By Ifeanyi Afuba
At the turn of one year of his assuming office as
Governor of Anambra State, the tenor of Chief
Willie Obiano’s governance is still unraveling.
There are emerging patterns, some discernible
trends and predictable positions but obviously a
definitive picture would take a little while longer.
What is indisputable is that these have been
eventful 365 days for the fifth civilian Governor of
Anambra State. The impact of these activities on
the socio – economic life of the State.
From the whistle blast of his inauguration on
March 17, 2014 to the present, there has been no
dull moment in Obiano’s executive diary. The
hectic pace of the administration has in the vogue
of popular interpretation, begun to elicit the
appellation of action governor for Obiano. This
comes against the backdrop of the somewhat
slow approach of his predecessor, Peter Obi, who
was given to long planning before hitting the
ground. It is striking that it took Governor Obiano
just three weeks to put in place his cabinet and
keep the machinery of government revving at full
throttle. For someone coming into public office in
Nigeria for the first time, this is a significant step
especially in the light of party and constituency
balancing dictates as well as carrying the
legislature along. It is also the case that some of
the notable programmes of the administration
such as the agrarian policy; environmental
renewal, investment campaign; youth
employment/empowerment were actually kick –
started in the first few weeks in office. Security
was of course top on the list.
The earnestness with which the regime embarked
on its first set of programmes should be
considered a significant opening in the appraisal
of the administration. It says something about the
willingness of the Governor to meet the yearnings
of the people and perhaps, more importantly too,
indicates the ability of the leader to rise to the
occasion and satisfy the requirements for
achieving expected results. While fleshing of the
regime’s outing may only have started at this
stage, the course and pace of its activities are
nevertheless important for gauging its priorities
and promises. For this writer, therefore, the first
defining feature of the one year old Willie Obiano
governorship would be the consuming desire to
begin to deliver on the inaugural targets in the
shortest possible time. This consistency in word
and action is remarkable and marks out the
Governor as an uncommon politician with regard
for social contracts beyond their political value.
It should do to use the four pillars of Obiano’s
manifesto, namely agriculture; trade & commerce;
industrialization; oil & gas as well as the chief
enabler, security to illustrate the focused progress
of the administration so far. Clearly, the realization
of nearly $2 billion investment in the state’s
economy in less than one year is testimony of a
commitment to boost industrialization, trade and
commerce in the state. This had led to the
creation of a Diaspora Unit in the office of the
Governor and the very active Anambra State
Investment Promotion & Protection Agency
[ANSIPPA]. Of the above figure, about $360
million is being invested in agriculture where at
least five solo/joint ventures in rice, cassava, fish,
and tomato puree production are at various stages
of implementation. With the operation of these
agro ventures appreciating in the next couple of
months, their combined output would go a long
way towards attaining the objectives of making
Anambra State one of the leading states in
agriculture generally and rice production in
particular.
Early this year, the Anambra State Government
signed an agreement with the consortium West
Africa Intercontinental Trade Centre for the
construction of an international market at
Ogbunike valued at $320 million for the first
phase of the project. This initiative in trade and
commerce was beautifully followed up a month
later with the Thailand trade delegation visit to
Anambra State.
The six day long tour was rounded off with
signing of Memorandum of Understanding
between the state government and the 13 man
business mission on a diverse range of
manufacturing and trade interests.
Implementation of the industrial plan has led to
Richborn Nig Ltd establishing a $40 million
vehicle assembly plant in Oba. It is worth
mentioning that Oba is also the site for the
proposed commercial airport for the state, the
other being the cargo airport to be built at
Umuleri site of the Orient Refinery. In the area of
oil and gas, progress was made recently with
Falcon Nigeria Limited’s $100 million investment
deal in natural gas distribution.
The administration’s strides in the area of security
are too well known to be repeated here. Again,
what is interesting is the systematic way Governor
Obiano has followed up on his statement of intent.
In a broadcast to mark his one month in office, he
made the following declaration: ‘…the war against
all forms of criminality and lawlessness in
Anambra has begun…I am determined to win this
war…I say this to kidnappers, armed robbers and
vigilante gangsters, in the name of God, give up
your crimes or leave Anambra State for good. If
you do not, the might of this government will find
you. We are determined to rid this State of your
criminal activities, whatever resources it takes.’
