Obiano's 100 Days of Security Engagement and the Promise for a Better Anambra

Chief Willie Obiano, who celebrates 100 days in office today, is giving Anambra people a ray of hope that his administration would take the state to the next level. Within the period, the governor took decisions that have gone a long way to bring sanity in the state.

Barely one week after assuming office, Obiano literally relocated to the commercial city of Onitsha and began a battle against hoodlums who had over the years injected fears in inhabitants and visitors passing through the city. His first action was to set up a special task force comprising the police, the army and the navy to handle the issue of ensuring security in the state.

The task force immediately swung into action such that few days after the take off of the special task force, the hoodlums in Onitsha fled and relocated to neighbouring towns of Obosi, Nkpor, Oba, while others fled to Asaba in Delta State.

The governor’s next action was to confront kidnappers and the first place of call was his home town, Aguleri where three buildings built by suspected kidnappers were demolished. More building demolitions were to take place at Azia in Ihiala local government area, Ogidi in Idemili North local government area and Ojoto in Idemili South Local Government Area. Also within the period, no fewer than 50 suspected criminals have been paraded by the Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS, Awkuzu in Oyi local government area.

To sustain the security of lives and property in Onitsha, the state government, in partnership with Safety Institute and Integrated Security Services, a private security outfit, began a programme in which close circuit televisions would be mounted in various parts of the city to track suspected criminals in their hideouts. The programme is expected to be extended to the other major cities of Awka and Nnewi.

To gain the confidence of the people, Obiano in his first days assembled prominent leaders of the state to a parley at the Governor’s Lodge during which they pledged their support for him, despite the fact that most of them belonged to other political parties. The assurance from them was indeed a morale booster for the governor and he has promised to tap their knowledge whenever necessary.

One other area the state governor has placed much emphasis is in infrastructural development. Early this month, the governor awarded contracts worth about N2 billion on roads in Ogbunike community in Oyi local government area that hosts the famous Ogbunike Cave, one of the biggest tourist centres in the country.  The governor said there were also plans to transform the cave into a world class tourist attraction. Already, feasibility study for the proposed project is underway.

To show the determination of government to realize the project, Obiano said the state government has already advertised for competent professionals to handle the feasibility study, explaining that the tourist centre would have all the necessary facilities that would promote the cave and its environs as a tourist centre. Facilities to be sited at the center include a standard hotel and recreation facilities.

Only on Monday, Governor Obiano flagged off the construction of three flyovers aimed at easing traffic in the state capital. The flyovers, which are to be constructed at Aroma, Kwata and Amawbia junctions in the city would ensure free flow of traffic.

The overhead bridges, he said, are part of efforts to transform Awka as a modern city., In addition to the overhead bridges, Obiano’s government has started the construction of the three arms zone, a five –star hotel, a 5000 sitting capacity conference center and a shopping mall in the capital city. The governor said all the roads to be constructed by his administration would be complemented with street light to improve the skyline of the state capital.

At the last count, no fewer than 10 new road projects have been awarded across the three senatorial zones of the state.

Obiano has in his first 100 days also made his mark on the state’s work force.

During his address to the workers at the state secretariat, the governor promised to provide them with buses that would be taking them to and from work. Four days after he made the promise, the air conditioned buses began the shuttle that has resulted in workers being in the office as early as 7.30 a.m. everyday.