‘We have just started and I will say you have not seen anything yet.’
– Charles Soludo
For the records, let me begin by re-introducing Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo even though he does not require such an introduction. His is a first name recognition across Nigeria and the globe. Many children have been born and named after the great Nigerian economist and politician who has been serving as the Governor of Anambra State since March 2022. Born on July 28, 1960, Soludo is a renowned expert in macroeconomics and has worked with several international organisations, including the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Soludo’s academic background is impressive, with a First-Class Honours degree in Economics from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Nigeria. He has also held several academic positions, including Professor of Economics at the University of Nigeria. Before venturing into politics and becoming governor, Soludo served as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from 2004 to 2009. During his tenure, he implemented several reforms that helped to stabilize the Nigerian economy. Soludo’s leadership style is characterized by his emphasis on transparency, accountability, and good governance. He is known for his hands-on approach and his commitment to serving the people.
His road to the Government House Awka wasn’t rosy. It was a road pasted with thorns, betrayals, and disappointments. It was Alexander Pope who said that all manners of people, including fools, are allowed to contest in democracy. Despite his brightness and sterling academic, laurels, he was contested against and they got elected by the majority. But he never gave up on his dreams and aspirations to make Anambra great. I recall a chance meeting with him where after a series of disappointments, I gave unsolicited advice to him to try the Senate but his response was a vehement NO! He told me that his only interest in politics was to wield executive power to transform Anambra State, otherwise, he had no interest in politics. He got me there, and from then I followed him like a faithful disciple.
Has Soludo left Anambra less than he met it? The answer is a resounding No!!! He has performed resoundingly well. Soludo’s leadership style is characterized by his emphasis on transparency, accountability, and good governance. He is known for his hands-on approach and his commitment to serving the people.
As Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, marked three years in office on March 17, and the state is abuzz with excitement with promise made, kept and fulfilled, and an anticipation of more to connect all the dots that will transform Anambra from a transit state to a destination of choice. Despite the challenges that come with governance in Nigeria, Soludo has made significant strides in transforming Anambra State, leaving an indelible mark on its landscape that even the blind can see and bear witness to the on-going infrastructural revolution and urban regeneration.
Soludo’s promise to make Anambra the “Dubai-Taiwan of Africa” was met with scepticism by some, but the governor has been working tirelessly to turn this vision into a reality. While it’s true that Anambra is still far from achieving this lofty goal, Soludo’s efforts have not gone unnoticed. The march is on and its forward ever as we embark on the collective project to return him for a second term of four years.
One of the areas where Soludo has excelled is in infrastructure development. The governor has invested heavily in building top-quality roads, including the dualization of the Agulu-Ekwulobia Road and the construction of the Ekwulobia Flyover. These projects have improved the state’s aesthetics, opened up communities, and boosted agriculture. Communities that hitherto were never connected with roads can now boast of superhighways.
He insists on key performance indexes (KPIs) for every project, ensuring that the public sees and feels the value of their money. This approach has earned him praise from many, who see him as a governor who is truly committed to serving the people and doing his best for the state.
In addition to his infrastructure projects, Soludo has also made significant strides in the areas of healthcare and education. The state won the national health award. He has employed many teachers and equipped hospitals, instituted free antenatal care, and implemented policies that have improved Anambra citizens’ overall quality of life.
The governor has launched “Operation Udo Ga Achi,” a security initiative aimed at stemming the tide of violence and crime in the state. While this effort has shown promise, there is still much work to be done to ensure that Anambra is a safe and secure place for all its citizens. The goal of the new security initiative must be to route out all the criminal elements, bring them to justice, and ensure they never find a place to regroup within our state.
As Soludo looks to the future, he has announced plans to build a rail network that will connect Awka, Ekwulobia, Nnewi, and Onitsha. The master plan and feasibility study of the rail project have been completed. This project has the potential to revolutionize transportation in the state, making it easier and safer for people to move around. This will be the masterstroke that will etch his beloved name in crystal gold.
Most of the projects accomplished by the governor were achieved without borrowing from either the World Bank or any institution. The magic is prudent management of scarce resources by ensuring every kobo worked for the people and is accounted for. He is deliberate in making tough decisions by cutting spending, especially those stupid wastages that we can do without. Soludo insists that government money cannot be deployed into uses we ordinarily will not invest in if it is our money. For example, while he welcomes the idea of having Anambra print as on-going concern, he sees no reason why the print will not survive on its own without the taxpayer’s money. And there are many moribund government facilities like that littered all over the state with hundreds of staff who either don’t show up for work or do nothing to justify their wages.
Rather than retain these enterprises without accountabilities, he chose to do what ordinarily a good economist and businessman will do by investing the resources of the state on human capital resources and infrastructure that secures the future of the state rather enslave the future generation.
As we race into his second term which by all implication is our collective project as ndi Anambra, we want to see bigger, bolder visions. We want to see our GDP rebased, venture capital and a kind of sovereign wealth fund set up for the future. We may need a conglomerate floated to compete with the likes of Julius Berger and Transcorp that will give the IOCs a run for their money so that we can stop capital flight. Floating a mortgage refinancing and investment bank will not be out of place if we can get the right structure and talent for the management. In his second term, I want to see a vibrant agriculture revolution with a vibrant marketing board mopping the surplus produce for availability at discounted prices. Just like he has successfully built the city within the city through the new Government House, we can also build a vibrant economy and investment climate insulated from the shock of Nigeria’s economic misfortune. We can get the glittering chainsaw and cut off all the bureaucracies and red tape that has made goals of reforms difficult to attain.