₦airaland Forum

Soludo better do something about all the lawless markets and all those child hawkers from Ebonyi and other poor states flooding into Anambra.

hammer3x:
PLEASE, SHOW ME WHERE THEY HAVE BUILT A TRAIN BRIDGE IN ANAMBRA STATE?



THE NUMBER ONE PROBLEM IGBO MEN HAVE IS OVER SABI (SABINUS), U PEOPLE ARE MORE INTERESTED IN ARGUING BLINDLY THAN REASONING TOGETHER.



IF YOU GET A CHANCE TO WORK ABROAD IN A TEAM AND YOU COME WITH THIS YOUR VILLAGE STYLE, YOU WILL BE THE FIRST NAME UP FOR REDUNDANCY, WHEN IT IS TIME.

Look I have worked in the US on big projects. You are posting pictures. Engineering projects like bridges are designed for specic load bearing factors. You do not amend their design by adding another level. The cheapest way to add the train route is doing what they do in US and using steel to build a bridge solely for rail cars.

hammer3x:
INSTEAD OF JUST BUILDING RAILWAY BRIDGE, THEY SHOULD CONVERT IT TO DOUBLE DECKER BRIDGE, SO CARS CAN USE THE TOP OF THE BRIDGE AND TRAINS THE BOTTOM.



THEY CAN MAKE A CABLE STAYED BRIDGE, SUSPENSION OR NORMAL DECK BRIDGE DESIGN AT THE TOP.



OBI, THIS SHOULD BE YOUR PROJECT.

You cannot convert a bridge built with reinforced concrete with specific load bearing to add an upper or lower rail level. The fact is that when Nigeria is serious they will have to construct another bridge that will take the train route across the niger.

ANSMEDIA:
Not that I support this failed administration at the federal level, but I have to be sincere with, there's a walk way for pedestrians. Let's not forget that the road is about 8-lanes, 4-lanes on each direction

It's a 6 lane bridge not 8 lanes.

Ofodirinwa:
Nwanne, it is becoming a serious issue and this is not who we are as a people.
If you notice, all of the anti ESN propaganda has been aimed at Anambra. There is a deliberate attempt by people who know more than you to put a wedge between Anambra ppl and the rest of the SE and the people doing it know that if you used a sweet tongue, the intention will work because Ndiigbo and their self esteem problems. They have identified Anambra as a weak link and if you know the geographical trap that is the SE and how it is designed, you will know why it is important to target Ndi Anambra.

Nigerians struggled in the war to break through what is now called Anambra. They don't want to struggle like that again. I know many ppl on here as small in their thinking but I have seen you posts in the past and know you can process what I'm saying well.

So nonsense like that has nothing to do with who we are as Ndiigbo. Anyi enweghi eze. Gini bu premium state. I si na nke gi bu premium, gwa anyi nke ndi ozo bu?

Anambra is the most populous and most economically important state in the South East. But Anambra governors have to step up. You cannot be calling yourself a key state when Onitsha looks like a primitive hovel disorganized by traders, Awka boasts poor infrastructure for a state capital and Nnewi is a backward series of villages. I am an Anambrarian by the way.

[quote author= post=115810904]The new government house is near federal secretariat and state secretariat, I noticed work have started there they have started bringing building materials, I believe after completion of the project they will dualize the road to link up with Akex Ekweme road[/quote]The new govt house is a better location. Legislature, Secretariat, Court are all there. They should also relocate lands there, ASUDEB and tax office.

stasius:
You are right. Onitsha metropolis and outskirt alone should be over 10million people.
The truth is that our people have apathy to government issues post-war.
An average Anambra person don't believe in government institutions.
That is why you have more private institutions flourishing and doing well here as against govt run facilities.

But we still need to grab that money from the government. Am happy but not satisfied with the turnout of our people during the Continuous voters registration. Even though Anambra is the highest in South East the apathy is still visible because I doubt if that figure is a true representation of our voting strenght. But that is an issue for further investigation.

I still believe we have a lot of grassroot work to do to sensitize our people to make themselves available and seize every opportunity to grab what belongs to us from the Central government, even as we clamour for our ultimate emancipation and control of our regional resources.

Lets deal with facts. No data suggests that Onitsha metropolis is up to 10million. Several data sources show that Anambra has a population much less than states like Kaduna and Kano.

1. The data on mobile subscribers in Nigeria is a rough gauge of the population of states:

https://www.nigerianstat.gov.ng/pdfuploads/Telecoms_Sector_Data_%E2%80%93_Q1_2021.pdf

2. NIN Registrations reflects this also and for the pop of states x it by 2 to account for children:

https://nimc.gov.ng/enrolment-dashboard-june-july-2022/

These data suggests Anambra population (both indigene and strangers) is between 4-5 million at best.

Of course Anambrarians living outside is probably at least 2 million.

globemoney01:
and yet when it was time for election you losers where no where to be found?
Obiano went to Agulu and won, Went to Alor and won and won by landslides in those places too. Where were the singers? Even if Anambra is to elect a Governor between the three today Obiano will not only win but win in their households too....

I see why the singers are mad

People vote for party. APGA is the party of ndi Anambra Too bad we elected a drunkard who blew over 1 trillion and did not maintain a single road in Awka, Nnewi or Onitsha.

