Obiano counsels on commitment to inclusive development

Immediate past governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, has reiterated his unwavering commitment to inclusive development, revealing that under eight years, his administration successfully executed two different projects in each of the 21 local government areas of the state.

This landmark achievement is, he noted is an indication of his focus on even development, whereby no region or group in Anambra was left out in the transformation that characterised his regime.

In addition to the local council-centred projects, Obiano said his administration also initiated and completed one development project in each of the 179 communities across the state, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “All the projects were executed under the now-celebrated N20m Community-Choose-Your-Project initiative, which gave local communities the power to determine and drive development priorities tailored to their unique needs.”

“This project was not merely infrastructure; it was about providing our communities with a voice, empowering local leaders and building ownership of development,

“Every penny of that N20m circulates in each community. The labourers, engineers, supervisors and others were from the communities. The money for each community stayed in that particular community and go out. The money created a velocity of money. It would not have happened if the people (workers) were from other states,” Obiano said.

According to him, this made Anambra to be one per cent above line. In other words, the state did not go into recession, like other states, during the pandemic because of the velocity of money.

Interestingly, even in Obosi and Onitsha urban settlements, which boast clear urban and main locations, the government initiated two projects, one in Obosi Urban and the other in Obosi Main. There is also one each in Onitsha Urban and Onitsha Main, doubling the investment to N40m to match the size and development settlements need.

The projects ranged from street lighting and road upgrade to town halls, water supply systems, civic centres and health centres. They were all carefully selected by the residents.

Local leaders and observers, he noted, have continued to commend the initiative as a model of participatory governance and a benchmark for future governments in the state and beyond.

Obiano’s tenure is widely remembered for pioneering inclusive grassroots development, economic modernisation, and the transformation of Anambra’s physical and social infrastructure.