Let’s Make Anambra GreatDr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah

www.ifeanyiubahgovernor.com

For Governor of Anambra State

Why I Want to serve as Governor

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Why I Want to serve as GovernorMy action Plan

By Dr. PatrICK IFeanyI UBah (Ebubechukwu-Uzo)

1. ensuring security of Lives and Property........7-8• Preventing, Detecting, and Fighting Crime• Use Of Technology To Fight Crime• Administration of Justice

2. reforming education and Providing opportunities for youths........9-13

• Education and Human Capital Development• Sports and Youth Development

3. Creating a strong economy........14-19• Job Creation and Employment• Anambra Business Development Agency• Airport, Seaport, and Cargo Village Development• Industrialisation, Creation of Wealth, and Revenue Generation• Market Development and Commerce• Culture and Tourism• Anambra Youth Empowerment Agency• Empowering Women

4. revitalising agriculture and Protecting the environment........19-21

• Agriculture and Food Sufficiency• Erosion Control

5. Providing World-Class healthcare........22-23• Healthcare System and Health Insurance

6. Developing Public Infrastructure........24-29• Energy Generation and Power Supply• Oil and Gas Development• Development of Anambra State Capital, Awka• Water Supply and Reticulation• Housing and Urban Development• Waste Management and Environmental Beautification• Roads• Transportation

7. reforming Government and ensuring transparency and accountability........30-32

• Civil Service Reform• Transparency, Accountability, and Probity• Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters• Print and Electronic Media• Persons With Disability

8. engaging anambrarians in the Diaspora........33

the Man, Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah........35-38

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Contents

Let’s Make Anambra Great As I seek your mandate to govern our beloved state, I look up to God, who I place first in everything I do, and recall from Psalm 127.1 that unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labour in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand and watch in vain.

I therefore place my aspiration to serve our people and our great state in the hand of Almighty God. I am positive that He has plans to prosper us and give us a future filled with His love, peace and assurance.

Our great state, Anambra, is at a historic point, where we need business acumen and strategic leadership skills to transform it for the benefit of the maximum number of its citizens.

By His grace, I have a proven record of investments and a capacity to create wealth and employment. I believe this makes me ideally suited to tackle the challenges facing our state, as the next Governor. In practical terms, I have also created thousands of jobs and empowered thousands of Anambra indi-genes, mostly youths.

I sincerely believe that my leadership will make Anambra a better place, burst-ing with economic opportunities, peace, and security. I believe that there will be a guaranteed future of bright opportunities for our children and generations unborn.

My vision is bigger than my fears; my actions are louder than my words; and my word is my bond.

I am confident that despite the challenging times we have gone through, the trials and tribulations, there are brighter days ahead. We have forgiven and we should also be forgiven for any misunderstandings, conflicts, or shortcomings.

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I draw strength from God almighty and inspiration from the giants of history and the heroes of our time. I have no god-father but have Father God, the almighty!

Our beloved state has a rich background of success in many fields of human endeavour. Our people have greatly excelled in politics, commerce and industry, academia, economic development, and religion—just to mention a few.

Our state, Anambra, has produced such notable figures as:

Dr. Nnamdi AzikiweDim Emeka Odumegwu OjukwuDr. Alex EkwuemeProf. Chinua AchebeChief Emeka AnyaokuSir Louis Odumegwu OjukwuDr. Nwafor OrizuAjie Ukpabi AsikaDr. Chuba OkadigboEdwin Ume-EzeokeAgunwa AnaekweCardinal Francis ArinzeBlessed Michael Iwene TansiSir Louis MbanefoBishop L.M. UzodikeCol. Robert AkonobiMr. Peter ObiDr. Chukwuemeka EzeifeDr. Chinwoke MbadinujuDr. Chris NgigeDame Virgy EtiabaProf. Kenneth Onwuka DikeDr. Pius OkigboProf. Chike ObiChief Jerome UdojiHRM Alfred N. Achebe Philip EmeagwaliEze Obidiegwu Onyesoh Igwe Kenneth Orizu IIIIgwe Prof. Chukwuemeka IkeIgwe M.N. UgochukwuChief Cyprian EkwensiSir Emeka OfforKingsley Moghalu

Lt-Gen. Chikadibia Obiakor Dr. Olisa Agbakoba Dr. Cosmas MadukaUgo NsoforJustice Ifeyinwa NzeakorBishop Alexander IbezimChief Anayo NwanduChief Peter UyanwaJustice O.J. OkekePaul EnidomSir Joe NwankwuChief (Dr.) Chidi AnyaegbuArchbishop M. AnikwenwaJustice ObidigweD.A. NwanduVen. Obioma OnwuzurumbaChief (Dr.) Eugene OjukwuSir Emma Bishop OkonkwoIgwe Peter AnukwuIgwe Nkelly KellyMrs. Uju IfejikaChief (Dr.) Morocco MadukaOliver de CoqueSir. Walter EkedumJustice E.C UbaezuonuDr. Emeka EzeSir Chika OkaforChief Simon OkekeCosmas OkoliIgwe P.C. EzenwaSen. Ben ObiSen. Ikechukwu ObioraSen. Mike AjegboSen. Joy EmordiChief Mike Nwakalo Igwe IdigoChief Patrick ChidolueDr. Raymond ObieriJustice Uzo Ndukwe-AnyanwuChief Poly EmenikeJustice Nnaemeka OnwuamaegbuOsita ChidokaEmeka Sibeudu

