…Anambra is finally running on a plan after many years of guesswork.
AWKA, NIGERIA — The iNews Times reports that Anambra State is undergoing a historic shift from ad-hoc governance to structured, long-term development under the leadership of Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, according to political analyst and commentator, Mazi Ejimofor Opara.
In a statement on Saturday, Opara credited Soludo with steering the state away from years of what he described as “guesswork, haphazardness, and an individualistic ‘do as you like’ philosophy” that had plagued previous administrations.
“Anambra is finally running on a plan after many years of guesswork, haphazardness, and, if you like, an individualistic philosophy of ‘do as you like,’” Opara said.
“In 2019, Governor Obiano convened a committee of respected persons chaired by Professor Soludo to craft a 50-year development plan for the state. This was his strategic response to end the ‘me, myself, and I’ syndrome where people come to power and end up executing advice from ‘mad men.’”
Describing the 50-year development plan as a bold vision to transform Anambra into a prosperous and liveable smart megacity, Opara said Soludo is laying the foundation for that future.
“Soludo is the man shaping the foundations of this vision, and his immediate mandate is to transform Anambra from a departure lounge to a destination,” he said. “To actualize this, key fundamentals in urban regeneration, environmental sustainability, social development, and economic transformation must be put in place at a scale never before seen.”
He cited urban renewal efforts such as the Okpoko regeneration project, the transformation of Onitsha, the creation of a new city in Ekwulobia, and the remodeling of Awka, saying even critics could not ignore these visible achievements.
“It is not unusual to take these for granted, especially by people who never believed it was possible within the period it was achieved,” Opara remarked.
Opara also praised the administration’s sweeping social reforms, including free education in public primary and secondary schools, free antenatal care and delivery for pregnant women, and the restoration of public water supply.
He highlighted the recruitment of 8,115 qualified teachers, 2,000 healthcare workers – including doctors and nurses – and the revitalization of primary healthcare centers, which, according to him, earned Anambra $1.2 million in national and regional healthcare awards.
Speaking on the administration’s economic initiatives, Opara said: “Soludo’s Anambra Mixed-Use Industrial City in Ogboji, the Oba Pharmaceutical Wholesale Coordination Centre, the 10-storey Marriott Hotel, and the Anambra Rail Master Plan are not mere wishes but intentional investments that will serve the people without any vicarious benefit to a Soludo under any pretext.”
Opara described Soludo’s leadership style as bold and transformative, saying the governor’s legacy would reshape Anambra’s political history.
“There will certainly come a time when Anambra’s history shall be divided into two distinct epochs – before and after Soludo,” Opara declared. “Anambra is on the rise!”
