The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Governor Peter Obi

  • We saved for the rainy day, says Obi

    We saved for the rainy day, says Obi

    ANAMBRA State Governor Peter Obi has said his administration was able to execute many projects without borrowing because the team planned well in addition to a sound saving culture.

    The governor said such painstaking prudence and saving for the rainy day helped to keep his administration afloat and not having to borrow or go to the bond market.

    He also said he liked laying the foundation of only projects which are never abandoned. He said this during the laying of the foundation for the second arm of the Onitsha Hotel Resort at the GRA, Onitsha. Both the first and the second arms of the hotel have reached 70% completion.

    Speaking further, the governor said that what gladdened his heart was the fact that he made planning the cornerstone of his administration and that through prudent and painstaking planning, he was able to do much in the state without borrowing a dime or raising a bond. He said that upon that, his government has been able to meet its financial obligations, ranging from paying debts that preceded his administration, liquidating arrears of pension owed workers since 1999 to the tune of N33billion, among others.

    Speaking on the so many projects he flagged off, the governor said that his government set aside the money for the completion of those projects and called on the people not to worry.

    “Even the recent recruitment exercise was adequately planned for. We are recruiting over 3,500 civil servants and teachers. In other not to encumber the incoming government, we have equally set aside their salaries for two years,” Obi said.

    The governor who described what will happen in the remaining two months of his government as a “tsunami”, said:  ”We shall do something unprecedented in the next two weeks. I do not want to let the cat out of the bag; watch out and see what will happen, including presentation of over 25,000 computers and generators to schools in the State  all of which we had taken delivery of.”

    In his earlier remarks, the Commissioner for Housing, Engr. Patrick Obi said that his Ministry had literary been kept awake trying to move as fast as the Governor. He said that the first arm of the Hotel project would have been completed but for delays occasioned by the need to expand the hotel to 150 rooms to meet the specifications of foreigners already in agreement with the Government to  manage the Hotel and the one also being built at Agulu Lake.

    In her own remarks, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Project monitoring, Mrs Chinelo Ofoche  said that while her counterparts in other States were idle for want of projects to monitor, that covering the entire gamut of Governor Obi’s projects was quite herculean.

    The governor also inspected the on-going Shoprite Shopping Mall within the same expansive compound and expressed satisfaction with the speed and quality of work. He also thanked the contractor that dualised the road to the complex for a job well done

    Asabe Ahmed has been a Special Adviser on Investment and Housing to Niger State Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu.

    A graduate of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria where she read Public Administration, she hails from Bida in Bida Local Government Area of Niger State. She is a daughter of Professor Jonathan Ndagi, the first Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Minna.

    She worked with KPPC-NNPC as Administration and Strategic Planning Officer after a stint with the Niger State Ministry of Education

  • Obi submits N140b budget proposal

    Obi submits N140b budget proposal

    Anambra State Governor Peter Obi yesterday presented a budget of N140 billon for the 2014 fiscal year, as against N110.955 billion this year.

    The budget is an increase of 26.18 per cent over that of 2013.

    This is the first time in his eight-year tenure that Obi has presented a budget early.

    At the budget presentation yesterday, Obi said N100.29 billion was for Capital Expenditure and N39.71 billion for Recurrent Expenditure.

    The governor added that an estimated N100.29 billion was expected from capital receipts next year, an increase of 41.35 per cent over the N70.96 billion for 2013.

    He said the government’s emphasis would be on poverty reduction. The economic sector was allocated 42.82 per cent of the total capital budget.

    The Speaker, Ms Chinwe Nwaebili, assured that the House will give the Bill accelerated hearing.

  • Ngige describes APGA govt as financial waste

    The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Chris Ngige, has described the Governor Peter Obi administration as financially reckless.

    In a statement yesterday in Awka by his Media and Publicity Committee member, Mr. Tony Icheku, Ngige said the All Progressives Grand Alliance’s (APGA’s) call for him to resign from the Senate was the cry of a drowning man.

    “The beauty of democracy will manifest on November 16 as I see Ndi Anambra casting away the yoke of Obi’s eight years of the locust by rejecting his godson, Willie Obiano, because Obi’s eight years are an ordeal of plunder and mismanagement of resources.”

    Ngige alleged that the Federal Government paid Governor Obi N12.8 billion for federal roads, which he rehabilitated before he left office.

    But he said the money was squandered, instead of being spent on other federal roads in the state.

    “Despite a monthly budget of over N500 million security vote, Obi has been unable to secure life and property.

    “For eight years, he has refused to conduct council election and ‘cornered’ the allocations due to the 21 councils.

    “Anambra indigenes demand explanation how their money was spent, as there is nothing on ground to show any investment in the socio-economic infrastructure.”

  • Obi launches Ozubulu-Atani road

    Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State yesterday launched the N9 Billion Ozubulu-Atani road project to the admiration and jubilation of the people of Ekwusigo Local Government and Ogbaru Local Government.

    Obi, while launching the road, informed that the three major bridges on the road, replacing the old ones built by the colonialists and the 30 culverts started in November of 2012 are all 90 percent completed.

    Obi, who inspected the three bridges of about 40 meters each before the launch of the road, expressed happiness at the pace and progress of work and said the same speed with which the bridges were built would apply to the building of the roads.

    He commended the contractor handling the three bridges and 30 culverts, Engr Tony Madi, for doing a good job even as Madi assured he would deliver the job as scheduled and thanked Obi for awarding him the contract.

