Anambra Reflection

Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, says the state has become Nigeria’s most popular investment destination with over five billion US dollars investment attracted in two years.

Prominent citizens of Anambra State have continued to indicate their readiness to vote for Governor Willie Obiano for a second term in office. Most of those who are backing the Governor said they will support him for eliminating violent crimes such as armed robbery, kidnapping and assassination in the state.

With the approach of Christmas, the Anambra State Government is not leaving any stone unturned to ensure a hitch free celebration not only for residents of the state but also for those who will visit to spend Christmas with their families and loved ones.

The Managing Director of Stine Industries Ltd, Amichi, millers of the popular Anambra rice, Chief Egwuonwu has assured that the rice is available at the Anambra Trade Fair tagged “Jubilee Fair” currently ongoing at the Dr. Alex Ekwueme Square in Awka.

As the count down to the conclusion of the first term of the Governor Willie Obiano administration continues, some well meaning citizens of the state have concluded in unison that he deserves a second term in office.

The Anambra State Government will soon construct a pedestrian bridge at the Regina Caeli junction, Awka.

The Anambra State Government has promised to complete the Amansea – Nkpor- Bridge Head, Onitsha stretch of its street lighting project before the forthcoming Christmas holiday. Governor Willie Obiano who made the pledge during the symbolic switch-on of the newly installed street lights in Abagana, Njikoka local government area, said the aim is to restore night life and strengthen the existing security in the state, especailly during the festivity.

The Department of Petroleum Resources(DPR), in line with its regulatory mandate of ensuring sustainable development of Nigeria’s oil and gas resources hereby invites applications from suitably qualified University/Polytechnic Graduates as well as experienced and skilled professionals to fill the underlisted vacancies:

Recently, the Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, declared that nothing will make him dump the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the platform which facilitated and guaranteed his emergence for this plum office. He affirmed that his resolution on this was borne out of personal convictions.

The Anambra State Government has held a two day training for caterers in the 21 LGAs of the state who were recently selected to implement the Federal Government’s Home Grown School Feeding Programme in the state.

The Federal Government is to distribute small mechanised equipment for harvesting rice to farmers in Anambra state in the coming weeks. The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbe disclosed this during an interactive meeting with a high powered Federal Government Agric Revolution Delegation and Members of the Anambra State’s Chapter of Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria.

The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to fulfill his economic promises to Nigerians.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has promised to review upwards Anambra State’s Agriculture Intervention Fund following a request by the state government to increase the fund for farmers in the state to engage more in mechanized agriculture.

The Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano has urged the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government to refund the N43bn the state spent on the rehabilitation of federal roads. The Governor said the reimbursement was necessary to facilitate the rehabilitation of more federal roads in the state, which were in deplorable conditions.

Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State has been lauded for his concern for the welfare of the less privileged following the recent suspension by the state government of certain categories of taxes and levies paid by tricycle (Keke) and motorcycle (Okada) operators in the state.

The Anambra State Government has commenced the first phase of its one million tree planting campaign in the state. Similarly, the government has launched the one-child-one-tree project for primary and secondary schools in the state.

Physically-challenged graduates of higher institutions who are indigenes of Anambra State are to get automatic employment from the state government. Governor Willie Obiano stated this during the Inaugural Visit of Catholic Bishop of Awka, His Lordship Most Rev Paulinus Ezeokafor to Onitsha. Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Solo Chukwulobelu, Governor Obiano said the state Civil Service Commission and Head of Service are working assiduously to ensure that only authentic Anambra indigenes gain the employment. He stressed that his administration is fighting the current economic recession headlong to address its biting effects on the people. The immediate past Governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi who was also at the occasion advised the church against giving such titles as Duke or Ambassador as it divides the church unnecessarily. According to the former Governor, once you are part of the laity, you are equal as children of God and there should no...

An Address Presented by the Governor of Anambra State, His Excellency Chief Willie Obiano at the Third Adegboyega Awomolo & Associates Annual Colloquium in Abuja on October 4, 2016 Protocol I consider it an honour to stand before this great gathering today and talk about the future of Nigeria. Fellow compatriots; Agriculture is the future of our country. If we look back a little, we may recall that the earliest foundation of Nigeria’s economy was laid in Agriculture. And I dare say that with the fast approaching irrelevance of oil, Agriculture will resume its pride of place in our national economy. This is not a prophecy. No! This is the fact before us! Now, before go further, I must of necessity, thank Adegboyega Awomolo & Associates Annual Colloquium for finding me worthy of delivering this year’s lecture. I have always said that what makes any democracy strong is not only the presence of institutions but the quality of conversations and dialogues that happen among it...