Revealed: How Obiano govt sold Anambra’s dollar savings
By Our Reporter On Nov 10, 2017
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A crisis is brewing between Anambra State Governor Willy Obiano and opposition parties over the alleged secret sale of the state’s dollar savings in the last three and half years.

The governor, according to sources, has disposed of the cash saved for the state by his predecessor, Mr. Peter Obi. In the last transaction, over N10 billion was realized, according to one documents The Nation stumbled on.

The last transaction was carried out, following a letter of March 17, 2017 by the Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency.

In the letter of authority, its Chief Executive Officer Joe-Billy Ekwunife, directed Afrinvest, the firm appointed by Obiano to manage the savings to carry out the transaction.

The agency directed the firm to execute a partial sale of the Eurobond Portfolio domiciled with two commercial banks to raise N3.7 billion and N6.3 billion.

According to sources, the bonds in one commercial bank that were disposed, following the directive, included 6.75 per cent 28 January 2021 FGN bond with a face value of $30,000 and 6.38 per cent 12 July 2023 FGN bond with a face value of $50,00.

“There are also the 10.5 per cent 19 October bond with a face value of $21,000 and eight percent July 2021 FGN Bond with a face value of $14,000. The FBN bond was sold in two tranches of $9,000 and $5,000. Prior to their sale, the savings had yielded billions of Naira as revealed by the manager,” the source added.

Also, it was disclosed that each time the bonds were sold, the agency directed Afrinvest to credit the money realised into the Anambra State Special Excess Crude Account. It was not immediately clear yesterday if the special account is not under the purview the state’s Accountant-General.

It was learnt that the first sale of the dollars accounted for the disposal of 8.25 per cent of a first generation bank’s bonds from which about $10.2 million was realised. This amounted to about N3 billion, going by the exchange rate at the time. The bond, which was to mature in August 2020, had an annual coupon yield of 8. 25 per cent and it was purchased by another bank at a much discounted rate on December 18, 2015.

Omanambala:
Lmao...ain't no way you are not either drunk or blind. I thought everyone here knows I am an Obi's disciple. What changed


Hehehe...stop being smart by half. You know the monikers Nri-Priest , Odenigboaroli, IDENNAA Omanbala and this current one. Chino knows me very well even on Facebook. You know I am the strongest Anambra boy on this forum. I never shifted grounds and I call a spade a spade without flinching. I call Obiano out where he underperformed and praise him where he did well. I am a uniting figure for Ndi Anambra.

I am also one of the people that promoted the Omanbala website a brother once floated. In fact , I made the name Omanbala popular on this site.

The difference between you and I is that I treat Anambra like a man should safeguard his father's legacy, with love and passion. I will never lie to Ndi Anambra to promote my paymaster.

The gods and ancestors of ani Omanbala are with me because I am a honest man that only want the good of Anambra and her advancement. I am not a very wealthy man but God has blessed me and like Peter Obi I am so grateful to God but I want to see my father's land shine like a morning star.

You cant never deceive God because he sees our heart desires and only he knows what's on your mind. No matter how much you hide and try to deceive Ndi Anambra.

You , Globemoney and your other friends have attacked Obi here for many years but , like Bob Marley said, "he whom God blessed no one can curse".....look at Peter Obi and the blessings of God in his life. Ezi afa ka ego. You wish you had my character....lol

Ride on. Nobody except hungry hyenas and touts mentions Obiano because he was mediocre. Obi on the other hand has made his name. Okwute ndi igbo. Let them land at any event. People will sing for Obi, chant for Ngige but Obiano silence.

Clearly korra and the husband are scamming Nigerians with this make belief divorce drama. People that divorce go to court but nowhere have you seen korra dress up to go to court or meet her lawyers. Then tokumbo daniels appears as the new lover of Justin dean. How possible is it that Justin met tokumbo Daniels who does not live in LA ? Truth is tokumbo is korras friend brought in like her sister nancy to spice things up. And just in case you don't believe she makes a semi naked appearance when he is livestreaming.

Keep sending Facebook money to korra and family.

OreMI22:
Only crooks with zero regards for facts will type the type of rubbish you typed.

Your aim is to irk Obiano to use him in Destroying Obi's ambitions.

While Obiano would have been justified to go gun blazing exposing the assets and liabilities he inherited, he is a decent man that will rather allow bygones be bygone if Obi would learn the art of statesmsnship and forgiveness too.

You are very stupid and deluded. I know both Obi and Obiano not Internet knowledge. From their days at fidelity bank. Obi and Obiano are friends until tommorow. I will criticise both. Obi for his substandard roads and business interest in Hero Breweries and Obiano for his corruption.

But Obiano was a big disappointment because he was given so much. Obi did a lot with little. Old Road, Secretariat, Headbridge to umunya, Harbor Layout Onitsha, New Tarzan flyover, Amaku Hospital. He did first GIS mapping of Anambra, setup ASWAMA, ANIDS.

Omanambala:
You didn't see me compare Anambra to any state in Nigeria and that is for a reason. All the states in Nigeria are in third worlds status. So, stop the comparisons.

