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Tag: Obiano

  • Obiano refutes resignation rumour, says ‘I will remain in APGA’

    Obiano refutes resignation rumour, says ‘I will remain in APGA’

    Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State has denied rumours making the rounds in the social media that he has dumped the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA for a yet to be named political party, describing it as falsehood.

    This was contained in a press release early Friday morning, debunking report that an all-night meeting held by the 21 local government area chairmen at his instance had ended with an advice for him to exit APGA following the order of mandamus issued by an Enugu High court sacking Chief Victor Oye for Chief Martin Agbaso as national chairman of the party.

    The release which was signed by Prince Oliver Okpala, the governor’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Strategic Communications said there was no truth in the rumour, ascribing it to the opposition, who he said were eager to distract the governor from the good work he is doing in the state.

    Okpala said, “I hereby state for proper public enlightenment and information that Governor Willie Obiano remains a strong card carrying member of APGA and also still remains the chairman of the Party’s Board of Trustees and Leader of the Party .”

    He continued that the governor has never contemplated dumping APGA for any other party, and still stands on his unshakable desire and commitment of seeking re-election as Governor under the platform of his party, APGA.

    He said, “This present rumour circulating is no doubt the hand work of the opposition who have no genuine political programme or economic agenda for Ndi Anambra State. This rumour is sailing only in the figment of the imagination of the opposition.

    “Governor Obiano as a true party man has been working in consonance and solid implementation of APGA agenda and political manifesto and will not relent as his good works for Ndi Anambra has helped his name to be written in golden letters, awaiting inclusion also in the World Guinness Book of Records.”

  • May Day: Don’t expect any increase in salaries, Obiano tells workers

    Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State has told workers in the state not to expect any increase in salaries for now.

    This was contained in his May Day address to workers in the state.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the governor spoke barely 24 hours after the leadership of the organised labour in the state had endorsed the governor for a second term for his commitment in workers’ welfare.

    The workers also conferred on him “The Most Labour-friendly Governor” in the state since 1999.

    The governor had in his address told the workers, “I won’t promise you what I cannot do.”

    He reminded them that his administration had increased their salaries by 15 per cent in 2015.

    His address read in part, “I wish to restate my earlier promise that I will increase your salaries once I see a significant growth in my Internally Generated Revenue; once we are able to push it to N2.3bn per month. Now we have an average IGR of about N1.4bn.

    “So, all hands must be on deck to achieve this target and create new economic elbow room for ourselves and our families.

    “I must commend you for coping with the harsh challenges caused by the current recession. I salute your resilience in the midst of a contracting economy.”

  • Obiano inaugurates $2bn international cargo airport

    Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State has inaugurated an airport city project worth over two billion dollars (N800bn) at Ifite-Umueri in Anambra East Local Government Area of the state.

    Inaugurating the project on Tuesday, Obiano said it was an important step in expanding the frontiers of excellence in the state.

    He disclosed that the project was a public private partnership investment by the state government, Orient Petroleum Resources Limited and Sinoking Enterprises Investments Ltd. of China.

    “It would accommodate an airport with two runways, an aviation fuel dump, an airport hotel, an industrial business park, an international convention centre as well as a facility for aircraft maintenance.

    “The project sits on 1,500 hectares of land with enough elbowroom for expansion from Ivite-Umueri to neighbouring communities such as Nando, Umunya, Otuocha, Aguleri, Nteje, Nsugbe and beyond.

    “It was facilitated by Elite International Investment Holdings Ltd.,” the governor disclosed.

    According to him, under the contractual agreement, Sinoking Enterprises Investment Ltd will contribute 75 per cent of the total cost, Orient Petroleum Resources Ltd will contribute 20 per cent while the state government will contribute 5 per cent.

    He said the host community of Umueri would be entitled to 3 per cent of the profit from the project in perpetuity as a part of the standard corporate social responsibility.

    “Indeed, the economic benefits of the Umueri Airport City Project are enormous.

    “It is expected to generate 1,200 direct and 3600 indirect jobs and we expect the people of the state to grab 70 per cent of the jobs in continuation of our efforts to create wealth and prosperity for our people.

    “It will also provide an opportunity for training and skills transfer to our people,” the governor stressed.

    Obiano expressed optimism that the project would ease business and wipe out the difficulties businessmen and women in the area often encounter in exporting and importing goods and services.

