put in place a new system within the next four weeks. Consequently as from tomorrow, 18th March, 2022, if anyone asks you to pay CASH to him as revenue to the government in the parks, markets and roads, such a person must be a thief.

Market unions must also stop harassing customers.We shall embark upon massive training and social re-engineering to wean people off the old unproductive ways. As a humane government, we shall endeavor to offer alternative opportunities to the revenue touts.

Over the next two years, many will complain that “it is not the way we do it”, but we can’t repeat the same thing and expect a different result. During the coming months, we shall embark upon bold but difficult reforms and these reforms may be unpopular especially among those benefitting from the existing order. For sure, the revenue and park mafia that rake in billions of government revenue into their private pockets won’t be happy. But we commit to doing the right things. And we plead for your understanding, patience and cooperation. By His grace, Anambra will win!But Anambra State is a subnational entity, within the context of Nigeria’s unitary-federalism.

The speed of its progress is in part dependent upon both the threats and opportunities inherent in such a system. The ongoing Constitutional amendment at the National Assembly is welcome, albeit that some of the proposals merely tinker at the margins and attempting to do more of the same. The subnational states need to be unleashed. For too long, Nigeria has tried a top-down strategy; now is the time to try the bottom-up approach, and that’s part of my motivation. While we debate how far and how fast the devolution and reconfigurations will go, the world is not waiting. As the world transits away from oil into cleaner energy sources and a world of 4th Industrial Revolution, Nigeria needs a fundamentally different rule-book to survive and compete. We will seek to optimize the limited headroom allowed by the current peculiar structure to give our people a new life.Umunne m Ndi Anambra,

Besides the environment, a fundamental existential threat to our state and indeed Igboland is that of peace building and law and order. We can’t build this homeland by turning the sword against each other. Ndi Anambra love their homeland but the recent upsurge in criminality poses a great threat. My heart bleeds to see and hear about our youth dying in senseless circumstances. Every criminal gang—kidnappers, wicked murderers, arsonists, rapists, thieves— all now claim to be freedom fighters.

Criminality cannot be sugarcoated. This must stop.All the stakeholders must now review both the narrative and the action plan. For starters, I endorse the recent statement (March 7, 2022) by the Joint Body of South East Council of Traditional Rulers and Bishops/Archbishops on Peace and Conflict Resolution, requesting for a tripartite discussion between them, The Presidency, and South East governors to deal with the conflicts in the South East especially in relation to Nnamdi Kanu and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Eastern Security Network (ESN).

There is no conflict that dialogue, in good faith, cannot resolve. Our government is determined to urgently restore peace and security in Anambra, and we will seek the active cooperation and collaboration of all stakeholders.

To IPOB/ESN, the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), as well as the disparate armed groups in the forests, it is time to interrogate both the purpose and means of your campaign. To the politicians playing politics with the insecurity, you are riding a tiger. The current trajectory is a road to desolation. Let us get around the table and talk. Let the elite in the closet come out, and let’s debate our future and forge a consensus.

The conspiracy of silence by the elite and some community leaders must end. If you see something, say or do something! Securing Igboland and Nigeria must be our collective responsibility. Let those in the forests come out, surrender their guns and let’s work together to rehabilitate and empower you to contribute positively to the peace and prosperity of our homelandA significant part of our state economy is powered by artisans, keke drivers, vulcanizers, hairdressers, cart pushers, petty traders, bricklayers, women frying akara, and all those who depend upon daily toil and sweat to feed their families.

Every day, there is a “sit at home”, these poor masses lose an estimated N19.6 billion in Anambra alone. Due to the protracted breakdown of law and order, businesses are relocating outside Igboland, with growing unemployment, and traders who used to come to shop in Onitsha, Aba etc are going elsewhere. Who is losing? By forcing our children—the future of Igboland—to stay at home instead of being in school, while even the critically sick people (including pregnant women) cannot go to hospital, we harm our future .

I hereby challenge any of the disparate groups that claims that it is not part of the senseless killings and kidnappings to step out and show leadership by joining hands with us to DO something about it. If you love our homeland, there is no place for bloodshed. Our Lord Jesus Christ admonished in Matthew 26: 52: “put your sword back in its sheath, for all who live by the sword will die by the sword”. In the traditional religion, the land places a curse upon those who spill the blood of the innocent.For me, this issue is personal and emotional.

