Obiano Wows Lagos with Account of Stewardship, Nets N.5b from Security Fundraising

The crime-bursting governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano has received an overwhelming support from Anambra indigenes in Lagos who rallied around him at the weekend and pooled a N500m (half a billion naira) to support the great job he is doing in providing efficient and effective security in the state.

Governor Obiano, Chief Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano and Chief Emeka Anyaoku, former Secretary General of the Commonwealth

Leading the pack of the state’s leading industrialists and illustrious citizens at the Fundraising Ceremony held at the MUSON Center in Lagos to shore up the state’s financial capacity to combat criminals was the Chairman of Coscharis Group, Chief Cosmas Maduka whose heavy cash donation spurred other prosperous sons and daughters of the state to donate generously to the cause.

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Setting the tone for the ceremony with his welcome address cleverly titled Securing the Dream of a New Anambra State, Chief Obiano explained that on assumption of office, he made the security of lives and property of Ndi Anambra the priority of his administration because he had realized that humanity was threatened by insecurity all across the world.

Chief Mrs. Ebelechukwu Obiano, Chief Mrs. Stella Okoli, Managing Director, Emzor Pharmaceuticals Ltd and Chief Willie Obiano, Governor of Anambra State during the Security Fundraising ceremony held by the government of Anambra State in Lagos at the weekend

“There is the ISIS challenge in the Middle East and the threat of Boko Haram in Nigeria and neighboring West African countries. In cities, towns and communities across Nigeria, the threat of violent crimes and kidnapping has caused a lot of sleepless nights among our people. Happily, in the past six months of my administration in Anambra State, Ndi Anambra have slept with their two eyes closed,” Chief Obiano observed, drawing applause from the audience.

Chief Victor Umeh, Governor Willie Obiano and Chief Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano

The governor further explained that the Lagos Fundraising which came on the heels of a similar effort in Abuja where the state had realized the sum of N100m was part of his overall efforts to secure the new atmosphere of freedom that his administration had ushered into Anambra State, pointing out that “We are gathered here to secure the Dream of a New Anambra State.”

The governor who also revealed that the event had given him the opportunity to give an account of his stewardship to Ndi Anambra residents in Lagos delicately traced the security challenges that his administration inherited in Anambra State to a time beyond the vast reaches of memory.

Chief Chidi Anyaegbu, Chairman, Chisco Group, Chief Victor Umeh, National Chairman of APGA and Chief Willie Obiano, Governor of Anambra State

“Ndi Anambra, our people have suffered from general insecurity and criminals for a long time. Long before kidnapping became a big business in Anambra State, we had lived in an endless period of fear of armed robbers and brigands of all kinds,” the governor observed, recalling that at a time, the people were so oppressed by criminals that they adopted unorthodox methods to fight the scourge, leading to the emergence of the dreadful Bakassi Boys and the extra-judicial killings that marked that period. 

Chief Festus Odimegwu, former Managing Director of Nigerian Breweries Plc, Governor Willie Obiano and Chief Victor Umeh

“Ladies and gentlemen, it is gratifying to see that our story is different today. We have effectively retrieved Anambra State from the gangsters that once drove our great sons and daughters away from home and made it impossible for investors to remember Anambra in their investment plans. We have chased away the enemies who forced our people to do Igba nkwu nwanyi (traditional marriage) in Lagos,” Chief Obiano explained, pointing out that Anambra’s changing story has started to attract big time investors to the state.

According to him, statistics from the newly established Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency (ANSIPPA) reveal that the State has received about 120 inquiries from investors across the world in the past four months of his administration.

Said he; “on May 7, this year, I commissioned the Coched Farms Project at Anaku in Ayamelum Local Government Area which has the capacity to produce 120,000 metric tons of rice and create over one thousand jobs. On Tuesday last week, my administration attracted over $220m dollar investments. These include investments from Joseph Agro Limited that is investing $150m in Agriculture and Cardinal Developers & Trust Ltd that is investing $70m in the area of hospitality and tourism. Joseph Agro Ltd has a capacity to produce 120,000mt of rice. The company in addition to Coched Farms Ltd will almost completely erase Anambra’s rice supply deficit by 99%. It will also create 10,000 direct jobs and about 25,000 indirect jobs for our people. Similarly, Cardinal Developers & Trust Ltd will create 400 direct jobs and 2000 indirect jobs. Ndi b’anyi, this is a great time to come from Anambra State.”

The governor further averred that with the sustained crackdown on criminals in the state, Anambra had regained its freedom from the enemies of liberty and is ready once again to lead the charge for the return of Ndigbo as an economic power-block in Nigeria since the Civil War.

Said he; “We are fully aware that the journey ahead may be difficult and slow but we are not looking for a quick fix. We shall be relentless in our push to expand the frontiers of excellence in Anambra State and beyond.”

According to him, “the sun has finally risen on Anambra State. There is a growing feeling that Anambra’s finest hour is finally here with us.  It is in acknowledgement of this resurgence of hope in our people that my team and I also decided that the time has come to awaken the consciousness of our people to the soft issues of governance. We realize that it is not just enough for government to build roads and bridges but imperative for political leaders to plant the right values in the people they lead. That is why we have evolved a new cultural-identity for Ndi Anambra State and a new anthem and flag to remind us of whom we are.” 

Also speaking at the event, the former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku applauded the achievements of the governor in the past six months urging him to sustain the momentum of progress.

In his own speech, the Chairman of Coscharis Group, Chief Cosmas Maduka declared that the era when some people could not proudly identify themselves as citizens of Anambra State had been wiped away by Governor Obiano’s impressive performance in the past six months.

He reminded his fellow indigenes of the state that it took a determined people to build a free and prosperous society and urged them to donate generously in support of the governor’s efforts to secure the state.

Other highly successful indigenes of the state who threw their financial weight behind the governor are Emma Bishop Okonkwo, the Chairman of Ekulo Group, Chief Vincent Obianodo, Chairman of Young Shall Grow Motors, Chief Chidi Anyaegbu, Chairman of Chisco Group, Ernest Nnaemeka Azudialo Obiejesi, Chairman of Nest Oil Plc, Chief Mrs Stella Okoli, Chairman, Emzo Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Sir Daniel Chukwulozie, Chairman of Dozzy Oil & Gas, Chief Okey Ezeibe, Chairman of Legacy Group among many others.