Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, the governor-elect of Anambra State, has urged Anambra residents to get ready for work as soon as he is sworn in on March 17.
The former Central Bank Governor (CBN) spoke over the weekend after receiving a comprehensive report from the transition committee led by Dr Oby Ezekwesili, which serves as a blueprint/roadmap for the incoming administration.
Soludo, who spoke to the over 80-member committee, expressed his strong belief that Anambra will be great, but acknowledged that there was still much work to be done, just as there was still war to be fought.
“To the best of my knowledge, this is the first transition committee we’ve had since 1999.” We’ve always had a handover team in place. For the first time, we have a handover and transition committee working together to cover both the outgoing and incoming governors.
“I received feedback about how hard you all worked, and it shows that this is Anambra’s moment, and you’re all ready to serve the people of Anambra.” I overheard madam chairman (Ezekwesili) say that your job would be done after the swearing-in, but I want to assure you that the work you have done is only 5%. I’ll speak with madam chairman to see if this committee can transition into my advisory body after the swearing-in.
“If all of you who are here spend just five minutes coming up with ideas that we can put into action, Anambra will be fantastic.” We have brains in Nigeria and in Anambra, and we’ve decided to use the brains we have in Anambra,” he said.
“Politicians believe that campaigning and winning elections is work, and governance is the time to eat,” Soludo continued. That was one of the reasons why some people chastised us for appointing you as a transition committee after they had worked so hard to win the election. The process of gaining power, I always say, is only 5% of the job; the real work begins after you’ve been sworn in.
“Let me assure you that everyone has a part to play, that there is a lot of work to be done, and that you must all be prepared. There is work to be done as well as a war to be waged. We will appeal to our constituents to restore the social background between the people and the government.
“The last time I said that people who had (revenue) window would no longer thrive with it, it went viral.” We must use the funds to improve the state, including roads, water, lighting, and traffic congestion.
“Pipe-borne water used to run in my village when I was a boy, over 50 years ago, but it no longer does.” We need to reintroduce all of them, and we’ll need government funding to do so. That’s why I say, “There’s work and then there’s war.”
Soludo stated that about 1,100 people applied to be commissioners in his government, despite the fact that the state only had about 20 ministries, and that he is pleased with the people’s willingness to serve.
He acknowledged that not everyone will serve at the same time, and he expressed his gratitude to those who applied to be volunteers, working without pay but contributing their ideas to the betterment of the state.
Ezekwesili had earlier presented the committee’s report to Soludo, expressing her confidence that Anambra will once again be great under the governor-elect.