Again, airport is good but look at Awka, Nnewi and Onicha. Are you not ashamed you built a mansion in a latrine pit ?

If I were Obiano I would have spend my time cleaning our major cities, planting not less than a billion trees a year , set up an efficient waste management system , invest more in our state University, teaching hospitals, College for teachers, build massive internal roads in Onicha, Nnewi and demolish that disgraceful eke Awka. Airport will come last because we can use the ones from neighboring states.

Take this from a person who has lives in the US for over 15yrs. I am very exposed to good governance.

Obiano mjnus the airport and ICC presided over armed robbery of the Anambra treasury. He sold off all the US bonds Obi bought with Anambra savings. He collected over 40 billion refund from the FGN for the expressway Obi fixed from head Bridge to umunya and the old enugu Road from Nkpor to Awka. He collected FAAC of 90 billion every year for 8 years plus IGR. And his legacy was oil rig bridge, airport, awka flyovers and icc all which cost less than 100 billion in total.

NwekereNdoki:
After Readin this your comment I can only imagine a 13 yr old boy that have access to internet and smartphone. Cause I am sure a matured adult won't spew this.

This is chino the illegitimate child of an aboki. He uses many monikers. He is mentally deranged. Ignore him.

NwekereNdoki:
When reasonable Igbos are thinking of how to link Alaigbo with rails like Eastern Europe some of you are here talking nonsense.

In SE I can't be proud of any state for now. They are all performing poorly. Maybe u should do a google search of what a city should look like and see if any SE state have such. Lagos is not an ideal city yet but then it's very close to what u can call a city..

Does it not bother you guys that any investment that comes to Nigeria ends up in other states and we only attract few? if it doesn't it bothers me.

It does because we will all give birth to children and they will grow to become adult who will need to woek. How many corporate companies can employ them in SE? How many companies in SE can pay up to 100k junior role or fresh graduates?

It's high time we stop being silly and think of how to savage AlaIgbo from this situation. It's not as if we are poor that's my annoyance. The money is there, but because we are divided by petty political boundaries we haven't been able to mobilize Ndigbo for economic success and growth like Michael Opkara and Sam Mbakwe did.

Now we are here online disgracing ourselves in a public platform over non--essential things and two horrible states stocking their ego. Let me break it to u again, no SE state have a proper city. U can argue this all u want but this is a fact. Anambra is trying to come close but it's very far when it comes to infrastructure and livability. Let's not shy away from the truth.

Yes SE is better than most regions, but we can't be dragging last with Nigerian states. We can be better and greater.

When I look at Anambra I look at a state that has the potential of being the metropolitan area of SE as Lagos is to the West (of course better). When I look at Imo I see a state that has the potential to be the tourism and entertainment hub of SE. When I see Enugu I see a Pretoria SE and even better. When I look at Ebonyi I see the state that'll provide SE with industrial solid mineral resources while Aba processes and manufactures these resources, when I see look at Anioma and Igbos in Rivers I see them being a marine/maritime power house.

I'm from Ndoki, in rivers state. It's shameful visiting this thread out of curiosity to find out how my brothers on the other Igbo states are faring only to find them hurling insult on themselves in the bid to stroke their ego. Its pathetic. Most annoying is the fact that what we use to boast and insult ourselves is not even something that's worth it.

What we just need is unity of purpose and brotherly love. Imagine a SE that's connected with rail. Imagine a SE wit uninterrupted power supply. Imagine a SE with 5 CBD with proper standard building. Imagine a SE with cities that have pipe-borne water, pliable roads and high speed internet connection.

There are about 4 major SEZ and Cities/large townships being developed in SE and they are;
-Lion Park, Enugu
-Awka Millinium City, Anambra
-Centinary City, Abakiliki
-Enyimba Economic City, Abia

What I expect us to do as Ndigbos is to rally round our who is who in the society to contribute and invest i these cities so that we would start the process of building a new future as soon as possible.

Also we need to rally round investors from SE and outside SE to invest in agriculture in SE to ensure food sufficiency. If after the war we still don't have food sufficiency then I wonder what we learnt after the war.

We need business, we need industrialization and we need peace and security which is the chief reason I am heavily against what Kanu did to SE because of his agitation. I as a person believe that you don't demand from the place of Weakness, if SE don't have food sufficiency and cities that make at least $10 billion yearly, we shouldn't be talking of any secession. It'll just be another suicide mission.

SEREDEC have started something, but like they lamented, they can't do it alone. There challenge so far is the individuality of Igbos.

But thak God they have been working with Barth Nnajia and Enyimba Economic City Developers to deliver the project. I believe Lion park and other projects in SE will be success story too.

We ca do this. We can be great again. We can build an Ala Igbo where our sons and daughters don't need to migrate to hostile regions to get jobs thereby being exposed to insults and threats.

BIKO, NWANEM/NDE WEM, LET'S HOLD OUR FIRE.

ANYTHING OUTSIDE THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE IGBO NATION AND ITS DEVELPMENT IS NON-ESSENTIAL.

