Soludo Moves to Tighten Security, Declares State of Emergency on Infrastructure

By Izunna Okafor, Awka

The Executive Governor of
The Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo has restated his administration's resolve to improve the security situation in the state.

Governor Soludo disclosed this on Wednesday during a Town Hall Meeting with the leaders of various of various communities in the state. The meeting, which held at the Women Development Centre in Awka, the state's capital attracted both the women leaders, youth leaders, traditional rulers and the President-Generals of all the communities in the state, as well as the members of the State's Executive Council.

Addressing the participants, the governor visibly frowned at the increasing rate of insecurity in the state and admonished the people to report anyone with questionable character living among them, adding that the people causing pain live within the communities.

While noting that his administration is not sleeping over the killings going on in the state, he further called for assistance from youths of various communities on intelligence gathering, assuring them that their identity would be treated with utmost confidentiality.

According to him, his administration is working on re-organising the local vigilante for intelligence gathering and tackling the culture of silence, thereby, giving more impetus to community participation.

He said: “Traditional rulers and president generals must take charge of their communities. You must re-examine and revamp your local vigilante to forestall further breakdown of law and order.

“Culture of silence must stop. I’m sure you know the hoodlums and you must expose them on time before they strike. We must resurrect community participation and mobilize youths to take back our societies.”

The governor also declared a state of emergency on infrastructure across the state, and assured the people that he would make the state an industrialisation hub.

While emphasizing that the state government is pressing ahead with the vision of making Anambra the most secure and prosperous commercial centre in Nigeria; he revealed that his administration is committed to programmes, policies and projects targeted at socio-economic development, creation of job opportunities, prosperity and the sustenance of hope in the hearts and lives of Ndị Anambra

Hé further announced the recruitment of more teachers and health workers to make up for manpower deficit in the public schools and hospitals, and also promised to increase the N20m community choose your project initiative of the immediate past administration to N25m, to boost and further augment development in the rural communities.