In commemoration of the 2016 African Public Service Day, Governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano has recognised 35 civil servants for their exemplary service The event which drew workers from various departments of the Anambra State Civil Service, took place at the Jerome Udoji Secretariat in Awka, Anambra State Capital on Friday, September 30. The venue reverberated with excitement as the selected workers were one after the other, called up to receive their certificates of recognition and a handshake from the governor. Gov. Obiano urged them however, not to relent on their hard work, while assuring all workers of full salary payment before Christmas. The occasion was one that clearly portrayed the relationship between government and workers. An award recipient, Nwabufo Nwankwo was among workers who expressed excitement over the government’s deeds as well as the cordial relationship that exists between them and the civil servants. Commencement of 1000-Unit Housing Sche...

The Anambra State Government has increased subvention to the state Judiciary by one hundred percent with immediate effect. Gov Willie Obiano announced this at the St Patricks Cathedral, Awka during a mass to mark the commencement of the 2016-2017 Legal Year in the State. The church service was well attended by members of the Bar and Bench from within and outside the state, led by the State Chief Judge, Justice Peter Umeadi; the President of the state’s Customary Court of Appeal, Justice Samuel Okoye; Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SAN, and the Speaker of the State Assembly, Bar Rita Maduagwu, amongst others. Addressing the gathering, Gov Obiano explained that the measure was to ensure that the Judiciary is adequately empowered to undertake its functions effectively and to sustain the upgrade of court infrastructure in the state. The Governor noted that the present economic condition in the country has very dire implications for the state especially hunger and increase in crim...

Nigerians have been urged to invest heavily in agriculture as a panacea to the economic recession in the country. This was stated by the Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano during his visit to St Mary’s Catholic Parish, Nnokwa, Idemili South Local government Area of the state, for the maiden pastoral visit of the Auxiliary Bishop of Catholic Diocese of Onitsha, His Lordship, Most Rev Denis Chidi Isizoh. Governor Obiano regretted that the present economic hardship had caused more pains to Nigerians and contributed to the increase in social vices. The Governor stated that Anambra State had mapped out several stimulus packages to ameliorate the sufferings of Ndi Anambra and give them more hope of livelihood. The state governor stressed that his administration had created windows of opportunities to boost the economic strength of the state, through attraction of foreign investors and individual developers. He maintained that apart from other commercial farms in the st...

The Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) has announced massive recruitment into key ministries of the federal republic of Nigeria. The vacancies were announced in a publication on Daily Trust newspapers of September 19, 2016. According to the publication, the following ministries and agencies are currently recruiting: Federal ministry of education, federal ministry of employment, labour and productivity, federal ministry of finance, ministry of foreign affairs, federal ministry of information and culture and federal ministry of power, works and housing. Others are federal ministry of science and technology, federal ministry of transportation, office of the auditor-general of the federation, office of the surveyor-general of the federation, and bureau of public procurement. Suitably qualified candidates with character and integrity, who are interested in making career in the Federal Civil Service, are invited to apply online at http://www.vacancy.fedcivilservice.gov.ng/ ...

Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State, yesterday, announced measures to cushion the effects of the current recession in the country on the people, with the immediate suspension of sale of emblems, collection of wheel barrow tax and hawkers permit in all parts of the state. In a broadcast entitled ‘Rising from the brink,’ Obiano also abolished imposition of unapproved levies in primary and post primary schools in the state. Similarly, the Governor said his administration had lowered Okada and Keke levies to N50 and N200 daily respectively to cushion the effect of the recession. He explained that following the formal announcement by the Federal Government that the nation’s economy had gone into a recession, he considered it a duty to distill the message of the economic situation of the country down to the grassroots. He said: “I am happy to announce to you that I have come up with a stimulus package that will ease the pain of the recession and help our dear state bounce back...

Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State, yesterday, announced measures to cushion the effects of the current recession in the country on the people, with the immediate suspension of sale of emblems, collection of wheel barrow tax and hawkers permit in all parts of the state. In a broadcast entitled ‘Rising from the brink,’ Obiano also abolished imposition of unapproved levies in primary and post primary schools in the state. Similarly, the Governor said his administration had lowered Okada and Keke levies to N50 and N200 daily respectively to cushion the effect of the recession. He explained that following the formal announcement by the Federal Government that the nation’s economy had gone into a recession, he considered it a duty to distill the message of the economic situation of the country down to the grassroots. He said: “I am happy to announce to you that I have come up with a stimulus package that will ease the pain of the recession and help our dear state bounce back ...

