SPOTLIGHT: Can Soludo’s magic wand make Anambra Africa’s Dubai as promised?

Prof Chukwuma Charles Soludo has taken over the leadership of Anambra State amid high expectations and worries over whether he will fulfil his campaign promises of fixing the state or not.

Prof Chukwuma Charles Soludo has taken over the leadership of Anambra State amid high expectations and worries over whether he will fulfil his campaign promises of fixing the state or not.

The former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria will have to juggle the interests of those who helped him to win the election with delivering on his campaign promises.

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Soludo had made several promises prior to the election where Anambra people voted for him en masse.

Arguably, his illustrious profile stands him in good stead to fix many challenges facing the state. In 2003, Soludo served as the Chief Economic Adviser to former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the Chief Executive Officer of the National Planning Commission of Nigeria.

In May 2004, he became the CBN governor where he made exploits and changed the negative narratives in the banking industry. Also, he was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari to be part of the eight-member Economic Advisory Council (EAC) on September 16, 2019.

In 2010, he contested for the governorship of the state but lost the election to former governor Peter Obi. Not done yet, Soludo tried his luck again and emerged victorious this time round.

Today, the renowned economist has been sworn into office. But beyond the ceremony, the people of Anambra will be eager to how their illustrious son’s economic expertise will translate to the development of the state.

Soludo’s campaign promises 

Soludo proposed a public-private sector-led collaboration in order to ensure that gas pipelines are extended to Anambra State. He also promised that the large array of manufacturing plants in Onitsha and Nnewi would be used as off takers of gas investment in Anambra.

He promised to create an enabling environment for businesses ready to come to Anambra and to attract 2,000 small, medium and large scale industries to the various industrial parks/clusters he intends to set up.

Apart from creating jobs for young people, Soludo promised to create thousands of millionaire entrepreneurs, establish a business incubation hub and a N5bn Venture Capital Fund to incubate and provide additional growth capital for the most promising start-ups and ventures either by way of grants or direct investments.

He also promised to remodel the Igbo apprentice system, which has been extensively studied by scholars at Harvard University, and presents another avenue for making millionaires and creating jobs.

The new governor assured the people of Anambra that he would revalitise palm oil production in the state. He also proposed the distribution of millions of high-yielding palm seedlings to farmers. With this, farmers will be able to escape poverty and supply the raw materials required by agro-processing industries in Nigeria.

On security, Soludo said he intends to amend and implement Anambra State Security Trust Fund Law, 2010 in order to mobilise and deploy funds towards the procurement of necessary equipment and training of security personnel.

Area begging for attention

Some of the greatest areas of focus Soludo will contend with is tackling insecurity, health issues, infrastructure and revenue collection in the state even though in his campaign promises he promised to address those issues and make Anambra Dubai of Africa.

Most general hospitals and health care institutions in the state are extremely short of doctors. Some public hospitals are run by the chief medical director as the only doctor with about six nurses, medical laboratory scientists and a few non-medical members of staff.

Most general hospitals in the state appear to be ghost towns as only a few nurses and some National Youth Service Corps members could be seen.

The state of the road infrastructure is another major problem in the state, from Awka, the state capital, to Ekwulobia, to Nnewi, to Onitsha, to Ihiala, the roads are dotted with deep and dangerous potholes.

Insecurity has become a major challenge in the state in recent time and the new administration will have a lot to do to zero in on cult clashes and other criminal activities in the state. There is hardly any week in the state without cult killings.

“My manifesto is not just for campaign but a contract I have signed with Ndi Anambra and since they have chosen me amongst all the other qualified candidates that contested the last election, I’m committed to undertake the transformation of Anambra and ensure impactful leadership and there is no stopping of my work plan for a better Anambra.

“Anambra must be transformed to that mega industrialised economy, our roads both in the rural areas and cities, markets, environment challenges must be addressed,” Soludo had said.

Soludo looks set to take over the mantle of leadership from the outgoing governor, Willie Obiano, but questions that beg for answers can the former CBN governor wave the magic wand to solve a myriad of challenges facing Anambra? Can he muster enough political will to keep the political contractors who invested so much money on his campaign at bay? Only time will tell.