[color=#990000][/color]Contrary to the successful and well oiled propagated image of Governor
Obi‘s government on the pages of daily newspapers, all is not well for it
may be tilting to a brink of collapse. The most important component in the
democratic dispensation – the people have registered their dissatisfaction....4rm chrischigo..07069608464
with their votes they cast in the last election. The anatomy of the
dislocation with the electorates is the floundering on provision of
essential social infrastructures and mundane needs of the people. But many
of ardent supporters of Governor Obi and his administration have buried
their heads in sand and refused to listen to voice of reason that will
rejuvenate and stir away the administration from total collapse to a more
assertive, meaningful and productive governance.
No one is saying that the government of Anambra state is not doing
anything; alluding to that may not be a fair assessment. Of course it is
doing something but comprehensively and in totality Governor Obi‘s
administration impact has not make a major difference in the lives of the
people of Anambra state. For a government to be deemed successful it must
be effective and functional by attending to the mundane needs of the
populace and Obi’s ineffective tactical operation is the stumbling block.
First and foremost, from a strategic outlook, one must be logical and
analytical to solving problems. First of all, identify the problems and
then prioritize them according to pressing needs. But Obi’s administration
appears to be incoherent and illogical. The government does not have to
poll the people to ascertain their needs because it is self-evident that
they are lacking basic existential necessities.
With all the developments and achievements that are being propagated by
the administration, when one drive through cities of Anambra state
including Onitsha, Awaka and Nnewi there are no major changes both
environmentally and aesthetically to show any significant presence of
enduring development and economic growth.
Most of the new paved roads are being sweep away by flood and erosion.
The streets are litter with solid waste and debris. While the ditches and
gutters were clogged with overflowing refuse and ‘pure water’ sachets.
There are no changes on the streets and roads of the townships of Onitsha
and Awka to show that something new is happening. Rather the streets look
unkempt, dirty and unappealing – there are little or road signs and
traffic lights to be found in traffic urban areas.
Anambra state does not have a comprehensive and functional drinking water
scheme. The people have resorted to boreholes for water supply and in some
cases the government is encouraging the ubiquitous presence of water
boreholes by financing them. Some of the water supply from boreholes are
saturated and layered with heavy metals and radioactive elements that have
carcinogenetic properties. The business of hawking untreated ‘pure water’
sachets have become the source of drinking water while the empty sachets
are littered every where.
Where are the developments? Probably the buying of vehicles and building
government offices are being count as developments, instead of seeing them
as necessities. At the dawn of 21st to build office quarters may not be as
important as tackling crimes, thereby give the masses a sense of security.
The wealthy sons and daughters of Anambra state who can contribute to
developments of the state are not coming back home due to fear of being
kidnap. What is the present government of state doing about it? Giving
excuses are not good enough. Blaming and pointing to the federal
government is not good enough. After all, the major problem constituting
to the crime of kidnapping is due to rampant unemployment among the
energetic youths. What is the governor and administration doing to
ameliorate joblessness among the youths?
The administration beloved blueprint – Integrated Development Strategy
(ANDIS) may be reclining to a total mishap because it was not well thought
of and the mechanism for implementation not sufficiently formulated by the
framers. The rudimentary economics thought us that resources are limited
in supply. So with that in mind, the manager of scarce resources must
primarily depend on priority, choice and preference to leverage optimum
output. Instead of the governor and his advisers scattering limited
resources around many projects, with little outcomes they might as well
concentrate on few projects that will make major differences in the lives
of the poor people of the state.
This is not to say or suggest that other peripheral projects will be
neglected but the essence of priority is to ‘attack’ those pressing needs
at the expense of less pressing needs. This managerial capability requires
a leader who is efficient in application of specialized skills which are
found wanting in ANDIS scheme. Moreless, distribution of limited resources
on all the intended operations diminishes the presence of requisite
projects that will standout as testaments of accomplished works. This is
the reason when one steps into the commercial city of Onitsha there is
nothing that stand out and to show the presence of ANDIS. The streets look
dull, disorganized and ugly without vibrancy when compared to
well-organized Chime’s Enugu and Fashola’s Lagos.
Anambra state needs free education at primary and secondary levels to
avert the encompassing ignorance stealing away the future of our youths
but Governor Obi has no education policy. Taking a page from the new
governor of Imo state the pragmatic Rochas Okorocha might do Governor Obi
good; for Okorocha cut down his security vote fund from N6.5million to
N2.5 million. Then with it he lunched his free education scheme for
primary and secondary schools. Why is it that it is not happening in
Anambra state?
Governor Obi is busy telling us how Anambra state is without enough funds
but he has not given account on how he managed the funds allocated to the
local governments. As a transparent and accountability prone governance as
he claimed, Anambra state citizens deserved to know how much revenue is
generated from the state and how it is being utilized for the various
projects.
Governor Peter obi always emphasis on how he balanced his budget and do
not have deficits when compared to other states. But the truth is that the
management of private enterprise is quite different from public/government
business. In private venture the prime mission is to make profit while in
government, it is to embark on projects that will contribute to elevation
of public good and wellbeing.
Take for instance; the Onitsha-Awka Highway has become a road safety
hazard and begs for reconstruction and maintenance due to numerous
potholes. Although it is a federal road but Anambra government can repair
the road and ask the federal government for reimbursement. This can
dramatically cut down on the unnecessary road accidents along the highway.
Therefore instead of Governor Obi to deposit state money in the bank until
inflation diminish its value, he might as well utilize the money even
borrow more to build and provide social amenities and infrastructure that
will enable the people to live a better life and create wealth.
Money in the bank is not wealth. The creation of wealth becomes eminent
and possible when investments that enrich community are made in the people
including the provision of free education and protection of life and
property. These are the investments that made the environment conducive
for the creation of wealth and these are not accomplish when inflated
money is left dormant in the treasury in the name of balancing the
budget.
Let’s be careful here nobody is calling for wasting of resources and not
balancing the budget when it becomes necessary and imperative. But when
the people lacks the necessary and basic amenities for survival and the
governor goes around talking up its skill of not having deficit
contradicts the fundamental principle of development in 21st century.
Anambra state is crumbling as an entity. The state is poorly managed; the
one time contract awarded to a ‘foreign’ contractor to re-dredge
Otumoye/Nwangene Creek has been abandon. Crime and kidnapping are making
the state inhabitable while debris, erosion and flooding are claiming a
chunk landmass of the state.
There are lots of things needed to be done; instead of the administration
devoting quantifiable resources (time and money) on public relation and
self adulation it might as well do the job of the people.
Emeka Chiakwelu is the Principal Policy Strategist at Afripol
Organization. Africa Political and Economic Strategic Center (Afripol) is
foremost a public policy center whose fundamental objective is to broaden
the parameters of public policy debates in Africa. To advocate, promote
and encourage free enterprise, democracy, sustainable green environment,
human rights, conflict resolutions, transparency and probity in Africa.