Anambra State Government has introduced a Community Farm Development Programme designed to provide farming input, tractor services and link farmers to off takers for guaranteed market of their agricultural produce. Addressing farmers at a forum organized for them at the State Agricultural Development Project (ADP) conference hall in Awka, the State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mechanization, Processing and Export, Hon. Afam Mbanefo called on the farmers to take agriculture very serious and to involve their children and youths in the venture because of the immense benefits. He said “some parents discourage their children from farming because it is stressful, but today, there is money in agriculture”. Mr. Mbanefo further stated that forum was organized to enable the Ministry interact with the farmers and to explain to them the essence of the newly introduced community farm development programme, how to key in and benefit from it, adding that the programme was for both commercia...

The Anambra State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mechanization, Processing and Export, Hon. Afam Mbanefo has stated that the giant strides currently being recorded in the state agricultural sector are real and not political gimmicks by the state government. Hon. Afam Mbanefo speaking at an interactive session with press men in his office at ADP Complex Awka, called on Ndi Anambra to eschew the notion that government is trying to pull the wool over their eyes and embrace the Governor’s vision for Anambra agricultural sector. “It is high time Ndi Anambra eschew negative notion about the sincerity of government regarding their welfare as it is seriously negating the developmental pace in the state,’ he said. The Commissioner stated that in some communities in the state, it was very difficult to carry the farmers along because of this belief, citing situations in which farmers find it extremely difficult releasing land to government for agricultural purposes as major hindrances ...

-Governor Willie Obiano says Nigerians should turn their eyes towards the the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) – Obiano says the party will field a presidential candidate in the 2019 general elections – The Anambra state governor says rice would sell for N9000 if APGA is given a chance The Anambra state governor, Willie Obiano, on Monday, September 19, said if the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) is given a chance, a bag of rice will cost only N9000. Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra state has said that the cost of living for Nigerians would be drastically reduced if APGA is given a chance, come 2019. Obiano hinted that APGA has prepared its house, and would field a presidential candidate in the 2019 general election. The governor, who is also the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the party, said if voted into power, an APGA national government would drastically reduce the cost of a living in Nigeria. The Punch reports that, Obiano stated this in Awka, the A...

On governors not paying salaries ‘’The fact is that most states in the region are grinding to a halt. It is not only in the region but about 33 states in Nigeria can no longer pay salaries. Even when they pay salaries for the mainstream workers, the local government workers and pensioners are not paid. Even contractors are not being paid. So it is not just a challenge that affects both regions. A situation where you spend 90 percent of your money on 15 percent of your population, things don’t work. The challenges in the country are not just about South East/ South South, it is a general thing. The main battle in the country now is to set the economy on the right path. A situation where the exchange rate is volatile is not tenable. That is why we are concerned about how to set agenda for the economy. It is not about governments in the region coming to a halt, even the federal government is coming to a halt because it can not pay its bills. Black market economy ‘’The reason...

Nigeria has to be restructured ‘’The reality is that the country has to be restructured. It is when you restructure that we will begin to see prudent management of resources. The South East/ South South that we are going to have may not be realised without restructuring. We will have more transparent and accountable governments if the country is not restructured. We have also decided to set up a fund for the South East/South South regions. If we don’t have a fund, we may not have our economic development plan realised. All our people can invest in the South East/South South fund that our people can benefit from. When we are able to raise $1 billion dollars, we can get $20 billion through counterpart funding. The essence of the fund is that we don’t have to wait for the governors. With the fund, we can construct roads and embark on other developmental projects. The fund will, however, be a catalyst for the development of the region. On Fulani herdsmen, security ‘’For us,...

TROUBLED by the unwholesome activities of herdsmen on its Eastern flank, destabilised by the actions of militant groups in the South and disappointed at the perceived failure of its leaders, the southern part of Nigeria seems to be in distress. Of the 11 states in the region that is split into South East and South South geopolitical zones, only a few appears to be succeeding while others are struggling to attain key parameters of governance. With the situation creating the feeling of despair among the indigenes of the two geopolitical zones, a group of professionals who originated from the region, have taken it upon themselves to ensure that these myriad of challenges are fixed. To this end, the group which is known as the South East/South South Professionals, SSP, paid a courtesy visit to the corporate headquarters of Vanguard Newspapers, where the points of provocation in the area were ventilated with a view to ensuring meaningful growth. Led by its President, Mr. E...