Charles Odunukwe Sylvester Okonkwo HRH Gibson NwosuHon. Fort DikeSam OkekeLady Uzoamaka NwizuChief Okpala (Power Mike)Chief Gabriel ChukwumaDr. Innocent ChukwumaChief (Dr.) Vincent ObianodoIyom Josephine AnenihSen. Marjorie OkadigboHon. Eucharia AzodoHon. Lynda Chuba-IkpeazuAgartha Mbamali SANHon. Uche EkwunifeChief Austin NdigweDr. Virginia AnohuNicholas UkachukwuSen. Annie OkonkwoFabian NworaHon. Chuchu OnyemaDr. Obinna UzorPrincess Stella OduahBishop Gideon Nweke OtubeluArchbishop J.A. OnyemelukweArchbishop Albert ObiefunaBishop Hillary OkekeMrs. Stella Chinyelu OkoliProf. Gordian EzekweChief Olisa MetuhNkwo NnabuchiMrs. Ebele OkekeDr. Oby EzekwesiliCharles OdunukweMr. Celestine EzeaniChuka UmunnaChief Nwabueze OhazulikeMr. Leonard OgbonniaChief Anthony UghagwuDr. Mike Ezeaju Mr. Collins ChikelubaChief (Mrs.) E.U. Onwuagha

Chief Chika Okpala (Zebrudaya) Chief Mike UmehChief Oranu Chris ChidumeChief Tony NwoyeChief Tony Iju NwabunikeNnaeto OrazulikeGen. Odunukwe Nnaeto OrazulikeAbado OnyekaGodwin EzenoNobert MbaegbuLouis Carter OnwugbenuChief Dennis OkaforEugene Anachebe Sir Joe ObijiakuDr. Obinna UzohIzundu Unachukwu Hon. Chudi OfodileHon. C.I.D. MaduabumChief Mike EmerahPeter EdochieChimamanda Ngozi AdichiePeter & Paul Okoye (P-Square)Chinedu Okoli (Flavour)Innocent EgbunikeSylvanus OkpalaEmma Okala Mary Onyali-OmagbemiMikel ObiVictor AnichebeVictor Obinna NsoforOsi UmenyioraEmeka OkaforBrian OrakpoI wish to make a special mention of my mentor, a captain of industry and champion of entrepreneurship, Mr. Cletus Ibeto (the Chairman of Ibeto Group.)

These illustrious Ndi-Anambra are among the greatest Nigerians of all time. anyi nwelu nmadu. nmadu ka anambra jiri ka ndi ozo.

Ms. Oby Nwankwo Tony MadichieChief Willie ObianoF. Chidozie OgbaluChief Stephen Osita OsadebePrince Arthur EzeSir Clement AkpamgboHRH Igwe Dr. Walter EzeJustice Peter UmeadiProf. Humphrey NwosuProf. Ben NwabuezeChief Dozie IkedifeJustice Ngozi UmehProf. A.B.C. NwosuChief Augustine IlodibeProf. Dora AkunyiliProf. Chukwuma SoludoDr. Nnodu OkongwuChief Victor UmehDr. Ernest Azudialu-ObiejesiDr. A.B.C. OrjiakorSir G.U. OkekeArchbishop Valerian OkekePastor Lazarus MuokaJustice Regina NwodoBishop P.C. EzeokaforRt. Revd Prof. G.I.N. OkpalaBishop Owen NwokoloChief Dan UlasiDr. Nnamdi OzobiaJustice Chinwe IyizobaChief Anthony EnukemeMaj-Gen. Sam MomahGen. Emeka Onwuamaegbu

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My aCtIon PLan

I PLeDGe to:

ensUre security of lives and property, so that our citizens are safe and our businesses can thrive;

reForM education and training, to empower Anambra youths with the skills and opportunities to achieve their dreams;

LeaD an economic revolution, which harnesses the drive and entrepreneurial spirit of our people;

revItaLIse agriculture and protect our natural environment;

ProvIDe world-class healthcare, ending the current inequality in healthcare access and emergency deaths;

DeveLoP public infrastructure, including an airport, an inland terminal, reliable power supply, and potable water;

reForM the government to ensure transparency and accountability in all sectors; and

enGaGe Anambrarians in the diaspora to invest and take part in the growth of the state.

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Anambrarians are tired of receiving vague promises from politicians, only to have them broken once they are elected into office. If elected, I pledge to act as an instrument for our desired change and progress. That is why I put be-fore you, in detail, my action plan to build a better future for all our people.

Scan this QR code with your phone to receive a digital copy of this manifesto

or share it with your friends.

Some wonder why I chose to run for Governor. I believe that successful business-men and women can make great leaders; one such icon is Nelson Rockefeller, former Governor of New York. As Governor, Rockefeller vastly increased the state’s role in education, environmental pro-tection, transportation, hous-ing, healthcare, welfare, and the arts. I am in the race to do the same for Anambra.

I am inspired by the tenacity, selflessness, and statesman-ship of the legendary Nelson Mandela, who put the public good above self.

I am also inspired by the transformative actions of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of U.A.E. and Ruler of Dubai. In his instructive words: “Most people talk, we do things! they plan, we achieve!! they hesitate, we move ahead!!! We are living proof that when human beings have the courage and commitment to transform a dream into reality, there is nothing that can stop them.” Those words reflect the philosophy behind my business achieve-ment and drive my quest to make Anambra great, again.

ndi be anyi: I aM reaDy to LeaD anaMBra to a BrIGhter FUtUre!

Successive administrations have neither fulfilled nor un-derstood their missions as custodians of the public in-terest. There is less emphasis on human beings as the centre of governance. They have neither enhanced the human capital development of our people nor have they utilised our abundant human talents to uplift our dear state.

