The chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra State, Chief Basil Ejidike, has said that the outgoing Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, has failed in the last seven years to deliver democracy dividend to the people of the State.
Speaking through his Media Adviser, High Chief Dan Okeke, in a statement made available to newsmen in Awka, the Anambra State capital, the chairman said Obiano has failed to provide basic infrastructure to the state.
He accused Governor Obiano of not deploying Local Government funds accruing to the State in the development of the State.
The Media Adviser said in the last seven years the roads in the State have degenerated to the extent that they have become impassable.
He mentioned some strategic roads in the State which are the life wire of economic activities in the State such as the Niger Street leading to Main Market, 33- Otuocha, Bida Road, Zik Avenue, New Market Road, Oguta Road, Obodoukwu Road, Edeh Road in Okpoko , Creek Road and Orlu Road all in fegge, among others as the roads that are in deplorable condition which Obiano has bluntly refused to give face lift.
In Awka, he said, the State capital, Nnewi, Ekwulobia, other cities and Local Governments are worst hit by the poor performance of the Governor as the roads and other infrastructure are in deplorable state .
Onitsha which is the cash cow of the State, he said, is neglected .
High Chief Okeke lamented that the road leading to Main Market from Bridgehead, which is the State’s ” oil well” is almost cut into two with tricycle operators increasing transport fare by 200 percent.
He said Awka as a capital city has been abandoned, lamenting that it does not befit capital city compared with even other state capitals in the South East like Abakiliki in Ebonyi state.
High Chief Okeke said even the so called Obiano bridges in Aroma , Quartta, and Amawbia junctions are said to be cracking and collapsing even when articulated vehicles were not allowed to ply the bridges,
Chief Okeke said under Obiano hoodlums took over Anambra cities in the name of generating revenues for the State.
“Under the watch of this Governor these hoodlums killed many innocent citizens as a result of their bringadage due to Government policy of unleashing thugs on the members of the public to extort money from people at all cost in the name of revenue agents.
“This has affected economic activities in the state as traders have since abandoned coming to Onitsha” he said.
He said that due to poor network of roads and long arrears of salary owed traffic wardens inspite of the peanuts they are paid traffic gridlock has become the order of the day in both Onitsha and Awka.
He called anti–graft agencies such as EFCC and ICPC to beam their searchlight on Anambra State to investigate finances of Local Governments in the State as well as allocation accruing to the State.
He said this has become imperative because the people of the State don’t feel the impact of Local Government fund, stressing that Onitsha South alone gets as much as N200 million a month, while Aguata collects about N250m per month as well as other Local Governments in the State but there is nothing to reflect in these Local Governments to show for these huge allocations.
High Chief Okeke said: These and other numerous reasons are why Anambrarians should vote a leader who can reconnect them to the centre by voting Senator Andy Uba who has what it takes to change the face of governance in the State”. High Chief Okeke advised.
