Chukwuma Soludo: Mr. Governor
By Izuchukwu Adichie
From his local Isuofia town to the over 20 International organizations he consulted for, to the Central Bank of Nigeria to the Anambra government house, Chukwuma Soludo, former Nigeria’s Central Bank Governor has patiently and actively waited for 12 years to become an elected governor of Anambra State, after he first contested the 2010 governorship election.
A long wait, that was worth waiting for, although not without being tutus and witnessed twists along the glorious path. At 10 am, Thursday, March 17, 2022, the Chief Judge of Anambra State, Justice Onochie Anyachebelu, administered an oath of office to Chukwuma Soludo as the Governor of Anambra State, bringing to a glorious end, the administration of Chief Willie Obiano who has served two-term in office as a governor.
Chukwuma Soludo right from the day he was elected a Governor, was prepared for the greater work ahead. As a governor, he knows that his biggest task is to instill intangible hope in ndi-Anambra and ndi-Igbo generally. To secure a more just and prosperous homeland, governor Soludo derives his contracts with Anambra people from three seminal documents: (a) “Anambra Vision 2070 -a 50-Year Development Plan” which he 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.
His administration targets to meet today’s and tomorrow’s challenges by charting a new course for the state Peace and Security policy, Economic transformation, Competitive and progressive social agenda, Governance, rule of law and value re-orientation, and Tackling of our environmental existential threats towards a clean, green, planned and sustainable cities, communities, and markets.
Governor Soludo’s government will turn the informal sectors into formal sectors as the state transit into a non-oil economy. He will seek active partnership with the federal government not only to export manufactured and agricultural products, but also services (especially tech, leisure/entertainment, and skills/talents). The export-oriented policy of the government will create competition among the private sector-driven economy.
Open governance, accountability and value re-orientation are keys to making sure the state will not be under any financial distress. The state internal revenue will continue to improve against dwindling FAAC allocation. There will be a technology-based and unified system of tax collection, human capital development, land registry, infrastructural projects, security, and a conducive environment for investors.
Conclusively, his administration will embark upon massive training and social re-engineering to wean people off the old unproductive ways thereby, creating more jobs to make sure the unemployment rate stays on the lowest.