Our schools are not only in a sorry state, infrastructure-wise, but they also lack the requisite number and quality of person-

nel to teach our children. Public infrastructures are dilapidat-ed. Our youths are largely unemployed and some unemploy-able. Insecurity reigns supreme in many parts of our state.

The spirit of socio-economic development is dying be-cause many of our people are migrating to safer states, and some are afraid to come home or show that they can afford to assist in the development of our state. Many are afraid of patronizing businesses in the state for fear of being kidnapped or robbed. Such is the danger posed by insecurity, which mainly manifests in the form of kidnapping and armed robbery in our dear state.

anambra needs a Governor who will reposition and transform the state and make it a place of excellence in all spheres of life. We need a Governor who will lift the living conditions of the common people of Anambra State. We do not need a Governor, who as a result of his or her lack of contentment, would abuse the resources of our state. We cannot afford to make such a mistake.

We need a Governor whose primary reason for running for the governorship seat of the state is to make our state a secure place for human development. We need a Governor who will not only ensure the safety of lives and property, but will also make life meaningful for our people so that every person can realise and maximise his or her potential. We need a Governor that will match words with action, for without action; words will surely be a ploy to deceive our people. Our people have been deceived long enough. They need action, now.

If elected into office, I will run a government of progressive action: ‘ana ekwu ekwu, ana eme eme’

It is in recognition of the enormous challenges fac-ing Anambra State today and the grave implications for our future generations, that I, Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah (ebubechukwu-Uzo), humbly present myself before God and the people of anambra state for election to the position of Governor.

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In order to ensure the security of lives and property in anambra, I will:

• enhanCe the ability of law enforcement agencies and our local communities to prevent, detect, and fight crime;

• MaKe It easIer for our citizens to report crime;

• aPPLy technology to improve the reporting and detection of crime and track criminal offenders;

• taCKLe the root causes of insecurity;

• enhanCe neighbourhood security; and

• IMProve the administration of criminal justice.

1. ensUrInG seCUrIty oF LIves anD ProPerty Use oF teChnoLoGy to FIGht CrIMeIn fighting crime, technology will play a major role, especially in the areas of gathering intelligence, reporting crimes, detection of crimes, and tracking of criminals. We will partner with the relevant agencies and telecommunications operators to set up hotlines to enable our people to report crimes and volunteer information to aid the investigation. The technology-driven security arrangement will network all communi-ties in Anambra in order to deter and prevent criminal elements from making our dear state a haven for their illegal activities. Working with law enforcement agen-cies, we will develop a crime database to track report-ed crimes and criminal offenders in Anambra State.

We will also build a forensics laboratory to improve the ability of the police to investigate crimes. The deploy-ment of surveillance cameras in strategic places and black spots in the State will be vigorously pursued.

We will implement a comprehensive plan to tackle the root causes of insecurity. reliance on force alone will not stem the tide of insecurity in anambra state. We will focus on preventative measures in order to stop crimes from being committed, rather than waiting to detect crimes and apprehend the offenders after the fact. We will implement job and training programs to take youths off the streets and keep them meaningfully engaged.

We will involve the citizenry in neighbourhood security, which shall broaden intelligence-gathering capabilities and also help to curb crimes.

We will deploy helicopters and high-tech surveillance equipment for police use in the monitoring of our bor-ders for criminal activities.

“security vote” shall be applied judiciously for the purpose for which it is meant: ‘provision of security.’

Support to the police and other security agencies shall be a matter of top-most priority in our administration.

aDMInIstratIon oF JUstICeAll the talk about tackling insecurity will not amount to much if we do not improve the administration of criminal justice.

We will support financial autonomy for the judiciary.

We will improve the administration of justice by ensur-ing that our laws are amended to meet international best practices in regard to reducing or eliminating delays and technicalities in the administration of justice and en-suring that our courts dispense even-handed justice.

The salaries and allowances of judicial officers and other members of the judiciary (magistrates, Customary Court members, and judicial staff) will be enhanced to insulate them from corruption and misconduct. Under my watch, the state government will no longer turn a blind eye to corruption and abuses of power.

We will review and optimise the Anambra State Security Trust Fund. Among other mechanisms, I will engage the Organised Private Sector and other donors to raise mon-ey to combat insecurity. This way, the substantial cost of putting in place a robust security infrastructure can be executed without putting undue strain on the State’s resources.

With the proper security infrastructure in place, we will ensure that businesses not only receive patronage in the day-time, but also at night. Nightlife must be restored.

For too long, insecurity has prevented our beloved state from realising its potential. If by the grace of Almighty God I am elected Governor, I will not rest until all Anam-brarians are able to flourish and succeed in a safe and secure environment.

PreventInG, DeteCtInG anD FIGhtInG CrIMe With respect to protecting the lives and property of the citizenry, successive governments in Anambra State have fallen short our people’s expectations.

We will tackle insecurity in anambra state by enhancing the ability of law enforcement agencies and our local communities to prevent, detect, and fight crime. To this end, we will ceaselessly tackle kidnapping, armed robbery, and brigandage, which are presently ravaging our dear state. We will put into place measures that make law enforcement and crime detection much more result-oriented, ensuring that the police and the judicial system are dealing effectively with criminal offenders.We will put into place measures that will make it easier for our citizens to report crime, as well as a response mechanism for the law enforcement agencies to respond to such reports, track criminals, and investigate crimes.

