By Ifeanyichukwu Afuba<\/p>\n
Two events in close succession just before the 6th anniversary of the
\nWillie Obiano administration on March 17, 2020, open a window into the
\nresilient community that has been forging in Anambra State. It is an
\nevolving society in which the government \u2013 citizen pact is growing
\nroots. More importantly, the process has largely been driven by its
\nparticipatory and transparent nature.<\/p>\n
On February 29, 2020, the 12th Nigeria Police Games kicked off in
\nAnambra State. The eight day sports competition was widely adjudged a
\nresounding success. But the crunch was whether to host the Games in the
\nfirst place in the prevailing economic circumstance? Would the Obiano
\nadministration\u2019s policy of \u2018doing more with less\u2019 win again? Did the
\nprinciple still resonate with the public? The two questions were
\nanswered in the affirmative. The huge task of providing the needed
\nfacilities and services for a successful hosting at short notice was
\nunderstood by sections of the society. However, the conviction was
\nstrong that in the true tradition of rising up to the demands of time,
\nthe set targets would be met. And they were. Public support proved
\npivotal to successful hosting; in a competition involving over three
\nthousand athletes and officials, there were no cases of injuries or
\nbrawls.<\/p>\n
In another historic break, Governor Willie Obiano on Thursday, March 12,
\n2020, commissioned the impressive NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp built
\nby his administration at Mbaukwu\/Umuawulu. It is a project with especial
\nsignificance for the Anambra society. Since creation in 1991, Anambra
\nhad for 28 years operated a temporary, improvised NYSC camp at Umunya.
\nThe State received butt of derisive jokes from youth corpers and other
\nconcerned Nigerians for this act of omission. Obiano found this self
\nrelegation unacceptable and had on February 10, 2015 laid the foundation
\nstone, restoring Ndi Anambra\u2019s sense of pride with delivery of the
\ncomplex.<\/p>\n
It is partly correct to trace the making of this new Anambra State to
\nthe traumatic events of 2003 to 2006. However, the an attempt at a new
\nconsciousness by the Chris Ngige regime was circumstantial, narrow in
\nobjective and driven by the instinct of self survival. The radical shift
\ncame with the reclamation of Peter Obi\u2019s stolen 2003 governorship
\nmandate. That democratic empowerment ushered in the season of citizen \u2013
\ncentred governance. The APGA – driven change mission has received
\nimpetus from Obiano in a number of ways.<\/p>\n
The Willie Obiano administration\u2019s efforts to place Anambra State on the
\nfront row of Nigeria\u2019s developing States seems philosophically run on
\nthe legacies of leading lights of Anambra State origin in history. The
\nquest to maintain the standards of heritage has often meant taking on
\nchallenges that break new grounds. It is a spirit that Ndi Anambra
\nrecognised in the realised dream of making Anambra a major food
\nproducing State; an investor choice destination; a system of functional
\ninstitutions exemplified by the State road maintenance agency. It is a
\nmission that Ndi Anambra has come to share.<\/p>\n
Rallying the people became easier by striking the right chord and
\nregularly demonstrating the fitting spirit. From the outset, the
\ninvitation to participatory governance jettisoned officialdom and took
\non an affective appeal. In his addresses and interaction with groups,
\nObiano again and again uses the endearment expression \u2018umunnem.\u2019 The
\nkindred compliment has a way of breaking the partition between governor
\nand governed, affording the atmosphere for constructive engagement.<\/p>\n
Aside stakeholders\u2019 summit, the Obiano administration interfaces with
\nthe influential Anambra Elders\u2019 Council on a quarterly basis. The body
\ncomprises past governors of the State, retired Chief Judges, bishops of
\nthe Church, select captains of industry and such other outstanding
\ncitizens of the State. With the wide spread of members\u2019 constituencies,
\naggregate public opinion is conveyed through the Council\u2019s input in
\ndecision \u2013 making.<\/p>\n
The new Anambra State has come this far because the present leadership
\nhas put the people first in the consideration of choices open to it.
\nObiano stands out as a Governor who has kept fidelity to the principle
\nof continuity in government. Obiano who inherited N9b cash, N35b
\ninvestment and N109b debt from the Peter Obi administration has
\ncontinued with the execution of uncompleted projects he met on
\nassumption of office in 2014. Among the inherited projects completed are
\nroads, hospitals, school blocks, government buildings, Agulu Lake Resort
\nand Onitsha Shopping Mall.<\/p>\n
With its commitment to continuity and completion of inherited projects,
\nthe Willie Obiano regime saved Anambra State losses associated with
\npolicy inconsistency. It is a sad reality that projects are sometimes
\ndiscontinued for new ones by successor administrations for the lure of
\ntaking political credit.\u00a0 The spectre of abandoned work sites is also
\nabout contractors absconding from site after collecting hefty
\nmobilisation fees.<\/p>\n
As Catholic newspaper Fides observed in its editorial on commissioning
\nof the Onitsha Mall [April 17 \u2013 23, 2016], \u2018Obiano could have chosen to
\nabandon the project and cite any reason for that.\u2019 Not only do
\nincidences of arbitrary project discontinuation lead to investor flight,
\nit introduces the element of instability in governance as well as
\nstalling development. In 1983 the Lagos State Government had concluded
\narrangements to introduce the metroline transportation system in the
\nState at the cost of $100m. Indeed, preliminary work had started at Yaba
\nwhen the December 31, 1983 coup occurred. The new ruling junta
\nunilaterally cancelled the project which action attracted a default
\npenalty of $60m on the country.<\/p>\n
Consider also that the expatriate consultants who produced the road map
\nto Nigeria\u2019s steel development had chosen Onitsha as the fitting site
\nfor steel industry. But this expert decision was discarded by small \u2013
\nminds in strategic government positions who changed the location to
\nAjaokuta. Four decades later, and trillions of naira into the bargain,
\nAjaokuta has neither grown into a town capable of hosting a modern
\nindustrial complex nor has it started producing quality steel.
\nAfuba is editor of Anambra Times.<\/p>\n
By Ifeanyichukwu Afuba Two events in close succession just before the 6th anniversary of the Willie Obiano administration on March 17, 2020, open a window into the resilient community that…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":72042,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-72255","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles-opinions"],"yoast_head":"\n