According to The Guardian News, Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State has called upon the people of Anambra and the entire Igbo community to revisit their deeply valued cultural emphasis on hard work as the foundation for genuine wealth generation.
During a presentation of his three-year accomplishments as governor on Saturday in Lagos, Soludo emphasised that Anambra residents “must return to the fundamental principles of diligence, entrepreneurship, and integrity that have defined them” in order to reclaim what they have lost.
He highlighted that the people of Anambra and the broader Igbo population are renowned for their diligent and resilient business endeavours, which yield substantial wealth over time, contrasting sharply with the pursuit of quick wealth without meaningful effort.
Soludo stressed that Anambra cannot maintain its commercial dominance while succumbing to a new ideology that threatens its foundational values.
He referenced the Igbo entrepreneurship initiative that fosters business acumen and financial support, explaining that “this innovative business approach involves individuals willingly training their future competitors and subsequently empowering them with resources to establish the same businesses upon completion of their training.”
Regrettably, he noted that many of Anambra’s youth have strayed from this traditional model, opting instead for quick riches through cybercrime, colloquially known as yahoo yahoo, ritualistic wealth-seeking, and kidnappings for ransom, while individuals from other regions are capitalising on the once-thriving apprenticeship system.
In terms of economic management, he assured that under his administration, Anambra will effectively utilise its resources guided by a “doing more with less” philosophy while also positioning the state for future development.
He revealed that, over the past three years, the government has operated on merely 65% of the expenditures from 2013, having avoided any new borrowing since his tenure began. He also mentioned the ongoing efforts to reduce inherited debt.
Commenting on his decision to refuse a recent World Bank loan of approximately N44 billion, Soludo stated that the funds did not meet his two essential criteria for loan acceptance, “It must be concessional and designated for project financing.”
To enhance the attractiveness of Anambra, Soludo outlined notable projects his administration is pursuing, including the ambitious Sky Train initiative. However, he pointed out that its implementation requires the demolition of around 6,000 homes due to its impact on already developed areas. He further revealed that part of the master plan involves the official gazetting and dualisation of all Trunk ‘A’ roads, as “it is projected that this area will be home to approximately 38 million people within the next 50 years.”
He said, “The first bit of it linking the Onitsha-Nnewi-Ekwulobia-Awka axis costs about $1.4 billion. The comprehensive feasibility study is completed, and some funding arrangements are being looked into.”
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