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2. reForMInG eDUCatIon anD ProvIDInG oPPortUnItIes For yoUths

In order to reform our system of education and provide opportunities for anambra youths, I will:

• Invest substantially in the education sector and provide world-class infrastructure for our schools;

• ensUre that no Anambrarian is prevented from acquiring education as a result of their inability to pay school fees;

• enD the many years of non-employment of new teachers;

• estaBLIsh special technical schools in order to build the capacity of our people to thrive in an increasingly technology-driven world;

• aDeQUateLy fund our tertiary institutions and ensure that their courses are accredited;

• aDoPt Igbo language as the second official language of the State and promote the teaching of Igbo language and culture in our schools;

• revIeW the Teacher’s Salary Scale (TSS) to improve the morale and productivity of teachers;

• ensUre that all funds from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), due to Anambra State are prudently utilised;

• reInvIGorate Anambra’s illustrious sporting history by investing in facilities and encouraging the development of sports at the grass-roots; and

• DeveLoP a robust youth re-orientation programme to emphasise hard work, patriotism, self-reliance, entrepreneurship, and a sense of value.

We shall develop and implement an education policy that prepares our people for self-reliance and self-sustainability. We will invest heavily in the education sector and provide first-rate infrastructure in our schools. We will also enact measures to ensure that our education system achieves the societal and personal objectives that it is designed to attain. Also, we will put into place the tools for measuring their effectiveness.

There are many issues to be addressed with regard to our system of education, including school size, class size, school choice, tracking students’ and teachers’ performance, teacher education and certification, teach-ers’ wages, teaching methods, curricular content, gradu-ation requirements, school infrastructure investment, and the values that schools are expected to uphold and model. We will not shy away from tackling these impor-tant issues and we will ensure that parents have a voice in the process.

We will ensure that “no child is left behind” in the quest to ensure a greater literacy level for our children. We will not tolerate inequality in our educational system. We will provide financial support and scholarships to our citizens to ensure that no anambrarian is prevented from acquir-ing education as a result of the inability to pay for his/her education.

We shall take on the responsibility of rebuilding and modernising all primary and secondary schools in the state. Our public schools will receive priority attention to be able to train first-rate students. Public schools will be equipped with functional scientific laboratories, comput-ers, playgrounds, well-stocked libraries, and adequatepower supply.

We will ensure that our public schools are as qualita-tive, competitive, and result-oriented as the private schools. There has been a mass exodus of students from public schools, as a result of their continuing fail-ure to produce students who rank among the best in na-tional competitive examinations. The improvement we shall bring about in public schools will put a stop to this.

Our public schools are not enough to cater to all the educational needs of our people. We will therefore also support private schools as they complement the work of the government in providing quality education to our people. Through reasonable regulation, we will improve the quality of education that students receive in public schools and private schools. We will also encourage private schools and reduce or waive the exorbitant levies imposed on them.

By ensuring that public schools are adequately fund-ed, we will ensure that we can recruit enough highly-qualified teachers to meet the needs of our students. Currently, vacancies are being created without any serious replacement. Available statistics show that a great number of teachers in our public schools have retired in the last five years without any serious steps being taken by the government to replace them. This failure has, therefore, created a huge deficiency of teachers. Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) now recruit and pay a substantial number of ad-hoc teachers made up mainly of retired teachers. The PTAs are filling in this gap because the state government has shirked its responsibility. This is not without its problems. Due to this, we now have a situ-ation where these ad-hoc teachers recruited by the PTAs owe allegiance to the PTAs and sometimes refuse to subject themselves to control by the school authorities.

eDUCatIon anD hUMan CaPItaL DeveLoPMent

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It is, therefore, not surprising that the students who are fleeing to private schools are gradually taking over the students in public schools, as many parents do not have confidence in the ability of public schools to properly train their children and prepare them for a career in life. In fact, it appears that it is only the parents who cannot afford the steep fees charged by private schools who still keep their children in public schools. This is indeed an alarming trend, which will do our society no good. We are all products of public schools. We should not allow this trend to contin-ue, as it portrays the public schools as being incapable of producing the best and the brightest.

Being the son of teachers, I pledge that, under my watch, the anambra government will live up to its responsibility to ensure that there are enough well-paid teachers to educate our youths. I will make the welfare and timely remuneration of teachers among my highest priorities.they will always have a listening ear in my administration.

We will employ an adequate number of teachers for various subjects, especially in the sciences, technical edu-cation, and Igbo language and heritage.

All of our schools, including some of those hand-ed over to the churches, are inadequate for the train-ing of our children in the technologically changing world of today. The missions have been under intense financial pressure in trying to rebuild and restore the badly run and dilapidated schools handed over to them by the government. They have been playing a balancing act be-tween increasing school fees and ensuring that they run affordable schools that will produce students that can fa-vourably compete in the technology-driven world of to-day. It must not only be their responsibility to shoulder this huge burden, but that of stakeholders as well. My govern-ment will urgently come to their aid and support all schools.

We will ensure that the schools’ infrastructural and equip-ment needs are met and their requirements are adequate-ly funded.

We will depart from the current governmental policy of always publicly handing cheques to schools and other institutions without considering their particular needs. This practice, carried out with impunity, makes a mock-ery of the budgetary process and due process of law.

the situation in our state, where a Governor person-ally hands cheques to people, business associates, fed-erally funded agencies, and assorted political and so-cial organisations, raises questions about the use of the scarce resources of the good people of anambra state.

Presently there are fears that the Igbo language may become extinct as many of our people no longer speak it. We will adopt Igbo language as the second official language of the state and promote the teaching of Igbo language and culture in our schools.

