Anambra Guber: I Will Execute Projects That Address Needs Of People—Ukachukwu
Mr Nicholas Ukachukwu, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Nov. 8 governorship election in Anambra has said the state needs urgent redemption from poor governance and retrogression.
Ukachukwu said this while speaking to journalists at the conclusion of his thank you tour of the 21 Local Government Area of the state in Awka on Wednesday.
Ukachukwu said Anambra was an entrepreneurial state known for industry and trade but regretted that the old glory had been lost to insecurity and governance without empathy.
He expressed concerns that some community leaders were warned by the government not to receive the APC team while they were coerced to attend activities of the ruling party or face sanction.
According to him, the local government system is not working, chairmen and councillors are now governor’s praise singers, traditional rulers cannot advise and criticise the government or they will be removed.
“1,630 delegates voted at the primary election and out of which I scored 1,455, that was remarkable, we have gone round to appreciate them and also set up our campaign councils at that level.
“The support for us is massive and organic, the acceptance is impressive, people came out on their own to welcome us.
“I saw people yearning for change, they were excited to touch me, I never cajoled anybody to come to me even though the government threatened civil servants and community leaders not to receive us,” he said.
Ukachukwu said the major lesson from the tour was that there was absence of governance at the grassroots as most projects of the incumbent governor did not address the needs of the people.
He said infrastructure and social amenities had collapsed, factories shutting down while businesses were moving to neighboring states due to insecurity.
We are a trading and manufacturing state, we must put in place things that would drive these things, we have gas in Anambra but no power to drive our factories.
“Growing up in Onitsha, I used to see people from every part of Nigeria and neighbouring countries emptying into Onitsha to buy goods but now, Anambra is now a shadow of our old self.
“We have lost our society to insecurity, we need to recover our state holistically because nothing is working, there will be change in Anambra.
“Our education system should be result oriented and problem solving oriented, I have 12 industries in Anambra but they are under lock and key because experts are afraid to come run it.
“One youth two skills is like Dubai-Taiwan promise, they are not real because Gov Chukwuma Soludo has not been a business man and does not have what it takes to make people rich
“Why should I celebrate Government House, which is for me and my family as my greatest achievement, we should celebrate top notch health infrastructure and smart schools.
“How does fun City affect the man in my village, even though it was built for city people with money meant for village people,” he said.
