The catch phrase of the present administration in Anambra State is sustainability going by its principles, development plans, manifesto and project implementations. Sustainability is the king among pawns in a political economy whereby any environmental unfriendliness, bottlenecks, oz and hedges must give way, albeit, with communitarian principle and resettlement interventions.
Anambra people now understood why hitherto shanty settlements, make shift tents, illegal and unapproved shops on the right of ways must give to Anambra mega city, clean and open society worthy of tourist destination.
Sustainability is the principle of implementing policies and executing infrastructures that will be witnessed and appropriated by subsequent generations of unborn citizens who upon reflections would appreciate the legacy of their fathers. Go to Turkey and the rest of Europe, U.S. and UK you will see development structures and relics of over one thousand years ago functioning seamlessly to the satisfaction of the present generation.
Sustainability is the key principle of Professor Charles Chukwuna Soludo’s administration where by vestiges of underdevelopment must be replaced by sustainable infrastructures and open society values. The concepts of a ‘liveable homeland’ and ‘smart megacity,’ of Dubai model is to usher in a sustainable economic transformation, social advancement, good governance, value system, environmental sanity and bio- diversified ecosystem.
The government policies on Productivity, Trade and Commerce is an inclusive monetary and fiscal measures to propagate a home land of productivity for which Anambra state is historically known through the formalisation of the informal business sector, ensuring fair competition and sustainable growth. In the area of industry, the Soludo administration’s industrial contour has hit the ground running with supportive sustainable infrastructures for economic growth in line with the industrial master plan poised to stimulate a sustainable livable and industrial homeland and sustainable Emporium, a hub of commerce and trade reminiscent of the unprecedented classical Aba and Onitsha trade and investment civilisations. Industrialisations and road constructions are both a phenomenon and reality in the already entrenched landscape of Anambra formative mega city spread out to all the logical boundaries with other states in the federation.
In the area of health care, the drug market in Oba Town is being reconstructed for sustainable and inclusive social and economic growth with a state-of-the-art pharmaceutical manufacturing clusters in Anambra State.
Sustainable development in Agriculture is not only to create jobs and high GDP but also to create generational family wealth for every household. To realise this dream a staggering 1,100,000 hybrid coconut and palm seedlings have been distributed to over 100,000 households fostering neo agro-industrialisation, and nurturing a green economy and environmentally conscious state.
The germination of the seedlings will transform into coconut value chain yielding not only a harvest of coconut and palm oil but also liberating families from the vicious circle of hunger and poverty through trade and investment in Afro coconut industry with surplus for household needs, robust income, exports and foreign exchange earnings.
The fiscal policies of the government of Anambra State is all embracing and inclusive leveraging on a horizontal tax system for the benefit of all. Testifying to a just and productivity oriented sustainable fiscal governance, the Keke drivers association in the state launched a solidarity rally to inspect and show satisfaction with the ongoing road construction across the state as proof of accountability for their taxes. “The essence of this inspection today is for keke drivers to see what the governor is doing, where the tax they’re paying are deployed to…We praise the governor where he’s doing well and ask him to continue.
We also want more Keke drivers to come into government tax net, so that government will have more money to embark on more roads, said the coordinator of the forum, Mr Osita Obi. One of them, Amos Nweke said: “With what we have seen on ground, we are now strengthened to do more to pay our taxes,” However, tax reliefs exist to sustain essential sectors like ICT, agriculture, and initiatives like the “Ease of Doing Business” and promotion of small businesses. The government has sanitised revenue mobilisation system in the state, freed it from corruption and optimised the IGR to aid developmental projects.
The government is actively exploring public-private partnerships in the areas of Housing and Public transportation strategically zeroed to social housing and inclusive alleviation of poverty through urban and rural transportation for sustainable long-term solution. Hence, over 400 kilometers of roads, coupled with the construction of over five flyovers, have been awarded. In line with sustaining development goals, a railway master plan is in place, while contracts have been awarded for the modernisation of water transportation systems in riverine communities to foster inclusive growth.
The transformation of the popular Okpoko near Onitsha with asphalt laying on Obodoukwu Road and Ojoto Street and identification and removal of illegally constructed fencing obstructing pedestrian walkways as well as illegal trade and vendor shops highlight the sustainable foundation of development. All this is imperative without which provision of pipe- borne water, a general hospital and primary healthcare execution will be possible.
Top on the agenda of sustainable goals include strategic restructuring of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) with ombudsman Anti-Corruption Steering Committees within Civil Service..” These committees serve as vigilant guardians against unethical practices, acting as a robust line of defense to safeguard the integrity of public institutions.”
This will be leveraged upon to provide sustainable services in the areas of security, law and order, infrastructure, economic transformation, human capital development, education, healthcare and governance reforms, and the creation of a sustainable environment, transparency and productivity
Prof. Dukor is of Department of Philosophy, UNIZIK