We shall emphasise special technical education in spe-cial technical schools set up for that purpose across the state. The schools will focus on the building of the ca-pacity of our people who are desirous of acquiring tech-nical know-how to help them set up various businesses and professions. These semi-formal schools will be run by experts in fully-residential settings so that students can achieve proficiency in a maximum of one year. The schools will train people in basic information technology, masonry, interior decorating, painting, furniture-making, brick-laying, fashion designing, cosmetology, tailoring, catering, hospitality and tourism, hair dressing, tiling, car-pentry, and other specialisations. These schools will cer-tify these craftsmen to provide junior, lower, and mid-level manpower to support the economic engine of the state. We will target and train at least 500 (five hundred) stu-dents per annum in each of the 21 LGAs.

We shall oversee, support, and strengthen the state’s range of workforce development, skills training, self-reliance, knowledge about wealth creation and adult education.

This will allow our people to secure well-paid jobs in sec-tors in which they are continually losing ground to work-men from Ghana, Togo, Benin, and other countries, who are currently preferred for such jobs because of their per-ceived proficiency.

As a businessman and investor, I know that through this measure we will produce and certify proficient craftsmen and artisans. Also, we will eliminate the abuses associat-ed with the present apprenticeship system in our society.

The alarming increase in the number of collapsed build-ings with the attendant fatalities is well known, so the measure will eliminate quackery and poor job delivery.

To instil discipline, we must also revive the old boarding schools system of running secondary schools and also provide teachers’ quarters within primary and secondary school premises. The Inspectorate Division of the Minis-try of Education will be strengthened to enforce discipline amongst teachers and students.

We will review the teacher’s salary scale (tss) to improve the morale and productivity of teachers, while ensuring the prompt payment of salaries and allowances of teaching staff. The employment of more qualified teach-ers for all levels of education is imperative to reduce the teacher/student ratio, thus providing students with higher educational impact. My administration shall encourage the awarding of scholarships and payment of bursaries to our deserving students in tertiary institutions. We need to review the school curricula in a bid to turn our graduates into employers of labour and creators of wealth—not just job seekers.

our government will ensure that all funds from the Univer-sal Basic education Commission (UBeC) due to anam-bra state under the Universal Basic education (UBe) are prudently utilized. It is on record that Anambra State is one of the few states in this country that are not utilising funds due to them under UBE. We will provide the coun-terpart fund for infrastructural development, manpower training, instructional, and other relevant needs to make UBE work effectively and become a reality.

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sPorts anD yoUth DeveLoPMent

Many illustrious sons and daughters have brought honour to our state. This has, unfortunately, been on the decline because the state has paid little atten-tion to sports and youth development. We shall therefore stem this tide and work to reinvigorate anambra’s illustrious sporting history by investing in facili-ties and encouraging the development of sports at the grass-roots.

We will complete the building of the abandoned stadium in Awka and expand it into a games village comprising of administrative buildings, training and ac-commodation facilities, pitches for football, basketball, volley ball, swimming pools, and a sports health clinic. Primary and secondary school sports compe-titions shall be re-invigorated. Field and track events will be developed, while the facilities for their development will also be put into place. We will build func-tional football fields with stands in each of the 21 Local Government Areas of the State to encourage the development of sports at the local level.

We will also establish a football club for the State, which will play in the Premier League.

We will develop a youth re-orientation programme to emphasise hard work, patriotism, self-reliance, honesty, and a new sense of value. The re-orientation will also prepare the youths for crime-free life and productivity. We will devise ways of putting these youths to good use by employing them and ensuring that the gifted amongst them are sent for on-the-job training in Nigeria and abroad in emerging economies. Indigent youths who are interested in going to schools will be given scholarships. We will also help youths to start-up businesses or access credit through our Business Development agency.

3. CreatInG a stronG eConoMy

In order to create a strong economy in which all anambrarians have the opportunity to prosper, I will:

• Create an economic and infrastructural revolution in Anambra State, leading to increased employment, trade, and growth;

• transForM Anambra into an industrial hub of Africa;

• taCKLe security issues by providing jobs to the teeming unemployed youths;

• Create at least 40,000 jobs in both public and private sectors every year;

• estaBLIsh a state level Business Development Agency to provide support to businesses and help them access credit facilities and expertise;

• BUILD a world-class airport, seaport, and cargo village;

• taP into and utilise our people’s strong-minded spirit of enterprise, industry, commerce, and community;

• enter into Public Private Partnerships (PPP) with both foreign and local investors to achieve economic growth objectives;

• Partner with Local Councils as well as investors to assist the development of markets;

• IMProve coastal trading through the construction of jetties;

• ProMote culture and tourism as a means to create jobs;

• Create the Anambra Youth Empowerment Agency; and

• eMPoWer women, both socio-economically and politically.

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JoB CreatIon anD eMPLoyMentIn order to create jobs for our people, the state govern-ment under my watch will support industries that tap into the productive capabilities of our people and provide large-scale support to cottage industries and businesses.

We have a master plan that will create at least forty thou-sand (40,000) jobs in both the public and private sectors every year. Our economic revolution will create the en-abling environment for private businesses to flourish. Our massive infrastructural investments will keep our people meaningfully engaged.

anaMBra BUsIness DeveLoPMent aGenCyAnambra has some of the best and brightest profession-als and gifted persons in Nigeria, who have found it dif-ficult to get a befitting job because of Nigeria’s peculiar politics, which does not often emphasise merit. The quota system in employment and the preponderance of socio-economic god-fathers have ensured that these great sons and daughters of Anambra have been either suppressed or kept out in their respective fields. Many of these our people have been victims of discrimination, victimisation, or politics. Some who wish to start up businesses have

found it difficult to access funds. We shall come to their aid. We shall ensure that the state provides them an op-portunity, which the retrogressive politics of Nigeria has deprived them of.

