Is There Really A Functioning Government In Anambra State? -Chukwuemerie Uduchukwu

By Chukwuemerie Uduchukwu 

Believe it or not, I am still in doubt if there is a functioning government in Anambra state. Since the emergence of Chief Willie Obiano as the governor of the state in 2014, the state is yet to witness any sense of direction from the government.

Since the exit of Chinwoke Mbadinuju’s administration in 2003, Anambra has been an example to other states in the southeast geopolitical zone. However, the state seems to be going back to dark days of Mbadinuju’s era when only white elephant projects like renovation and decoration of the government house were witnessed. So far, the only difference between Willie Obiano’s government and that of Chinwoke Mbadinuju is that while Obiano deceives the public with the propaganda of prompt salary payment, Dr. Mbadinuju abandoned the civil servants which led to an industrial action that consumed an academic session of secondary schools in the state. However, both administrations share more similarities. While Mbadinuju flooded Anambra streets with billboards of proposed projects with the inscription ‘It shall be well with Anambra state’, Chief Willie Obiano’s present government has so far flooded our streets with billboards of unfounded or proposed projects with the inscription ‘Willie is working’.

Also, both Mbadinuju and Obiano’s administration embarked on white elephant projects that added little or nothing to the wellbeing of Anambrarians. While Mbadinuju decorated our state government house to make it the most beautiful in the southeast, Obiano claimed responsibility to the ongoing construction of a flyover along the Aroma axis of Onitsha-Enugu expressway. Kindly note that the flyover is located within a federal road.

It pains me anytime I’m traveling along Nnewi, Awka or Onitsha. It is safe to say that Nnewi has the worst road network in the state. The roads within the commercial city are as dangerous as Ebola Virus and if there is any word worse than worst, such will be good to qualify the decaying nature of state roads within the Uruagu community of the town. Also, roads within Woliwo and major parts of Onitsha are as worse as an epidemic. Those of Awka are too shameful. If you dare come to Awka especially at the Tracy Hotel axis in Arthur Eze Avenue when it’s raining or soon after it rained, I’m sorry that you will need a canoe and extraordinary handkerchief to crossover and cover your nose due to the filthy condition of the drainage along the road. Ifite has since became an abandoned part of the state capital. In fact it is shameful that Anambra has the worst state capital in the entire southeast. If the major ‘cities’ of the state are in such pitiable condition, you can imagine how its rural areas will look like.

Moreover, what I have observed is that majority of roads constructed by previous administrations in the state within the last 12 years are now fading out and there is no sighted plan of the Willie Obiano’s government to fix them and prevent them from total breakdown.

Another achievement that Willie’s government has made so far was employing armies of youths and men who flood major junctions of our roads to ease traffic but sometimes they end up increasing the traffic by causing unnecessary confusion on the road.

Apart from the above listed white elephant projects, I am yet to see a project flagged of by our dear governor and the worst part of it is that there is no sign of hope and the information gap between the government and the masses is much.

In fact, I still doubt if there is an existing budget for the state in this 2015 fiscal year. I have never seen or heard any commissioner speak or address the citizens on the developmental plans of his or her ministry. The only visible commissioner is that of Information but sadly, I only hear from the ministry whenever there is a special press release and I am yet to see the ministry enlighten Anambrarians on the developmental programmes of the government led by Chief Willie Obiano. These keep me wondering if there is really a functioning government in the state.

Chief Obiano should better sit up because he has no excuse to fail. Anambra has an overwhelming internally generated revenue (IGR) system that can fund the state without federal allocations. If the governor lacks direction, he shouldn’t be too pride or shameful to invite good citizens of the state to advise him properly, after all the state is blessed with talents.

Enough is enough! Willie should stop working on faces of billboards and face the task that he was elected for. The governor should also note that Anambra is not a state that can be maneuvered with false propaganda during gubernatorial election. My dear governor, always bear in mind that Anambra is the only state in Nigeria that produced four ‘governors’ within four years and never think that you can’t be impeached before 2018 if you fail to sit up. God bless you.

May God bless Anambra State.