Governor Obiano’s One Hundred Days Of Action And Vision

The journey to the first one hundred days in office of any democratic government is universally regarded as a milestone and a great interval to pause and evaluate the level of progress made. The benchmark date is used to measure the progress, challenges and successes of the government in the implementation of its projects and programmes during the first one hundred days period, and sign-post the administration's plans for the future.

Since 1933 when the 32nd American President Franklin Roosevelt used the period to lay the foundations of his presidency, many astute and proven world leaders have seized the chance to reshape their government in line with their own agenda and vision. Just like the American statesman, the 4th democratically elected governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Maduabuchi Obiano has kindled the spirit of Ndi Anambra with his prompt and vigorous action-oriented approach to governance during the first 100 days.

Interestingly the 100-Days in office tradition has become entrenched hence the expectation that Governor Willie Obiano should present a scorecard of his activities and programmes within the period and give indication of the administration's policy thrust for the future.

However, opinions of political pundits and public policy analysts differ on whether a leader's performance in just one hundred days is enough to judge a particular administration. Little wonder William Lasser, warned that, 'success in the First 100 Days, however, has never meant a guarantee of success later. Nor have early difficulties necessarily doomed a presidency to failure or mediocrity. Like the early returns on election night, the First 100 Days will be the subject of great interest and speculation. But they should also be viewed with skepticism, prudence, and caution.'

But the case of Chief Obiano who marks the symbolic 100th- day in office as Governor of Anambra State on 24th June 2014 is unique; he practically hit the ground running since inauguration on 17thMarch this year with a flurry of activities in the first week from the Government House Awka to parts of the state. In fact, the Governor's emphatic take-off left keen observers, and scholars of government beating their chests that indeed Anambra is on the cusp of great things in the days and months ahead. To date, it is glaring that Governor Obiano never looked back such that his First 100-days in office are seen as a model of gubernatorial accomplishments.

Whereas some disquieting stories of the past had been buried by former Governor Peter Obi's Anambra Integrated Development Strategy (ANIDS), Governor Obiano has elevated development to new heights by expanding the frontiers of excellence and laying new fundamentals for accelerated growth across the 177 communities of Anambra State through the Four Pillars of Development which are; agriculture, oil and gas, trade and commerce and industrialization as outlined in the administration's strategic economic blueprint.

For a government driven by a vision to make Anambra State the 1st choice investment destination and the most preferred location to site new industries; a government on a mission to create a socially stable business-friendly environment that will attract both indigenes and foreigners to seek wealth creating opportunities in Anambra State. The priority attention to security and other enablers of economic development like roads, youth and sports, women, power, environment, health, education, housing etc is a clear demonstration to Ndi Anambra that the promise of continuity made by the Governor was never a mere electioneering campaign stunt but a well-thought strategy for sustainable development. Today, the Joint Security Task Force otherwise known as Operation NKpochapu, aided by modern communication equipment and operational gadgets has nabbed 77 Kidnappers in their dens in some parts of the state destroyed, not to mention armed robbers and other criminal elements who have taken flight to the delight of residents of major cities like Onitsha and environs.

In three months, Governor Obiano has flagged off the construction of 14 new roads across Anambra, totaling up to 167.494 kilometers across many communities whilst completing others previously under construction.

The education sector has seen the building of human capital to meet the challenges of the century. In partnership with Microsoft, ICT facilities have been deployed to 256 secondary schools while a train-the-trainers workshop on ICT is going with 52 ICT demonstrators in schools across the State. Infrastructures are being improved while partnerships with the church and donor agencies are being strengthened.

To institute a regime of agricultural transformation Obiano set-up a 14-man Committee headed by a Professor with clear mandate to produce a template for mass production of rice, maize, cassava, and fish in parts of the state. Today, a blueprint to spear-head the revolution is ready and large-scale agriculture has birthed with the likes of Coched Farms, Anaku leading the way in clear demonstration of public-private sector partnership. Modalities for land acquisition by government has been streamlined by another Committee thus avoiding unnecessary friction with communities over land, thereby encouraging interests by investors in the agric sector.

Trade and Commerce is on the verge of being redefined while a 10-Year industrial development plan is underway. The Oil and Gas sector now has the attention it deserves with a bridge across Umueje to enable access to the Orient Petroleum rigs while a cargo airport is planned to serve the Orient Refinery and facilities even as effort is ongoing to ensure that Anambra is listed as the 10th oil producing state in Nigeria. The fourth Pillar of Industrialization is promoting industrial clusters with major hubs in Nnewi, and Onitsha. All these efforts are geared towards creating and providing jobs for the teaming youths of Anambra state.

The Anambra environment is fast changing with operation keep Anambra clean discouraging indiscriminate disposal of wastes while tree planting is ongoing to beautify cities and check erosion. Meanwhile, Local Governments administration is not left out as the Obiano has put a local government staff pensions board in place and also paid the last tranche of arrears of pensions and gratuity owed to 644 pensioners totaling up to the sum of over N946 million.

There is no doubt that governance has a new meaning and a new face for Ndi Anambra within Governor Obiano's 100-Days in office and many have expressed delight with the current state of affairs. There are however some pessimists who worry if Obiano can sustain the momentum. To fence sitters, Obiano urges faith in the spirit of Anambra and the courage to take a stand by joining the rebuilding process wherever Ndi Anambra finds it convenient to contribute to the growth of the state. This explains why Governor Obiano did not gloat over his recent victory at the tribunal but chose to extend the hands of fellowship to his opponents and went further to hold a non-partisan Stakeholders dinner at the Government Lodge where he called for unity.

All told, it may just be one hundred days, but the race is a marathon which requires constant refreshing and support of well-meaning citizens. Thankfully, the enormity of the task ahead is not lost on His Excellency Governor Willie Obiano, and it has been one hundred days of accomplishments and he goes on working. Willie is indeed working!

Ozumba, Special Assistant, Media to the Governor of Anambra State writes from Awka.