The second striking feature of the Obiano regime
is a tendency to what approximates as welfarism.
There is reason to think that Governor Obiano
believes the primary purpose of Government
should be to cater for the welfare of the citizenry.
In much the same way that it takes courage to be
a follower of Christ in a world that sees
sophistication in a secular way of life, it
also demands strong conviction to approach
governance from a welfarist framework at a time
the apostles of ‘free enterprise’ have almost
elevated the economic theory to gospel. A man of
standards and even class, Obiano certainly
believes in the practice of social models that
promote initiative, hard work and competition as
can be seen from his target oriented governance.
But what seems to distinguish Obiano from the
classical capitalists is that he seeks to grow the
state’s economy not as an end in itself but
purposely to uplift the standard of living of the
people – and this in a manner that recognizes the
plight of the weak and disadvantaged.
In the seventh month of coming into office, Chief
Willie Obiano liquidated the debt of N1.9 billion
naira owed staff of the State Water Corporation
and a defunct sanitation agency for the past
twelve years, which successive administrations
had shirked responsibility. For the Governor, what
was paramount was to bring to an end the untold
hardship the victims had borne all these years
rather than dwelling on legalistic and
administrative considerations of the matter.
Workers’ salaries have been increased even
without any increase in federal revenue allocation.
In December last year every public servant
employed by the state government received a bag
of rice; a gesture presently being extended to
pensioners. A few weeks back in February, a
mass transit scheme took off with dozens of
luxury buses operating at subsidized cost to the
public. Snacks are soon to be introduced as part
of the bus ride package. The series of youth
empowerment programmes sponsored by the
regime are partly driven by this charitable spirit.
As Obiano marches on to Anambra’s destination,
the lyrics of one of Fela’s rousing numbers seize
the imagination at this juncture: “Fela you don
come again/I never come my people, I still dey far
away; make you wait till I reach where I dey
goooo/Where you dey go/Make I reach/ Where
you dey go/Make I reach.
Governor of Anambra State, the tenor of Chief
Willie Obiano’s governance is still unraveling.
There are emerging patterns, some discernible
trends and predictable positions but obviously a
definitive picture would take a little while longer.
What is indisputable is that these have been
eventful 365 days for the fifth civilian Governor of
Anambra State. The impact of these activities on
the socio – economic life of the State.
From the whistle blast of his inauguration on
March 17, 2014 to the present, there has been no
dull moment in Obiano’s executive diary. The
hectic pace of the administration has in the vogue
of popular interpretation, begun to elicit the
appellation of action governor for Obiano. This
comes against the backdrop of the somewhat
slow approach of his predecessor, Peter Obi, who
was given to long planning before hitting the
ground. It is striking that it took Governor Obiano
just three weeks to put in place his cabinet and
keep the machinery of government revving at full
throttle. For someone coming into public office in
Nigeria for the first time, this is a significant step
especially in the light of party and constituency
balancing dictates as well as carrying the
legislature along. It is also the case that some of
the notable programmes of the administration
such as the agrarian policy; environmental
renewal, investment campaign; youth
employment/empowerment were actually kick –
started in the first few weeks in office. Security
was of course top on the list.
The earnestness with which the regime embarked
on its first set of programmes should be
considered a significant opening in the appraisal
of the administration. It says something about the
willingness of the Governor to meet the yearnings
of the people and perhaps, more importantly too,
indicates the ability of the leader to rise to the
occasion and satisfy the requirements for
achieving expected results. While fleshing of the
regime’s outing may only have started at this
stage, the course and pace of its activities are
nevertheless important for gauging its priorities
and promises. For this writer, therefore, the first
defining feature of the one year old Willie Obiano
governorship would be the consuming desire to
begin to deliver on the inaugural targets in the
shortest possible time. This consistency in word
and action is remarkable and marks out the
Governor as an uncommon politician with regard
for social contracts beyond their political value.