STATES WERE CREATED 30 YEARS AGO, OUR FIRST IDENTITY IS BEING IGBOS. WE HAVE BEEN IGBOS FOR HOUSAND OF YEARS AND NOW, THE UNITY OF ALAIGBO IS KEY TO OUR SURVIVAL AS A PEOPLE

CHUKWU GOZIRI ALAIGBO.

UDO!


*Attached is a pics of how major cities should be looking like in 10-20 years time and even better. That is Accra. A good example. It's in West Africa and ofcourse its economy is not bigger than SE economy, neither do they have richer people than Igbos. For a start, let us build cities like this "one town at a time" until then can we come back here and start arguing which city is better than the other.

Anambra should focus on planning cities properly. Start with wide roads, parking lanes, pavements, underground drainage, sewage systems not anybody building anyhow. Move markets away from the center of the cities and do urban zoning - this place for residential, this place for commercial, this place for industry. We call ourselves educated but just go to small countries and see planning.

Go to Malawi. These is a video of Blantyre a small town in one of Africa's poorest counries:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6LQaaWBN1U&ab_channel=HumoftheEarth

You will not see people using side of roads for welding, selling gate, vulcanizer and other crazy things Nigerians call "business". Look at the cleanliness and planning of the place. In a poor country o.

1east:
Mktinsight the jobless frustrated pampers wearing clown. We know how bitter and frustrated you have come to be since Anambra delivered a worldclass international airport. You fought against this airport like a witch you are even when it was on drawing board, today it has been delivered, that's why you are going naught. Yes, Anambra now has the longest runway and best airport, hug a transformer. Miserable clown like you that sleeps on nairaland is attacking commissioners that have successfully rose through their careers as an engineers but you are here camping on nairaland like a monkey. Mktinsight aka abuzz33 go and find something to do with your miserable life, you can never have your evil ways on this thread.

Jobless broke bastrd child of aboki with 1,000 monikers. Come and shine my shoe. :Lol After go open gate.

ChiefOtunist:
It's less than 5 months of CC swearing in, why make a claim about "Massive Infrastructural Decay?
I thought Willie was the best in Anambra in terms of infrastructure, what changed?

Don't mind them. That fat, lazy commissioner of works ifejiofor abandoned maintaining roads and clearing drainage to tell us the runway at anambra airport was longest in Nigeria.

From the looks of it, Soludos commissioner of works doesn't have much brain either.

Kingsbuchi:
It's unfortunate that you deliberately chose to be useless and senile. You exhibit all the xtics of inferiority complex. Nobody is envious of Anambra. Imo has a lot of bragging rights but are silent about it. Out every 100 married women in my Vila in Orlu, 30are from Anambra but no noise about it. I don't know why you always choose to use divisive statements to score cheap supremacist points..
You must be an efulefu planted in Igboland to cause division amongst Igbos..
You are indeed senseless..

Chinedu Desmond alaegbu aka chino is a certified loser. He sleeps on nairaland in order to abuse igbos from imo, ebonyi with his silly anambra superiority game. Ignore the bastrd. He was dropped off at Upper iweka by one aboki and is trying to claim anambra heritage by fire by force. I expect someone to locate this nitwit one day and give him the beating he deserves.

Chino the basRd child of an aboki doing iron condemn for Onitsha. You are a failure in life and are so jobless you spend every waking hour on nairaland. I can see ny abuse do n enter and give you high blood pressure. Let me repeat. You are a certified piece of sht and a low IQ fool. :lol:

Chino the jobless fool posting every second on nairaland.

Poverty left you with the IQ of a five year old child. Save your stupidity to fool your mates with nothing upstairs. You don't know what is standard so stfu.

PROUDIGBO:
It’s only those familiar with the geo-political and ethno-religious inspired envy and hate that’s rife in Nigerian politics and governance that will be able to read between the lines and decipher the bad-belle, ill-wishes and derision in your post!

You’re comparing what Akwa-Ibom, Rivers, Delta, and Bayelsa are producing vis-a-vis what Anambra is producing, and you think that’s a fair comparison!? Not even minding the fact that a lot of the oil wells meant to be within Abia and Imo states were wickedly placed in Rivers state for the Ijaw to help the ‘owners of Nigeria’ ‘safeguard’ for them! THE COMMUNITIES WHERE THESE STOLEN OIL WELLS ARE LOCATED ARE 100% IGBO, SO WHAT’S THE JUSTIFICATION FOR PLACING THEM IN RIVERS IF NOT WICKEDNESS AND POLITICS OF HOLD-IGBO-DOWN, and so mofos like you can come online decades later to mock Ndigbo…..that we don’t produce any oil and gas, and that Alaigbo is a ‘barren’ land!

Dude, whether Anambra receives 1 billion or 3 billion a month or a year….it’s a 100% more than they used to receive! Just that alone is a positive result!

You are full of sht and are highly delusional. Rivers State has a substantial igbo population as does Delta which are two of the three highest oil producing states. Oil money has not made those places eden.

1east:
Mktinsight the demonic night owl, leave Anambra alone, all you do here is looking for any nonsense to spite Anambra so you can be happy. Anambra is receiving Billions In oil revenues already to the envy and frustration of evil people like you.