They shall be an integral part and major stakeholders in championing the economic revolution and quest for self-reliance and self-sufficiency that we shall enthrone. They will form part of the new face of Anambra within and out-side the country. The state will tap into their knowledge and experience in opening the state to a much wider au-dience in the world economic scene.

We will set up the anambra Business Development agency to provide advisory, financial, logistical, and busi-ness support to new and ailing businesses, tapping into the strength of our people. the agency will also help package the businesses and enhance access to local and international credit facilities and expertise. It will create worldwide branding of anambra, as nigeria’s number one business destination.

It will have a database of professionals and qualified persons, from which business owners and government agencies can draw talent.

The Agency will also provide support to patent holders, manufacturers, manufacturers’ representatives, and fran-chisees, to set up businesses in Anambra and employ Anambrarians. All of these efforts will be geared towards jump-starting and galvanising our declining productivity and enterprise for which our people are known.

aIrPort, seaPort anD CarGo vILLaGe DeveLoPMent

Ndi-Anambra and indeed Ndi-Igbo are major travellers and highly mobile, business-oriented people. We also re-ceive many Nigerians and foreigners who come to Anam-bra State to transact business. This is hardly surprising, as the biggest market in West Africa is in Onitsha; and the most thriving vehicle assembly plant in Nigeria (INNO-SON), as well as the biggest motor and motorcycle spare parts market in Nigeria, are in Nnewi.

As we seek to reposition and industrialise the state, we will embark on valuable Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) fo-cused on tourism development, manufacturing, the explo-ration of mineral resources, and expansion of infrastruc-ture. Therefore, we must prepare for the large number of investors and tourists expected in the State. The building of an airport will no doubt improve the ease of movement of the large volume of people, goods, and services. The airports in our sister states of Imo, Enugu, and Delta have proved to be insufficient in meeting the air travel needs of Anambra people.

We will build a world-class airport and an air cargo ter-minal/village that will meet the needs of our people and facilitate the economic revolution we will usher in. The se-lection of the location will be subject to expert advice and an environmental impact assessment.

Foreign investors, expatriate workers, and our teeming Di-asporas will find this airport of great importance in moving in wares, plants and machineries, equipment, spare parts, human resources, goods, and services. This will surely enhance the ease of doing business in Anambra and also open up access to our goods and services.

We will also partner with a nearby state to build a seaport, which will be a driving force of the economic revolution in anambra state.

InDUstrIaLIsatIon, CreatIon oFWeaLth, anD revenUe GeneratIonWe will run a government that will be economically viable and self-sustaining. We intend to achieve this by running a highly industrialised state that will target the patronage of over 160 million Nigerians and beyond. We will tap into and utilse our people’s strong-minded spirit of enterprise, industry, commerce, and community. This spirit is present-ly waning because of bad leadership. We will also make commerce and industry a focal point of our leadership, by creating an enabling environment for micro, Small and Medium Enterprises to thrive in Igbo-land.

Small and Medium Enterprises form the engine of our people’s economy. We shall draw from the entrepreneur-ial experience of our people to create employment oppor-tunities.

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Ndi-Anambra are known generally for their enterprise, in-dustry, and commerce. The state-owned industries, es-pecially farm settlements, will be mechanised to reduce the current wastage of farm produce, before the products get to the market. Furthermore, industrial complexes with boarding facilities will be set up or supported by the state. The employees in these industries who will be accommo-dated therein will sharpen their practical technical skills, imbibe good work ethics, and work in shifts so as to maxi-mally produce goods and services. We shall also yearly send some of these workers abroad to similar establish-ments to under-study the foreign firms with which the state will partner in the establishment and operation of these industries.

The state-owned industries will be optimised and find co-operation with privately-owned industries to achieve an industrial synergy which will revolutionise the means of production of goods and services. The industries will put many of our people to work, create employment, and in-crease revenue for the government. We will emulate the example of the Asian Tigers to achieve the Anambra Eco-nomic Revolution.

We are going to transform anambra into an industrial hub of africa, by ensuring the establishment of these self-reli-ant and self-sustaining enterprises in all parts of the state.

We will provide enabling environments for business-es to thrive. We will assist all of the various parts of the state to advantageously produce the things they are better empowered or more knowledgeable in produc-ing. We will activate the ailing and abandoned indus-tries we have and build new ones to enhance the eco-nomic output of the state and provide sufficient jobs.

We will go into Public Private Partnerships (PPP), with foreign and local investors, to achieve those objectives. We will not only build a socio-economic and legal enabling ground for the success of these ventures, but we will also

provide a listening ear to the needs of those who invest in our state.

MarKet DeveLoPMent anD CoMMerCeStatutorily, market development is the responsibility of Local Councils. However, in view of the primacy of markets in the livelihood of our people, we shall partner with Local Councils as well as with investors, to assist in the development of modern market infrastructure. The Onitsha Main Market was reputed to be the largest mar-ket in Sub-Saharan Africa. Today, before our very eyes, the Onitsha Main Market has become a shadow of its old self.

We will upgrade the Market and ensure that coastal trad-ing is improved in and around onitsha, otuocha, os-somali, atani, etc. by constructing jetties and providing boats and small vessels. The markets located on the bank of the River Niger and its tributaries will be fitted with jetty facilities, so that cleared and processed con-tainers can be delivered near the market grounds, re-ducing trucking costs, road obstructions, and congestion problems.

