NEW YEAR MESSAGE: ANAMBRA TO INTENSIFY FIGHT AGAINST POVERTY
The State intensify Government has initiated more measures to accelerate the fight against poverty. Governor Peter Obi who announced this in his new year message to people said government had commenced projects geared toward poverty alleviation through employment and creation of opportunities for the people.
According to Governor Obi, the projects including the on-going Onitsha Hotel and Convention Centre and the Onitsha Shopping Mall while work on the Hotel project at the Capital Territory as well as the Hotel project at Agulu Lake will soon start.
He explained that the various multi-national companies that have established their facilities in the State are also opening windows of employment for the teeming youths while discussion has been concluded with more companies to invest in the State.
Governor Obi said the on-going mass road reconstruction across the State has been scaled up to open up rural communities to give the people at the grassroots access to wealth creation and economic empowerment.
On Education, Governor Obi said government would sustain partnership with the Church in rebuilding collapsed school infrastructure as well as ensure that the Universal Basic Education remains free and compulsory while teachers would be trained and retrained to restore the glory of Education.
He assured that the on-going 30 building projects in different missionary hospitals will be completed and more projects initiated in collaboration with the Millennium Development Goals office and that the policy of offering regular financial support to selected hospitals in the State will be upheld.
The Governor said more equipment and facilities would be provided to the State new teaching hospital to make it a model in the country while General Hospitals will continue to receive special attention to make them all functional.
Governor Obi announced that Greater Onitsha Water Scheme is already receiving Special attention this fiscal year while work on on-going water projects will continue and effective take-off of completed ones will be ensured.
He made clear that government will commence immediate removal of all forms of shanties and illegal structure in Onitsha as well as enforce the ban on street trading urging those involved to cooperate with Government.
The Governor restated the resolve of his administration to conduct the Local Government Election as soon as possible and appealed to those who instituted one case or another to withdraw them in the interest of the State and democracy.
On security, Governor Obi disclosed that Government has ordered and paid for 300 security vehicles to be distributed to communities in the State and has concluded arrangement to offer direct support of paying salaries of chosen number of vigilante groups while support to all security agencies will be sustained by direct funding and provision of necessary equipment for their operations and recalled that presently government has provided over 350 vehicles to the security agencies.
He said in addition, the State government would buy the State-of-art tracking equipment for security agencies to assist in tackling the crime of kidnapping.
Governor Obi while thinking that people for the support urged to remain prayerful and patriotic and continue to cooperate with government to achieve its vision.