    He said the project and the subsequent plan for a light rail project, would place the state in the rightful place as a major commercial and industrial hub in the West African sub-region.

    The governor stressed that his administration was intensely focused on building projects that would give immense economic values.

    He said his administration had attracted investments valued over 7.2 billion dollars and had placed the state on the agricultural map of the world through the exportation of farm produce.

    Mrs Huang Zhi Hni, Chairman, Sinoking Investments Ltd., China, expressed delight to be part of the project which according to her, will transform the country and the state economically.

    Hni, who assured that the project would strengthen the bilateral relations between the country and China, would be completed within the time frame of completion.

    The President-General of Umueri, Mr Pius Okonkwo, while commending the decision to site the project in the area, assured the governor of the people’s cooperation to realise its success.

    In their separate speeches, the Chairman, Orient Petroleum Resources, Chief Emeka Anyaoku and Igwe Cyril Enweze, Chairman, Anambra Investment Promotion and Protection Agency (ANSIPPA) stressed the importance of the project.

    Anyaoku, who said the project represented a historic event in the South-East, noted that it would boost the entrepreneurship spirit of the people of the zone.

    He commended Obiano’s determination to create environment conducive for businesses to thrive, stressing that it had opened economic possibilities in the state.

    On his part, Enweze said the project would improve the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and encourage healthy economic competitiveness in the state.

     

  • Obiano does not need APC to win Anambra governorship election – Oye

    The National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Dr Victor Oye, says the party has a strong hold on Anambra to win any election.

    He also said that no APGA member needs to leave it for another party before winning an election in Anambra.

    Oye, who spoke with the newsmen in Awka on Wednesday, was dispelling the rumour that Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra was decamping from APGA to APC.

    The APGA chieftain said that Obiano’s achievement in terms of socio-economic development would give him the ticket during election for second term.

    The governorship election would be held in Anambra, which is the only APGA-ruling state, in November.

    “It is a deliberate campaign by the detractors of Governor Willie Obiano to smear his integrity and pit him against our party and also use it (to) scatter his supporters and confuse them.

    “I wish to state here unequivocally that Gov. Willie Obiano has never expressed any intention to join the APC.

    “He doesn’t need APC to win election; he has performed and APGA is the reigning party here. I want to state it here that no party can beat APGA in Anambra state, in any election.

     

    NAN

  • My achievement in Imo surpasses that of Obiano – Okorocha

    My achievement in Imo surpasses that of Obiano – Okorocha

    …says comparing him to Obinao is like comparing Messi of FC Barca with a left wing player of Mbieri Secondary School.

    Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has said his Anambra State counterpart, Willie Obiano is way below him in terms of achievements in government.

    Okorocha noted that comparing him Obiano achievement wise in administration was like comparing the legendary Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona with just a left wing player of Mbieri Secondary School.

    Okorocha therefore challenged newsmen in the South-East to make a comparison of governance and infrastructural development in Imo and Anambra States to confirm his assertion.

    His statement was against the background of Obiano’s denial of the claim by the Imo State governor that three of the four other South-East governors were planning to join the All Progressives Congress, APC.

    Okorocha, while reacting to Obiano’s denial, through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, in Owerri warned the Anambra governor to stop the use of motor park languages and start behaving like ‘His Excellency.’

    “That kind of motor park language was unexpected from a governor of a state who answers His Excellency, even when the Anambra governor did not explain what he meant by that. In what way was Governor Okorocha not an example of what a leader should be?

    “Governor Okorocha’s claim was a healthy one, expected to provoke sound debates, which is the beauty of democracy.

    “Governors with ideas and the right exposure gave their polite reactions, but the one without ideas (Obiano) took to insults. Only men with nothing to offer in terms of ideas take delight in insulting others. Men of ideas do not insult others.

    “Leadership is all about ideas and service. Luckily enough, Obiano has been governor for almost four years while Okorocha has also been governor for five years now. Let Obiano publish his achievements in Anambra State even with high IGR, and let Governor Okorocha also publish his achievements in Imo. Then, we take off from there.

    “As governor, Owelle Okorocha came up with ideas and popular policies like free education at all levels which has been working well in Imo, Community Government Councils (CGC), urban renewal programme, Ikuola Nkwu, Imo Air, massive road networks, building of universities, infrastructural revolution, and so many others. Let Governor Obiano mention at least one programme his government in Anambra State is known for, almost four years as governor.