We will also construct well-equipped shopping malls in Onitsha, Nnewi, and Awka Capital City to cater for the shopping needs of our people.

CULtUre anD toUrIsM I strongly believe that culture and tourism count among the major keys to the future of Anambra State’s economy. In this regard, we shall encourage private sector operators to build and run such tourist sites as Ogbunike Cave, Agulu Lake, Owerre-Ezukala, and the war museum at Atuchukwu’s com-pound in Amichi.

Our government will build a film village of international stan-dard and recreational and entertainment centres in all the urban cities. These things together will bring tourists, holi-day-makers, and patrons, who will inject money into the local economy.

The government, in conjunction with the operators of the film village, will project our cultures to the world and promote the Igbo language and heritage.

anaMBra yoUth eMPoWerMent aGenCyWe will create the Anambra Youth Empowerment Agency, which will reward and promote the very best of our youths in all sectors and prepare them for leadership.

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government denied the benefit of such loans to members of various Farmers’ Co-operative Associations whose busi-nesses were adversely affected. In fact, many of these farmers have since stopped producing at a time when their productive ability is needed.

The morale of farmers in the state is dampened. Our people have lost because food that would otherwise have been produced in the state at a cheaper cost is now brought in from outside the state. We shall boost the morale of our farmers and ensure that they can ac-cess federal and state government loans in a timely man-ner and at good interest rates. We shall also ensure that no farmer ceases production because of an inability to access hybrid seedlings or raw materials for agricultural purposes.

By revitalising local agriculture we will tremendously re-duce the number of those who are “food poor” in our state.

the Ministry of agriculture will feature prominently in governance under my watch. It will cease to feature only in budget sessions and media campaigns of dubious benefit. All budgetary allocations made to the ministry, which have not been utilised at all for the past five years, will henceforthbe put to good use for the benefit of food production in our state for our people.

We will engage in an aggressive turn-around of the agri-cultural sector in Anambra State. We will re-open all our remaining farm settlements in Igbariam, Omogho, Anaku, and the environs, including Ujari, Ufuma, Ogboji, and nu-merous communities in Orumba North and South Local Government Areas.

our government will build and revitalise oil mill and rice mill industries in the rural areas to assist in palm oil pro-duction. We will go into Public Private Partnerships (PPP) to develop farm projects and agricultural development pro-grammes. These will create jobs, bring about development, and speed up industrialisation.

our government will also liaise with the International Insti-tute for tropical agriculture (IIta) Ibadan to get improved fast-growing tropical crops like cassava, maize, and cere-als for distribution to our farmers. Agriculture Extension workers will be employed to assist farmers at the grass-roots on how to maximise the improved seedlings and al-lied agricultural material given to them by the government.

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eMPoWerInG WoMenOne of my administration’s top priorities will be the socio-economic and political empowerment of women. To further my position that women should play a greater role in Anambra, a minimum of 20% of all my executive appointments will be women and measures will be put into place to ensure that women are well represented across the government. We will also ensure that the next generation of women leaders are properly empowered for greater leadership positions. We will invest in girl-child education and technical training projects geared toward women.

In addition, we will provide financial assistance to women to set up or grow their own businesses.

As part of our healthcare reforms, we will prioritise maternal and child care and combat maternal mortality.

We will develop a special programme – Widow’s Care – geared toward enhancing the welfare of widows and their chil-dren. We will promote the enactment of legislation protecting widows from all forms of abuse.

In order to revitalise our agricultural sector and protect our natural environment, I will:

• enGaGe in an aggressive turn-around of the agricultural sector in Anambra State, ensuring that our state becomes a food basket for the South-East, if not the nation;

• ensUre that farmers have access to federal government loans;

• DraMatICaLLy reduce the number of people who are food poor in Anambra State;

• estaBLIsh a reliable and suitable irrigation water supply; and

• DeveLoP a master plan to control flooding and soil erosion in Anambra State.

aGrICULtUre anD FooD sUFFICIenCyPresent and successive governments in the state have neglected our agricultural sector and failed to utilise the productive ability of our people in the sector. We will en-sure that our farmers can access both Federal and State Governments agricultural loans to help grow their opera-tions. With respect to agricultural loans from the Federal Government, anambrarians are the losers as the Federal

Government agricultural Loan meant for farmers in anambra state has been in commercial banks for so many years, without being utilised. The state has, in fact, been forced to pay interest to the Federal Government for this unutilised famers’ loan. The non-utilisation of these funds has deprived farmers of the opportunity to maximise their potentials and increase their yield.

4. revItaLIsInG aGrICULtUre anD ProteCtInG oUr envIronMent

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5. ProvIDInG WorLD-CLass heaLthCare In order to provide world-class healthcare to our people, I will:

• reverse the deterioration of our public hospitals;

• eMBarK upon a total overhaul of our health sector to make it patient-focused;

• ensUre that every Local Government Area has a well-equipped hospital with residential quarters for medical personnel;

• resUsCItate the medical infrastructure in the state, recruit more healthcare personnel, and retrain those already in service;

• reDUCe infant and maternal mortality in Anambra;

• LaUnCh a partnership with Health Insurance Institutions to develop a comprehensive insurance policy “AnambraCare”; and

• estaBLIsh Primary Health Care facilities in areas of great need.