My mother died during the civil war; our last born, Chukwuemeka died during the war; my father bore a bullet inside him for years; my elder brother – at 16, was in the ‘Boys Company’. At 8, I became the “man of the house”, with all the men at the war front. My uncles, cousins, etc, died during the war. This is 2022, and there are certainly far better ways to protest than shedding the blood of the innocent or resorting to criminality.That is why I call on all of us today to join hands with me to execute the real agenda—a livable and prosperous homeland of opportunities and jobs for our youth while maximizing the benefits of a united Nigeria/Africa. With Ohanaeze’s estimate that some 11.6 million Igbos live in the North and over 7 million in Lagos state and over 70% of our non-land assets scattered all over Nigeria and the world, we need Nigeria and Nigeria needs us. We need Africa and the world and they need us.

Yes, we have heard every genuine agitation for fairness, justice, equity and equality in the Nigerian Federation. No, we refuse to turn our homeland into a crime scene and all manners of criminality. No group has ever succeeded in any struggle in history by turning the sword against themselves.

I promise to work hard with other governors and leaders in the South East and others to take your agitations to the table of all Nigeria, and we hope to bargain for a win-win solution for all Nigeria. I will engage all parties to the breakdown of peace and order in Anambra from a point of determination to solve problems and resolve disagreements with openness, integrity, equity and justice.

I will absolutely invest my political capital within our State, our South East and with the Presidency, Federal Government and its establishments as a matter of topmost priority. With good faith and hard work by all parties, I am convinced that justice, peace and order will return to Anambra and the South East within the shortest possible horizon.Umunne m Ndi Anambra, this agenda is premised upon your irrepressible and communal spirit. It is you—the people—that will make it happen. We all love our homeland to death, and we can turn it into whatever we will that it should be.

A new servant leadership and a new homeland consciousness by the people will get us there despite the huge challenges. For example, to effectively implement our ambitious agenda, we need annual investment levels of 25- 30% of state gross domestic product (GDP), that is about $2.58 – $3.09 billion. At current levels, public sector investment is less than $100 million per annum. The gap seems daunting, but we are undaunted.

The internally generated revenue is barely 0.5% of state GDP.This presents immense opportunity as well as threat in the context of a rentier culture where the social contract/trust between the citizen and the government is broken, and the people do not believe that they can get value for their taxes. We are determined to change this.I pledge here again to devote every kobo of your tax money to work for you. This is your government. I am only your employee.

I commit to a transparent, accountable, judicious, and impactful use of your tax money. My litmus test for every expenditure will be to ask two questions: a) if this is my hard earned money from work and profit, can I spend it this way? b) Is this the best way to spend the taxes and levies collected from the poor traders and okada riders? If I cannot answer Yes to both questions, then I will hesitate to do so.On your part, we need a new chapter of active and responsive citizenship, imbued with civic responsibilities and participation.

Pay your fair share of tax and sanitation and other levies and try us. I paid my 2021 tax to Anambra (over N10 million). The keke drivers pay over N90,000 per annum; the women selling pepper and hawkers who pay N200 per day average at least N50,000 per annum; etc.

What about you—the shop owner/trader, lawyer, doctor, consultant, journalist, professionals, business owner, landlord, etc? You want security, good transport network without traffic, good schools and hospitals, water, clean, green and planned environment, etc. How much do you pay per month/year? Ndi Anambra outside Anambra must creatively pay their taxes in their primary residence—Anambra.

With a new homeland consciousness, the estimated over 10 million Ndi Anambra outside the State can collectively turn their homeland into the new axis of prosperity.In addition to our civic duties as responsible citizens, I call on all of us to go the extra mile in volunteering our time and treasure to create the homeland of our dream.

Everybody is important in this journey and I need your help to succeed. We must all strive to die empty—to give our all, in aid of God’s creation. Each day, every Onye Anambra must ask himself or /herself: “what have I done today to make my home state livable and prosperous?” It should be part of our daily devotion.

Ex Aviation Minister others on high expectations from Soludo Rights Group traders