THE Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr. Labaran Maku, has described as amazing the number and quality of projects executed in Anambra State by Governor Peter Obi.
He made the declaration Saturday while inspecting the 165-metre Odor Bridge, linking the Awgwu and Amaokpala communities.
He added that the project rank tops among state government infrastructure programmes he had inspected since the tour started.
Mr. Maku who later spoke extensively during the Town Hall meeting at the Women Development Centre, Awka, said Obi's administration has distinguished itself, not just in the magnitude of its projects, but more significantly, in the way they are evenly spread, even in remote areas.
"The governor has moved away from common practice of concentrating projects in the towns and has reached areas of the state that were neglected by past governments and has opened up the entire state with impressive network of roads and projects cutting across all sectors," he said.
The minister commended what Obi is doing on education, partnership with the Church and other voluntary organisations as a model worthy of emulation.
Commenting on the INNOSON Motor Manufacturing Company, Nnewi, he announced the Federal Government's initiative to encourage the company by patronage. He also gave the assurance that work at Zik's mausoleum would be fast-tracked.
The minister also toured various Federal Government projects in the state, essentially attributing the developmental achievements to the wisdom of the State Government in working harmoniously with the President.
Describing Obi's tenure as Anambra's glorious moment, he said that he has restored civility, stability and honour to the state due to his vision punctuated by humility.
Agreeing with Maku's position, President of the National Union of Journalists, Mallam Ahmed Garuba, represented by the President South-East, Chris Isiguzor, RATTAWU President, Yemi Bamgbose, the President of the National Council of Women Societies, Nkechi Mbah, Alistar Soyombi of the Ben TV, United Kingdom, among other speakers, also praised the State Government, saying they were impressed with the projects executed by the governor, particularly in roads, health and education.
In Bamgbose's words: "Some states we visited were even afraid to show us projects, but in Anambra, they have so much that they were demanding more time to enable us see at least 50 per cent of the projects."
They appealed to the governor to improve on sanitation and endeavor to conduct council polls elections in the state.
Responding, Governor Obi lamented lack of enough time to see most of the projects and thanked the Federal Government for the initiative, which he noted would offer people of the country opportunity to see what elected officers were doing.
Revealing that the state has not borrowed from any financial institution or raised a bond under his administration, he said that all ongoing projects would be completed and that new ones, with the required funds already mapped out, would be started.
The governor gave the assurance that all secondary schools in the state would get a bus each before the end of the year. All the primary school in the State, he said, would also be given computers within the same period.
"In few days time, we shall give vehicles for security to all the towns in the State. Work will start on the Onitsha, Awka and Nnewi Shopping Malls and Hotel projects, among others", the governor said.
The Guardian