Billions? Stop lying. Of that 50 billion shared Anambra will get less than 1%. Go back to school primary school dropout.

globemoney01:
The main reason this guy hates obiano is because he tried to develop Anambra ahead of other states in SE. If Obiano had performed like Ikpeazu in Abia state this guy won't even bother discussing about him.
Has there every been any positive news from Anambra that he supported. This is for those that take him seriously with his half baked analysis.

No the main reason I hate Obiano is that he was a corrupt son of a gun and wasted allocation of over 1 trillion in 8 years with little to show for it. That substandard airport, substandard flyovers says everything about Obiano.

I like excellence and if I see it I will clap. But I I don't see it I will criticise. I an not a paid agent like some of you hungry dogs who have nothing doing in life.

Chikeluba25:
You are free to formulate any figure you want, N15bn, o
N400bn, or even N2bn. It does not change the fact that Anambra has start receiving 13% oil derivative.

The 13% derivation is based on volume of oil produced. Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Delta and Bayelsa produce over 1 million barrels per day over 100x what Anambra produces. Indeed in 2020 of the 420b shared Abia which produces around 3x of Anambra received just 5b. So Anambra will be lucky to get more than 1-3b as derivation.

Obaseki, PDP Nat’l Chair Commission 700-Capacity Park Terminal In Benin
By THEWILL_ -March 11, 2022

March 11, (THEWILL) – The Edo State government on Thursday, commissioned the Benin Central Park Terminal, an ultra-modern 700-bus capacity facility, to bring a new lease of life to the city’s transport scene and ensure an efficient commute service in the metropolis..

The Commissioning of the facility, located at the Obakhavbaye axis of Ring Road, in Benin City, was led by the State governor, Godwin Obaseki and the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sen (Dr) Iyorchia Ayu.

The project is part of the government’s efforts to ensure an efficient transport service in the City centre.

Speaking to newsmen, Obaseki disclosed that three more ultra-modern bus terminals will be developed across different locations in the State.

According to the Governor, the government is systematically executing the newly-developed Edo transport master plan to improve the state’s transportation sector and ensure a modern, effective and efficient transport system.

He said, “We have undertaken a transportation study and decided to have several bus terminals, starting with the 700-capacity Benin Central Bus Terminal.

“We also have other projects in the transportation sector. We are building other bus terminals: One in Ehor, Uhunmwode Local Government Area (LGA), another is located at Aviale, in Etsako West LGA, while the other is being sited in Okpella, Etsako East LGA

“We also have challenges, which is why we hope and pray that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) produces the next president in 2023. A major artery that links the north with south, the Benin-Auchi Road, is now a death trap.”

“Apapa Port is congested and as part of our master plan, we are constructing and building a Benin City River Port. We have finished all the studies and are now raising the money to make Benin have the full complement of transportation services.”

PHOTO CAPTION

The newly commissioned 700-capacity Benin Central Bus Terminal, at Obakhavbaye axis of Ring Road, Benin City.

The idea was a good one but of course corruption is the order of the day in ANSG. Most cities have central bus parks which makes it more effective to maintain order and to collect taxes on tickets. The Soludo government should meet the terms of the agreement and build other central bus parks in Awka and Nnewi and ban buses from loading along expressways.

In Awka they need to move all buses away from the Unizik Junction axis towards Agu-Awka where there are larger land spaces. Buses can maintain their own parks but all passengers should go to central bus terminals to buy tickets and board.

abuzz33:
Court orders Anambra govt not to interfer in investor’s N500m Onitsha project
July 24, 2022
By Vincent Ujumadu, Awka

AN Anambra High Court sitting in Onitsha has ordered the state government to allow officials of Urban Transport Terminal Limited to operate the multi million naira motor park at the Upper Iweka area of the commercial city, pending the determination of a substantive suit on the matter.

The presiding judge, Justice Theophine Oguji, however fixed 25th October, 2022 for hearing the main suit.

Urban Transport Terminal Limited had sued the state government on the ground that it reneged on the agreement it signed with the company, arguing that following the action of the state government, financial institutions which guaranteed the N500 million loan invested in the project, had been on its neck, just as interest on the loan is accumulating.

Managing Director of the company, Chief Chuka Obiora in the suit no: 0/162/2021, demanded an interlocutory injunction restraining the state government and its agents from trespassing or occupying the terminal, pending the determination of the case.

Although the judge did not grant the interlocutory injucntion, he ordered both parties to maintain status quo ante bellum.

Giving the background to the case after the court sitting, Obiora said: “The company entered into Public, Private, Partnership (PPP) project with the Anambra State government to invest in the setting up of the ultramodern motor park at Upper Iweka in Onitsha and both formed a special purpose Vehicle (SPV) to drive the investment.

“The company, Urban Transport Terminal Limited, in the joint venture with government, registered the SPV with the Corporate Affairs Commission.

“The equity of Anambra State is 30% while that of UTT is 70%. Subsequently a terminal was developed at Upper Iweka and former Governor Willie Obiano inaugurated it.

“Essentially, the reason for the park was to decongest the Upper Iweka axis so that vehicles would no longer operate parks along the Head Bridge to Upper Iweka expressway. All commercial vehicles are to patronize the company to curb insecurity and give way to smooth traffic within the area. It was also meant to guarantee the government its revenue within that axis.

