Anambra State new Governor, Charles Chukwuma Soludo, has hinted that the economy of the state is in “bad shape”.
Soludo, who revealed this during an interview on Arise News television, notes that from the audited account of the state ending December 31, 2021, there is about N300 million to N400 million cash in various banks and over N100 billion debt.
The Governor said, “In terms of finances, there is the detailed audited account which is a public document and anybody can assess it. The audited account up to 31st December 2021 has been published. It contains our assets and liabilities as of the end of the year.
“Everybody knows that the state finances are not robust. We have a debt of N100 and something billion and about 300 million cash. But we will still have reconciliation to make for the period between January and the day we were handed over. There is also contractor debt contingent liabilities. That is the baseline.
“We intend to be publishing our accounts for everybody to see and what our money is used for.”
Speaking of his predecessor, Chief Willie Obiano, Soludo lauded him, describing him as a man of his words.
He said: “We met in August, September, October and November of 2016 and I accepted his proposal for us to work together politically in 2017. Many people didn’t expect the partnership to work but it did after five years.
“For me, that is historic. It is easy for people to make promises and walk away, but Obiano didn’t.
“He loves Anambra; he loves his people and he did his best to the best of his ability. We are on continuity and we will continue from where he stopped. This is the APGA government and we will continue on the foundation he laid.
“Our job is to make amendments where he didn’t do quite well and continue the trajectory.
“I don’t expect him to pose any problems for us in terms of interference. He is not that kind of fellow who, after leaving office, would still want to impose himself and want to be the one calling the shots.
“So, I don’t envisage that kind of friction and I am eternally grateful to him.
“I saw somebody taking a video of him in the EFCC facility and that is not the way to go. If somebody is accused of something, it has to be investigated and not humiliate him. I’m happy he has been granted bail. If you say he did something, investigate it and not humiliate him”.
On the governance of the state he said, “I am rather intensely focused on what we want to deliver to the people every day.
“After the ceremony, I worked for nine hours and the following day I went to Okpoko. When we came back, I worked till 7 pm and on Sunday, we attended the church service after which we visited the Ekwulobia Correctional Centre and interacted with the inmates and inquired about their living conditions. On Monday, I was in the office from morning till night. There is work to be done and it is work, work, work.
“I applied to be the chief servant and I am here to work and not to be bothered about distractions.
“I first applied for the job 13 years ago and finally, the people have hired me and I am ready to work.
“In 2009 when I first applied for the job, I would say reluctantly because I was literally dragged to a contest. After going around the state campaigning and getting the feel of the people, it turned out from being a reluctant person to becoming a passion for me to work for the people. There are problems but they are not insurmountable.”
He also spoke on his decision to patronise locally made goods saying,
“That is the way to create jobs. The slip-on I’m wearing was made in Ogbunike. The next stage we want to go to is to encourage them and ensure that they are proud of their products by appropriately stamping them ‘Made in Anambra’. They should be proud of what they make by labelling them appropriately.
“Imagine where over 200 million Nigerians patronize locally made products. Since I started wearing the Akwete dress, the makers no longer meet the demand. We will help the women acquire technology to produce more.
“The Made in Anambra is an integral part of our administration. We will wear our clothes, wear our shoes and through that, create more jobs. So it is not a thing made temporary for the show, it is something we deeply believe in.”
Also speaking on the worrying insecurity in Anambra, Soludo said that discussions with stakeholders were ongoing, and explained how he immediately held a security meeting after swearing-in.
“The sit-at-home thing will definitely end and we are working with the stakeholders, including IPOB.
“We will engage everybody. It is the people’s power that will prevail at the end of the day. The poor innocent drivers, the market women, keke drivers and artisans, the vulcanizers are the ones suffering and that is why it has to end.
“Our people are usually the loser like the people who would have come to shop in Anambra now go somewhere else on Mondays. We are determined to ensure law and order in this state because, without peace, we can’t get anywhere,” he said.