A PRESS CONFERENCE ADDRESSED BY THE ACTING NATIONAL YOUTH LEADER OF OHANAEZE NDIGBO WORLDWIDE – YOUTH WING, MAZI CHUKWUMA OKPALAEZEUKWU, FOLLOWING A PROJECT INSPECTION TOUR IN ANAMBRA STATE
Gentlemen of the Press,
On behalf of the National Executive Committee, I welcome you to this special press conference.
As part of our strategies towards holding political office holders in all Igbo speaking States accountable, we have concluded a five day project inspection tour in Anambra State. Our focus was on the projects and programs of the Soludo administration from 2022 till date.
As the apex youth leadership organisation in Igbo land, we consider it a crucial responsibility of ours to regularly monitor developmental programs across Igbo land in order to have firsthand information on how our elected representatives deploy public resources at their disposal for the benefit or otherwise of Ala Igbo and Ndigbo. This exercise is important in helping us design our public enlightenment and mobilisation programs for Igbo youths worldwide.
We are aware that the Solution government of His Excellency Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, CFR was inaugurated on the 17th of March 2022, after a resounding victory in the election of 6th November, 2021. Our organisation played a prominent role in ensuring that the election took place, after successfully engaging with some of our brothers who felt that the election should be boycotted. We mobilised youths across the 21 LGAs of the State to participate actively in the election and also resist attempts by extraneous forces to either truncate, hijack or manipulate the election. 30 months after the inauguration of this administration, we are delighted to return to a rapidly changing Anambra State under the visionary and transformative governance model as championed by His Excellency Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, CFR.
Over the last five days, we have been going round Anambra State to physically inspect and confirm the existence of the numerous projects that the Solution government is putting in place for the benefit of Ndi Anambra.
We are impressed with the administration’s passion for youth development, as demonstrated through its targeted programs for the youths of Anambra State. Some of these programs include, the One Youth, Two Skills programme Phase 1&2 of the administration, which aims to empower our teeming youths with relevant and life changing skills that could turn them from job applicants to job creators, and from poor, struggling youths, to powerful wealth creators. We are happy to confirm that more than 5000 Anambra youths, both indigenes and residents have so far benefited from this program. We are also delighted to learn through our interaction with our brother, the Honourable Commissioner for Youth Development, Hon. Patrick Agha Mba, that the Governor is not resting on his oars in his determination to empower our youths, as he shared other forthcoming youth empowerment programs being designed by this administration.
We are also impressed by the Solution government’s diligent implementation of the free education programme to our children from Primary School to Junior Secondary school. His Excellency’s huge investments in the education sector are also commendable. The Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education programme, the massive employment of about 5000 teachers for Anambra public schools, the upgrading of public infrastructure, review of the Anambra School Curriculum to better reflect the realities and demands of the 21st century, the establishment of the Anambra State Education Advisory Council, the equipment of public libraries with basic books and the provision of laptop computers and wifi to schools in Anambra, are among the many mouthwatering improvements we noticed in Anambra education sector under the Solution Government. The insistence on quality education by private school proprietors goes to show the interest of the Governor in ensuring that our children’s education is not compromised under any guise.
In the health sector, we are pleased to confirm that His Excellency Professor Chukwuma Soludo has not relented in providing improved healthcare for our teeming population. The establishment of the Drugs Quality Control Lab at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, COOUTH, Amaku, a Medical Oxygen Production Plant and the Endoscopy Unit at the General Hospital, Onitsha, as well as the deployment of Hematology Analysers to the laboratory departments of General Hospitals in Agulu and Nnewi, modernisation and renovation works at different general hospitals in the State as well as employment of over 1000 health workers and his maternal health policy that makes childbirth free of charge and less stressful to our wives and mothers are among the reforms we noticed in the health sector. We support the clampdown on quack or substandard health facilities in the State, because our people deserve the best.