“The developer sourced for the funds and was to manage it, while the state government was expected to provide the necessary infrastructure to ensure smooth operation. Specifically, government was expected to force all commercial vehicles to make use of the motor park to decongest the area and ensure security of lives and property.

“Surprisingly, Anambra State government reneged in the agreement by failing to enforce vehicles to use the park. When the company saw that government officials were still allowing vehicles to operate along the express, it wrote about 80 letters intimating it of the ugly development.

“They wanted us to be remitting money to government when they had set up parks around our premises”.

According to Obiora , all the letters was responded to, adding that surprisingly, government officials chased away officials of the investor with a joint task force comprising the army, police and civil defence.

“Up till now, government is sorely operating in a park it did not invest any money, while the financial institutions that lent money to the investor are on its neck, with interest accumulating.

“Information reaching us is that government has sold all our property and dismantled the structures erected there in.

“It is unfortunate that government is enjoying proceeds from a property it did not invest any money and claiming that the property belongs to it.

“That is why we approached the court which has given an order directing the state government to maintain status quo ante belling. The governor, the attorney general of the state, SSG, Ministry of Transport, among others have all been served”.

An official of the state Ministry of Justice acknowledged the suit by the company, adding that government was studying it.

Court orders Anambra govt not to interfer in investor’s N500m Onitsha project
July 24, 2022
By Vincent Ujumadu, Awka

AN Anambra High Court sitting in Onitsha has ordered the state government to allow officials of Urban Transport Terminal Limited to operate the multi million naira motor park at the Upper Iweka area of the commercial city, pending the determination of a substantive suit on the matter.

The presiding judge, Justice Theophine Oguji, however fixed 25th October, 2022 for hearing the main suit.

Urban Transport Terminal Limited had sued the state government on the ground that it reneged on the agreement it signed with the company, arguing that following the action of the state government, financial institutions which guaranteed the N500 million loan invested in the project, had been on its neck, just as interest on the loan is accumulating.

Managing Director of the company, Chief Chuka Obiora in the suit no: 0/162/2021, demanded an interlocutory injunction restraining the state government and its agents from trespassing or occupying the terminal, pending the determination of the case.

Although the judge did not grant the interlocutory injucntion, he ordered both parties to maintain status quo ante bellum.

Giving the background to the case after the court sitting, Obiora said: “The company entered into Public, Private, Partnership (PPP) project with the Anambra State government to invest in the setting up of the ultramodern motor park at Upper Iweka in Onitsha and both formed a special purpose Vehicle (SPV) to drive the investment.

“The company, Urban Transport Terminal Limited, in the joint venture with government, registered the SPV with the Corporate Affairs Commission.

“The equity of Anambra State is 30% while that of UTT is 70%. Subsequently a terminal was developed at Upper Iweka and former Governor Willie Obiano inaugurated it.

“Essentially, the reason for the park was to decongest the Upper Iweka axis so that vehicles would no longer operate parks along the Head Bridge to Upper Iweka expressway. All commercial vehicles are to patronize the company to curb insecurity and give way to smooth traffic within the area. It was also meant to guarantee the government its revenue within that axis.

“The developer sourced for the funds and was to manage it, while the state government was expected to provide the necessary infrastructure to ensure smooth operation. Specifically, government was expected to force all commercial vehicles to make use of the motor park to decongest the area and ensure security of lives and property.

“Surprisingly, Anambra State government reneged in the agreement by failing to enforce vehicles to use the park. When the company saw that government officials were still allowing vehicles to operate along the express, it wrote about 80 letters intimating it of the ugly development.

“They wanted us to be remitting money to government when they had set up parks around our premises”.

According to Obiora , all the letters was responded to, adding that surprisingly, government officials chased away officials of the investor with a joint task force comprising the army, police and civil defence.

“Up till now, government is sorely operating in a park it did not invest any money, while the financial institutions that lent money to the investor are on its neck, with interest accumulating.

“Information reaching us is that government has sold all our property and dismantled the structures erected there in.

“It is unfortunate that government is enjoying proceeds from a property it did not invest any money and claiming that the property belongs to it.

“That is why we approached the court which has given an order directing the state government to maintain status quo ante belling. The governor, the attorney general of the state, SSG, Ministry of Transport, among others have all been served”.

An official of the state Ministry of Justice acknowledged the suit by the company, adding that government was studying it.

Omanambala:
You underestimate Soludo's intelligence. What makes you think Soludo who has succeeded everywhere would not succeed as a governor ? Relax.... follow my lead , bro and you will never get lost. Soludo will transform Anambra and you can take it to the bank.

Okenye adiro aka nka na egwu oma agba. This is a man who transformed Nigeria banking industry and saved our financial fumbles.

His first strike showed me he will survive....

What is the first thing you do before cooking? You clean your space/kitchen. Well , Soludo is cleaning Anambra and that's a strong indicator of a man who is organized!

Governance requires ability to work across fields with detailed planning. Soludo is an economist and a theoretical one. Policy design is his forte. He needs an administrator to bring his grand visions of Taiwan Dubai to fruition else he will fail.

This is why Lawyers, doctors and engineers generally make good governors. Because they are very detail oriented. Fashola, Wike, Sullivan Chime, Umahi belong to these professions and you see the difference in their states. They can execute effectively.