    Obi’s words: “For the roads to be completed within a record time, we have engaged three tested contractors. While one is doing the bridges and culverts, one will start the actual road from Ozubulu end which we are commissioning today, while the remaining contractor will soon start from Atani end of the road.”

  • 60 Anambra royal fathers in trouble over visit to Ifeanyi Ubah

    60 Anambra royal fathers in trouble over visit to Ifeanyi Ubah

    •Be good ambassadors, Obi tells traditional rulers

    Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State yesterday charged traditional rulers to be good ambassadors of the state.

    He charged them to avoid making speeches, taking actions and attending occasions that may put their character in question.

    He was speaking while declaring open a seminar for traditional rulers in the state at their secretariat near the Government House, Awka.

    Coming shortly after one of the governorship hopefuls in the state, Dr. Ifeanyi Uba, played host to some of the traditional rulers in Lagos, insiders said the governor was making reference to the alleged visit, which he allegedly disapproved.

    Obi had told the royal fathers that by the virtue of their positions as the custodians of the culture of the people and the primus inter pares (first among equals) among their subjects, the people look up to them for inspiration, guidance and direction.

    Obi, who, however, said he was not against traditional rulers attending social functions, said they should always try to inform the Special Adviser on Chieftaincy Matters or him whenever they are travelling out of the state. His words: “Today, I cannot travel out of Nigeria without informing the President. If anything happens to me, the President should know my whereabouts. Likewise, it is not good for you to travel out of the state without informing me.

    “In spite of their stature and prominence, traditional rulers such as Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe and the Igwe of Ikelionwu, Igwe Peter Ezenwa of Oba, Prof. Chukwuemeka Ike, still inform me whenever they travel out of the state. If anything, which we pray against, happens, they will ask me as the governor about you,” Obi said, adding: “Before me, Anambra had cases of traditional rulers that did not agree with the government of the day being removed, but under me, nothing like that has happened and will not happen. All I ask of you is for us all to work together in the interest of peace and development of Anambra State,” Obi said.

    As a mark of the good relationship with the traditional institution and to elevate their pride among their people, Obi added that the government would soon provide SUVs to all of them at no cost, at all.

    Inside sources however, told The Nation that the visit of some of the royal fathers to Uba in Lagos is already the cause of quarrel between them and Obi.

    The sources alleged that trouble started when some traditional rulers reported to Obi that the royal fathers who visited Ifeanyi Uba in Lagos came home with 3,000 Dollars each.

    They were there to attend the marriage ceremony of Miss Vivian Uju, younger sister of Uba. The traditional rulers, about 60 in number, as well as President-Generals and other professional bodies, attended the wedding at Catholic Church of the Assumption, Falomo, Ikoyi, Lagos, on Saturday, April 20.

    But sources alleged that Obi was not happy with the manner the royal fathers left Anambra State for Lagos and allegedly directed the chairman of the Anambra State Council of Traditional Rulers and the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe, to find out from his colleagues who embarked on the trip the rationale behind such journeys. They also alleged that the royal fathers have been advised to return the money given to them by their host in Lagos.

    Close aides to the governor, however, denied this claim, explaining that the governor never asked any royal father to refund any money. “He only advised them to inform him whenever they want to travel out of the state.”

    Reacting to the allegation, however, the traditional ruler of Igbariam community in Anambra East, Igwe Kelly Nzekwe, currently in India for medical check-up, said the state government was getting involved in what he described as an “unhealthy politics,” which would not stand the test of time.

    “The state government, through the Obi of Onitsha, who is our chairman, threatened to sanction us for attending wedding in Lagos. Anyway, I am not scared of their threat. But let me tell them that Obi of Onitsha equally went for a wedding in Lagos not long ago. Has he also returned the money he collected from there?

    “We also visited Prof Dora Akunyili, why didn’t they threaten to sanction us. What the government is doing is very wrong. The media should help the traditional rulers; this is an unhealthy politics being played by the state government. We only went for a wedding and we were given money for cola-nut, which is customary. Peter did not give us money; it was Uba that gave us money, why must we return it to the council?

    “This is a clear case of intimidation and we don’t like it, my colleagues have reported to me. We were accused of collecting stolen money. This is not how to play politics,” the traditional ruler said.

    As at press time, Igwe Achebe could not be reached for his reaction as his phone was not picked.

    Meanwhile, the trouble may have extended to the State House of Assembly as about 26 lawmakers, who were also allegedly hosted at the Golden Tulip Hotel Lagos by Uba, were alleged to have held a crucial meeting with him aimed at impeaching Obi to make way for Uba’s emergence.

    Though the rumour all over the state is that they discussed impeachment of Gov. Peter Obi, an insider said that nothing of such was discussed, adding that Uba only told them that he would contest the next gubernatorial election in the state. He earlier took them round his facilities in Lagos and declared that he makes more money in a month than Anambra’s monthly allocation.

    But Hon Idu Emeka, representing Onitsha North and House Committee Chairman on Works confirmed that 24 House members were in Lagos on the invitation of Chief Uba but said it was not about governorship of Anambra in 2014 or issues relating to it.

    Speaking on the development, Chief Anthony Okeke, a well-known community leader, said there was nothing wrong with attending Uba’s younger sister’s wedding. He, however, condemned the aspect of secret meetings and any move to subvert the government of Peter Obi.