    “We may at this point, challenge journalists from the South-East to embark on project tours of Imo and Anambra and make their findings known to the public. Obiano, no doubt, has taken Anambra State several kilometres backward, while in Imo, Okorocha has raised the bar of leadership or governance.

    “To say the least, comparing Okorocha with Obiano is like comparing Messi of Barcelona FC with the left wing player of Mbieri Secondary in Mbaitolu LGA of Imo State.”

  • Don’t send drug peddlers to jail, kill them on the spot – Obiano

    Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State has said it was necessary to implement immediate death sentence on any drug peddler caught so as to serve as deterrent to others who aspire to go down the illicit way in future.

    He noted that it was a waste of time sending them to jail since the peddlers have refuse to desist from the illegal act.

    The Governor made this known in his speech during the presentation ceremony of ISO/IEC 17025:2005 accreditation certificate to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, South-East zonal Laboratory at Agulu, Anambra State by the United States Pharmacopeia Convention.

    The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Dr. Nkem Okeke, said the state was making efforts to partner the Federal Government to check the influx of fake drugs into the Onitsha Bridgehead market.

    He said, “It’s the worst criminal act to humanity.

    “Fake drug is the worst crime anybody can commit. There is no need jailing such people; they should be killed.

    “To prevent the people of the state from falling prey to fake drug sellers, a health insurance scheme has being put in place to treat the people.”

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that 32 countries impose capital punishment for offences involving narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

     

  • Gov. Obiano promises to construct 111 roads in 90 days

    Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra has said that 111roads have been earmarked for construction in the dry season.

    Obiano, who disclosed this on Saturday in Awka, said the roads were in areas with prospects for the realisation of agriculture, commerce and industrial vision.

    He said that the roads would cut across the three Senatorial districts of the state.

    “It would be done to standard due to the anticipated heavy duty trucks conveying products to and from the project sites,’’ the governor said.

    He described the year 2016 as a year of breakthrough for the state.

    According to him, the state government would intensify efforts to ensure that the economy of the state remain viable to alleviate the impact of the present economic recession on the people.

    Obiano said he had initiated short-term policies to guarantee the state’s continued march toward greater achievements.

    “This government is more focused on building strong institutions for a viable model for subsequent administrations to consolidate on,’’ the governor said.

    “I am committed to seeing through my social contract with the people,’’ he said.

  • Obiano invites Super Falcons for Anambra’s 25th anniversary celebration

    Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra has invited the Super Falcons to be guests of the state government during activities marking the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the state.

    The state’s Commissioner for Information and Communication Strategy, Tony Nnachetta, disclosed this in a statement in Awka on Monday.

    “The governor said Anambra would host the team in Awka to further demonstrate the feeling of elation of the good people of the state regarding the victory.

    “He said the invitation would also exhibit the honour which the team had brought to Nigerians, even in these times of economic hardship,’’ Nnachetta said.

    Obiano, who assured the Super Falcons of his administration’s support, congratulated the team for winning the 10th edition of the Women’s African Cup of Nations (AWCON) held in Cameroon.

    The senior national women football team on Saturday defeated their Cameroonian counterparts 1-0 in the final match of the competition in Yaounde.

    The governor praised the players and their coaching crew for the bravery displayed in humbling the Cameroonian team at the Ahmadu Ahidjo Stadium.

    “This was in spite of the numerous distractions and the vociferous support of the home fans for their opponents,’’ he said.

    Obiano also congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and all other Nigerians for their invaluable support and encouragement to the team.

    “Their support contributed to the victory of the African women football champions.

    “With the spirit of oneness which Nigerians always show during such competitions, there is no doubt that the country is marked for greatness.’’

    The governor described the team’s victory as “yet another demonstration of the tactical discipline, focus and determination the team showed throughout the competition’s qualifying series, as is characteristic of every Nigerian team’’.

    “On behalf of Ndi Anambra, I heartily congratulate you on this great feat.

    “Winning the Women’s African Cup of Nations for a record eighth time out of the 10 editions is obviously no mean achievement.

    “It is indicative of the courage, resilience and winning mentality which you have shown in the last two decades, not only in the African continent but also in the world at large.

    “We are proud of you and are happy to identify with this superlative performance.’’