The Deputy Governor of Anambra state, Dr. Nkem Okeke has given a pass mark to the Obiano led administration in the state even as he said that they have delivered on all their campaign promises to Ndi Anambra.
Okeke who made this disclosure at a lecture and award day organized in Lagos last weekend by the Association of Anambra State Development Unions (AASDU) Lagos however said that what was left now was to consolidate on the achievements and deepen their dream for a better Anambra.
According to him,”Ndi Anambra, I am delighted to say that any objective and comprehensive assessment of our administration in the last three and half years will confirm that we have delivered on all our promises. What is left now is to consolidate this excellent narrative and then give root to our dream, a better Anambra.
“What we need is your mandate. Ndi be anyi, we know that you will naturally want to know what we did with the mandate that you gave us, we did quite a lot but for want of time, I will go ahead to mention just a few.
“Security is one, security is two, security is three. We knew that our vision for a better Anambra will be a bad dream if we failed to lay a solid foundation in security, we set up operation kpochapu, a joint task force that is made up of the police, the Army, the Navy, the SSS and the NDLEA. We donated over 200 patrol vans and 25 American smart cars to the police, donated a gunboat to the Navy to protect our waterways and we launch occasional surveillance.
“Today, I can proudly say that Anambra is regarded as a safest state in this country. Of course, without security, we can’t have any investment. Without security, we cannot have peace of mind, without security, people cannot come down to their villages to do wine carrying, without security, parents who are supposed to stay in the villages are moved to Lagos or Abuja”.
In agriculture, the Deputy Governor who represented Governor Obiano at the event recalled that the governor set up a committee on agriculture whose job was to map Anambra state with a view to determining which crops thrive better in a particular part of the state.
He said,”That is why today, as I stand here, as at 2014, we produced 70,000 metric tons of rice but today, we are producing 350,000 metric tons of rice. We now have Anambra rice, people like Coscharis that had land for cultivation of rice did not come to cultivate rice in Anambra state until this administration, to show that there is now safety of his investment. Of course, we have so many agricultural industries in Anambra”.
He added that the current administration had attracted investment worth over $1.2 billion in agriculture even as he said that their government had created about 383,000 jobs in agriculture alone adding that Anambra now export vegetables to the United Kingdom.
He listed other areas of achievements to include industrialization where he said that the Obiano led administration had attracted investment worth over $494 million, thereby making the state a proud host of the largest rice mill in the whole of West Africa.
“With an enabling environment, we have created businesses that made it possible for SABMiller in Onitsha to successfully conclude its expansion project valued at 100 million within the period. Last year, we handed over 80 hectares of land designated for building of Auto Industrial park to the federal government. We have an ultra-modern vehicle inspection garage known as Temple SYC, it was commissioned at Awka.
“Igbos are known for trading, we have the largest market in West Africa, we have 62 markets, we gave N10 million to each market, the market gets to choose their project, some are drilling boreholes, some are constructing primary healthcare facilities, some procured power generating sets, some are installing street lights, some are paving their market premises just to add value.
“We have completed Onitsha Shopping Mall which now houses Shoprite. Roban Stores is now at Awka. It shows an environment that is conducive for business”, he said.
Send your news, press releases/articles to augustinenwadinamuo@yahoo.com. Also, follow us on Twitter @reportersinfo and on Facebook on facebook.com/primetimereporters or call the editor on 07030661526, 08053908817.