It should do to use the four pillars of Obiano’s
manifesto, namely agriculture; trade & commerce;
industrialization; oil & gas as well as the chief
enabler, security to illustrate the focused progress
of the administration so far. Clearly, the realization
of nearly $2 billion investment in the state’s
economy in less than one year is testimony of a
commitment to boost industrialization, trade and
commerce in the state. This had led to the
creation of a Diaspora Unit in the office of the
Governor and the very active Anambra State
Investment Promotion & Protection Agency
[ANSIPPA]. Of the above figure, about $360
million is being invested in agriculture where at
least five solo/joint ventures in rice, cassava, fish,
and tomato puree production are at various stages
of implementation. With the operation of these
agro ventures appreciating in the next couple of
months, their combined output would go a long
way towards attaining the objectives of making
Anambra State one of the leading states in
agriculture generally and rice production in
particular.
Early this year, the Anambra State Government
signed an agreement with the consortium West
Africa Intercontinental Trade Centre for the
construction of an international market at
Ogbunike valued at $320 million for the first
phase of the project. This initiative in trade and
commerce was beautifully followed up a month
later with the Thailand trade delegation visit to
Anambra State.
The six day long tour was rounded off with
signing of Memorandum of Understanding
between the state government and the 13 man
business mission on a diverse range of
manufacturing and trade interests.
Implementation of the industrial plan has led to
Richborn Nig Ltd establishing a $40 million
vehicle assembly plant in Oba. It is worth
mentioning that Oba is also the site for the
proposed commercial airport for the state, the
other being the cargo airport to be built at
Umuleri site of the Orient Refinery. In the area of
oil and gas, progress was made recently with
Falcon Nigeria Limited’s $100 million investment
deal in natural gas distribution.
The administration’s strides in the area of security
are too well known to be repeated here. Again,
what is interesting is the systematic way Governor
Obiano has followed up on his statement of intent.
In a broadcast to mark his one month in office, he
made the following declaration: ‘…the war against
all forms of criminality and lawlessness in
Anambra has begun…I am determined to win this
war…I say this to kidnappers, armed robbers and
vigilante gangsters, in the name of God, give up
your crimes or leave Anambra State for good. If
you do not, the might of this government will find
you. We are determined to rid this State of your
criminal activities, whatever resources it takes.’
The second striking feature of the Obiano regime
is a tendency to what approximates as welfarism.
There is reason to think that Governor Obiano
believes the primary purpose of Government
should be to cater for the welfare of the citizenry.
In much the same way that it takes courage to be
a follower of Christ in a world that sees
sophistication in a secular way of life, it
also demands strong conviction to approach
governance from a welfarist framework at a time
the apostles of ‘free enterprise’ have almost
elevated the economic theory to gospel. A man of
standards and even class, Obiano certainly
believes in the practice of social models that
promote initiative, hard work and competition as
can be seen from his target oriented governance.
But what seems to distinguish Obiano from the
classical capitalists is that he seeks to grow the
state’s economy not as an end in itself but
purposely to uplift the standard of living of the
people – and this in a manner that recognizes the
plight of the weak and disadvantaged.
In the seventh month of coming into office, Chief
Willie Obiano liquidated the debt of N1.9 billion
naira owed staff of the State Water Corporation
and a defunct sanitation agency for the past
twelve years, which successive administrations
had shirked responsibility. For the Governor, what
was paramount was to bring to an end the untold
hardship the victims had borne all these years
rather than dwelling on legalistic and
administrative considerations of the matter.
Workers’ salaries have been increased even
without any increase in federal revenue allocation.
In December last year every public servant
employed by the state government received a bag
of rice; a gesture presently being extended to
pensioners. A few weeks back in February, a
mass transit scheme took off with dozens of
luxury buses operating at subsidized cost to the
public. Snacks are soon to be introduced as part
of the bus ride package. The series of youth
empowerment programmes sponsored by the
regime are partly driven by this charitable spirit.
As Obiano marches on to Anambra’s destination,
the lyrics of one of Fela’s rousing numbers seize
the imagination at this juncture: “Fela you don
come again/I never come my people, I still dey far
away; make you wait till I reach where I dey
goooo/Where you dey go/Make I reach/ Where
you dey go/Make I reach.
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