One thing that has helped Soludo is his willingness to listen to advice and change course. He made mistakes with security but then changed course and the problem of unknown gunmen is now being fought successfully.

In terms of roads which is a 2-3 year venture Soludo needs to push everything through RCC whose roads last. They are already on ground in the state so moving machine of personnel is not an issue and they are experts in soil stabilisation and drainage. They can subcontract to Paul b and the rest but the standards must be there for state roads to last 15 years as elsewhere.

In the meantime, they need to do the simpler things to reduce destruction of roads.

1. Move large markets like Eke Awka away from the center of towns to the sides of expressways since heavy trailers destroy state roads. The weight of a truck carrying 500 bags of 50kg rice is 25 tonnes. Most state roads are not designed for the carrying capacity of these trucks or trailers carrying drinks.

2. Establish weighbridge near headbridge and at Amansea and tax all those trailers carrying goods with proceeds to go into a road fund for maintenance.

3. Ask FGN to remove checkpoints at Amawbia and mopol base and amansea. The weight of a long line of standing vehicles is breaking down the expressway and old road.

4. Require buses to park where there is reinforced concrete pavements with proper drainage.

These are engineering basics.

Omanambala:
I am guessing you didn't see Obaze's article on Obiano....lol.

Remember Obaze was Obiano's chief of staff. The man is as knowledgeable as Peter Obi....great portfolio. He was gonna replace Obi but didn't have a voter's card which disqualified him. This was why Obiano was called.

Obaze was the reason Obi was successful. He gave his administration direction not just making promises up and down. Every government needs an administrator as chief of staff, every chief executive needs a COO. Obiano put crooks around him who specialised in contract fraud. The typical Nigerian politician.


For Soludo jury is out but he is already making mistakes because he lacks a competent administrator in his cabinet who can organise things step by step for the administration. His team generally are inexperienced aside the commissioner for finance and commissioner for commerce and industry. The education lady was a mistake and should have been replaced. The works commissioner is making mistakes.

He should be very careful of going for a loan when his primary motivation is doing things in a hurry without the benefit of proper planning. Clearly he wants to settle the APGA vultures and get them out as well as show people that he is doing something. But the danger is we sink into a deeper hole.

Soludo is not a detailed thinker and he should look for an administrator fast and not rush things.

Obiano – The Sandglass Metaphor, by Obaze
4 months ago

The sandglass is a befitting analogy for Gov. Willie Obiano’s eight years of governance of Anambra State.

By depiction, the sandglass is perceptibly colourful and efficient, yet a crude, coarse and fragile time-keeping instrument. Obiano’s government mimicked those traits. Despite Obiano’s governance disambiguation, and effective masking of frivolities with social media flourish, the only variable that mattered was time. In the fullness of time and by constitutional dictate, time ran out for Obiano. His sandglass came crashing, proving the transient nature of power and Plato’s contention that “The measure of a man is what he does with power.” Predictably, some trenchant apologists for Obiano’s government, whose unbridled tongues chanted “Willie is Working,” were among the first to chant “good riddance.”

I’m averse to gloating over another’s misfortunes. But on this particular issue, I was and remain an interested party. Anambra is my home state; and I’m invested in her well-being. I served and live I Anambra by choice. Undoubtedly, Obiano misruled Anambra. Terrible decisions were made, but he did so with the help of some enablers- APGA apparatchiks, some Anambra political elite, clergy, traditional rulers, sycophants, etc. As Obiano’s governance process unfolded, there were discernible movements without telling progress, as State resources were symmetrically siphoned from one spectrum to the other; from public to private coffers. Lamentably, when Anambra was being badly misgoverned those who should have spoken up, failed to speak truth to power or tell Gov. Obiano the inconvenient truth, lest they lose access to power or their munificent largess deriving therefrom.

These people obviously were not attuned to Martin Luther King’s admonishment that the, “Ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy.”

When I left the Obiano Government on 8 June, 2015, I knew that his 15-month old government was a derailing. The telltale signs were obvious.

Impeachable acts combined freely with grand larceny. In the latter part of 2016, I made public my intentions to challenge Obiano for the governorship. On 20th December 2016, Obiano through a Catholic priest close to him offered an interlocutor a mind-boggling sum to get me to stand down. The offer was rejected. My position: Anambra was not for sale; and certainly was not Obiano’s to sell.

* Obaze

Since I separated from the Anambra government in 2015, even though I live in Awka, I have entered the Governor’s Lodge only once, for a one-on-one meeting with Governor Obiano, at 11am on 17 January 2017. At that meeting, I told Gov. Obiano why I was challenging him. The reasons were threefold: First, to protect the Anambra North mandate, which he held in trust. Second, to impress on him, that honest assessments of his first term rated him very poorly. And third, to forewarn him that absent immediate remedial measures, he and his spouse would likely to end up in the EFCC dragnet. Gov. Obiano did not seem to understand the import of the visit.