We are aware of the troubling security situation in the State before this administration came into office, which saw hoodlums overrunning about eight LGAs in the State. Our investigations show the presence of a robust and carefully designed security architecture which has seen, to the liberation of virtually all the communities and LGAs in Anambra. We are especially encouraged by the involvement of Anambra youths in the local security operations in the State. We advise that Technology and more of Non Kinetic is done in this area, especially, as it concerns the speedy dispensation of justice, so that many of our youths who are being held in various detention centres without trial can be expeditiously tried, and those who are innocent, released to make something good out of their lives. In the interest of National Security, we Urge the Office of the National Security Adviser(ONSA), the Attorney General of the Federation(AGF) and the Chief Judge of Nigeria(CJN) and other appropriate quarters to expeditiously consider and address these challenges.
We commend the governor for his fiscal prudence, which has made it possible for him to avoid the debt trap. Our investigations show that the Governor has not borrowed a dime since the inception of his administration, yet, he continues to pay pensions and salaries of public servants, while embarking on many audacious projects across the State. We commend the Governor and appeal to him, to, in line with the new Minimum Wage Act by the Federal Government, unveil a new wages package for Anambra civil servants, to ameliorate the harsh economic realities presently ravaging the country.
We visited many project sites across the State, and we are impressed with the quality, speed, and vision of the many legacy projects of this administration. The Urban Regeneration program of the Governor going on across Onitsha, Awka, Nnewi and Ekwulobia is highly commendable.
We were at the brand new Anambra Government House and Governor’s Lodge currently going on in Awka. Situated on a 23 hectare land, the structures, landscaping and other facilities that are being speedily erected are marvelous. We are also enthralled by the fact that the Governor has taken the initiative to ensure that this befitting Government House edifice, apart from being one of the best in the country is also projected to be the most environmentally friendly Government Houses in Nigeria, with Zero Pollutions and Emissions.
The Solution Fun City, which is a positive imitation of the renowned and popular Disneyland in Florida and other parts of the developed world, leaves no doubt, that Professor Soludo is keen on not just providing good infrastructure, education, healthcare, security and economic stability for the people of Anambra, but also cares for their emotional and physical wellbeing. The Solution Fun City is a one stop recreational centre, where the people of Anambra and those from outside shall come to relax, wind down and physically exercise themselves, in a safe, organised and fully secure environment.
Onitsha is wearing a new look, some of the notorious slums in Onitsha have, in the last thirty months become new and highbrow cities. We were at Okpoko, where we visited some of the completed road projects, General Hospital and other important social amenities, have been provided for the people. At Ochanja, we were delighted to see a previously refuse dumb turn to a solid road infrastructure with beautiful road furniture and ornamentals which have been put in place by this administration.
On our way to inspect the Ekwulobia Flyover, which is projected to be the longest flyover in the entire Eastern region, we passed through the 26.4 kilometres Amansea, Awka, Ndiukwuenu, Awa, Ufuma road project, which has been completed. We are impressed by the quality of job done on the road and immensely delighted with the massive investments in real estate in that axis as a result of this road project.
We wish to call on Ndi Anambra to continue to support the great visions of Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo CFR her, as there is no doubt that he has the ideas, the courage and the will to build an Anambra of our collective dreams.
May we also use this opportunity to announce the constitution of OHANAEZE NDIGBO YOUTHS WING BURIAL COMMITTEE for our departed leader, Chief Emmanuel Chukwuemeka Iwuanyanwu – Ahaejiagamba of Igbo land. All Commissioners for Youth across all Igbo speaking States are automatic members of the committee.
May we also reiterate our readiness to working in harmony with both the National Planning Committee by SEGOF and LOC as already constituted, for the burial of our departed Legend.
The leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide – Youth Wing, is determined to accord our father, icon and mentor, a most befitting funeral.
May we also congratulate all the newly elected Chairmen and councillors in Imo and Enugu States. We urge them to deploy the huge resources available to them, to bring development to the grassroots.
We therefore urge other States of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Rivers to ensure Peaceful and successful LG council elections. We shall entertain no excuses for any laxity in delivering the dividends of democracy to our people at the grassroots.
ALA IGBO SHALL PREVAIL!
Signed,
Mazi Chukwuma Okpalaezeukwu
Acting National Leader
Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide – Youth Wing