After all, we were schoolmates and also friends. Neither did he grasp my felt obligation to rescue him and Anambra. He asked if there was still anything he could do to dissuade me from running. I said there was nothing. He then boasted that he will be re-elected, “even if it means emptying the Anambra Treasury.” I was shocked. However, I made him a promise: “I will not personally attack you during the campaign. Neither will my staff. Also, if you win re-election, I will not publicly comment on activities of your government for good or for bad.” On that note we parted company. He was re-elected. I kept my promise.

Ever since, till this day, the only other time we directly engaged each other, besides occasional perfunctory exchange of pleasantries at functions, was during the governorship debate on 17 November 2017. During that debate, when I said the Obiano government was the “most fiscally reckless” in Anambra State’s history, it was no hyperbole. Obiano inherited over N75 billion, earned N2 Trillion in revenue, but left Anambra State an estimated N400 million in cash reserve and N109 billion in debts, plus other contingent liabilities.

A leader is as good as his advisers. Simply, Obiano amassed a coterie of bad advisers – formal and informal. They had his ears; and the King’s ear is a powerful instrument. So he held incessant court and they pandered to his ego and proclivities. Several of his earliest advisers could not have passed rigorous security background checks, given their respective erstwhile roles in the financial sector. Some of his loyalists contrived paper contracts, projects and bogus certificates as conduits for fleecing Anambra State. The Local Government Joint Account was the most bastardized. Checks and balances were farfetched between and betwixt. But for an airport, conference centre and three flyovers, Obiano and his cohorts in eight years squandered Anambra State’s wealth and legacy.

They sold off the state’s fiscal and real estate assets and abandoned many projects.

The unprecedented fate that has befallen the Obianos since leaving office is saddening and calls for empathy. It was all avoidable. But most of Obiano’s kinsmen and minders would not think otherwise. Most knew little or nothing about good governance, and nepotism and groupthink mentality rendered them unresponsive to good governance tutelage or due process. Those who spoke truth to power became traducers – whilst liars, cheats and scofflaws held sway over policy, programmes and project decisions and willfully hijacked the State’s internally generated revenue and fiscal instruments. Under Obiano’s watch various communities were put asunder via meddlesome executive fiats. State security was achieved at extraordinary costs.

I don’t know if history will be kind to Gov. Obiano or as unkind as it has been to Gov. Chinwoke Mbadinuju. But I’m conscious that the enormity of fate that has befallen Anambra will unfurl slowly. While the visible, broken and decrepit infrastructures are evident; the moral and fiscal rut are more insidious. A popular Anambra State Catholic priest once asked me in a closed door meeting, why I always sounded angry when I spoke about Obiano’s government failings. I told him it was nothing personal, but that if he knew what I knew about Obiano’s degenerate governance modalities, he would also be justifiably angry. That collective anger is already manifesting.

I am as guilty as every other Anambra person who helped to elect Obiano governor. I voted for him in 2014, because like him, I am from Anambra North. But those who contributed to his 2017 re-election and thus sustained his shambolic governance should admit their role. While Obiano will inevitably bear the brunt of the criticisms for his government, he is not entirely responsible for all the governance mishaps. What he cannot escape is the vicarious and command responsibility for what happened on his watch. The upshot is that Obiano was an incidental leader thrown up by the vagaries of Anambra partisan politics. He was not ready for leadership, and his official and personal demeanors were fraught with leadership hubris. During his second term, the ceremony of innocence was drowned (apologies to Yates). That is passé. But as deep as the unfolding ironies are, so too are the deeply painful lessons learned, and missed opportunities.

Anambra has a new government. A successor is in place. Now, Anambra’s arrested development needs to be fixed. Her governance tasks will be doubly difficult, considering how badly broken Anambra is. We can only offer our collective prayers that those elected and appointed to officialdom in Anambra, will henceforth put Anambra’s interests above personal, sectarian, clan and other primordial interests.

investnow2013:
Point on the Loan Request;

Much of the progress needed in Anambra State cannot happen without solid infrastructural base, especially the transport system. How do you start addressing the huge infrastructure decay and demand by citizens without borrowing in the short term?

Already government is drastically reducing the cost of governance, instilling the culture of prudence and value-for-money; addressing insecurity head-on, digitizing the revenue collection system to increase coverage and reduce leakages (to increase internal revenue over time), recruiting thousands of teachers and doctors; embarking upon aggressive urban renewal; to implement massive youth empowerment etc.

In the short term, debt is required to break the “trap” but with every kobo of money borrowed devoted to infrastructure financing and bankable projects — and fully serviceable from the IGR flows.

The government is embarking upon a massive reform of the internal revenue system. What is actually needed is about N250 billion, but N100 billion in the first instance, and future borrowing (if needed) will be contingent upon internal revenue growth and debt sustainability analysis.

That’s the pathway to transformation and growth in the face of a literally empty treasury and Oil revenue down to zero with statutory allocation barely able to pay salaries. Attached is page 54 of Soludo's manifesto and his thoughts on funding options.

-- Mazi Ejimofor

They should probe and prosecute Obiano and his band of looters. How do you consistently have 50 billion year in and year out for 8 years and the only thing you have to show for it is awka flyovers cost 13 billion, icc cost 10 billion, airport cost 30 billion, oil rig bridge 5 billion, omambala bridge 15 billion. Where is the other 300 billion?

Obaze was right after all.