We shall also invest heavily in ensuring that our state becomes a food basket for the south-east, if not the en-tire nation. We shall therefore support farmers in pro-ducing food items, storing and preserving the same, as well as gaining access to a wider market. We will make available fertilizer, loans, modern agricultural equip-ment, food processing, storage equipment, etc. By supporting small-scale farmers with sustainable tech-niques—such as using organic fertilizers and drip irriga-tion techniques—we can help produce enough to feed our growing population, without damaging our environment.

a reliable and suitable irrigation system will result in vast improvements in agricultural production and assure the economic vitality of the state. The Omambala Water Project will be modified not just to provide water to homes alone, but also provide water for farmland irrigation.

anambra state must be able to feed her population. this is a solemn pledge.

erosIon ControLWe will develop a master plan to control flooding and soil erosion in anambra state. Soil erosion-prone communities in the State will be closely monitored to ensure sustain-able flood management. Tree planting, artificial lakes, and catchment pits will be created in erosion-prone communi-ties to impede flood effects whilst water holding systems will be used during the dry season to water our agricultural programmes.

Reconstruction of affected erosion sites in the state will be embarked upon, with ecological funds received from the Federal Government. Where there are delays, we will halt the erosion incursion and invoice the Federal Government. The affected communities will be closely involved in the im-plementation of erosion-control measures.

heaLth Care systeM anD heaLth InsUranCeOur public hospitals have deteriorated completely owing to colossal and serial failure of leadership on the side of oc-cupants of state power. Life is sacred. We are therefore committed to a total overhaul of the health sector to make it patient-focused. every Local Government must have a well-equipped hospital with residential quarters for medical personnel. Infant and maternal mortality shall be drastically reduced. Pre-natal and post-natal examinations will be free for pregnant women in all public health institutions.

We will resuscitate the medical infrastructure in the state as well as recruit more healthcare personnel and retrain those already in service in up-to-date diagnosis of diseases and medical care. An average of three nurses retire every week in Anambra, yet our state government has never deemed it

important to safe-guard the lives of our people by recruit-ing more nurses to step into these vacancies. In fact, about seven (7) years ago, there were over one hundred and fifty (150) nurses at the Onitsha General Hospital, but now it has less than seventy five (75) nurses. The Cottage Hospi-tal in Enugu Abor, Ufuma, has only one or two doctors and four nurses. This is just a glimpse of the frightening state of deficiency in our hospitals. New doctors are also not being recruited to replace those who have retired or have aban-doned their jobs due to a lack of encouragement, promotion and adequate remuneration. This crisis in hospital staffing is having a negative effect on the health of our people, es-pecially pregnant women, nursing mothers, children, and the aged. We will turn this problem around and make our hospital staff happy again.

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The State has failed to fully implement the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) for medical doc-tors and Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CON-HESS) for nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare personnel. Anambra only pays 50% of CONMESS and 40% of CONHESS. The state government built few hos-pitals, yet these hospitals are over-grown with weeds, as no medical personnel have been employed to run them. Clear examples of this are the plight of Umunze and Um-ueri General Hospitals where we have just one doctor and fewer than five nurses. We shall improve upon both of these in terms of the staffing of hospitals and payment of consolidated salary structure.

We will reduce infant and maternal mortality in anam-bra state by ensuring that access to free medical care is available to pregnant/nursing mothers as well as babies. We will transform our hospitals into centres for the cure of ailments and disease control. We will employ highly qualified health care practitioners and also put in place the diagnostic equipment to make their work easier and result-oriented.

Our government will pay attention to the health of our people by providing modern health facilities in the state.

Our people will no longer travel as far as India to get proper medical attention. We have the resources, intel-lect, will, enterprise, and wealth to achieve this. With God on our side, we will not fail Ndi Anambra.

the state will go into partnership with health Insurance Institutions to develop a comprehensive insurance policy “anambraCare,” which will significantly reduce the bur-den of health care on the most vulnerable members of our society— women and children.

We will care for our aged by providing free healthcare and other benefits for everyone over the age of 65.

We cannot continue to watch our people die because of exorbitant medical costs, while the rich jet out of the country to Europe, America, and lately, India, to cure all manner of ailments. A good health insurance programme with low premiums that is all-inclusive will restore smiles on the faces of Ndi-Anambra. We shall construct special-ist hospitals in the three senatorial zones of the state with proper management structures put in place.

We will also support Primary health Care facilities. We will invest in massive training of health care personnel at all levels including sponsorship for specialist overseas training.

We will also put into place emergency telephone lines and set up the Anambra Ambulance service to transport our citizens in need of urgent medical attention.

The welfare package for doctors, nurses, and other med-ical workers will be reviewed and upgraded to encourage proficiency in practice and dedication in service. An elab-orate health aid programme will be put into place where groups of Anambra indigenes, health professionals, and consultants abroad will visit our health centres in the State for consultations, treatments, and surgeries. The diagnostic capacity of our hospitals and health centres will also be improved.

6. DeveLoPInG PUBLIC InFrastrUCtUre

In order to develop the public infrastructure that our dear state needs, I will:

• ensUre reliable power supply by establishing an Independent Power Plant with sufficient electricity generation capacity to meet the needs of the state;

• ensUre that every part of the state is progressively linked to the national grid;

• DeveLoP our Capital City and other urban areas in an environmentally sustainable manner;

• revIve the ability of the State Water Board to provide potable water to our people;

• IMPLeMent an Affordable Housing Programme and strengthen the State Housing Corporation;

• IMPLeMent a waste management and environmental beautification programme;

• IMPLeMent a comprehensive plan for the construction and maintenance of both urban and rural roads;

• DeveLoP an intra-state transport system to aid easy access within cities, towns, and around the state; and

• UtILIse the River Niger and its tributaries for water transportation to ease the movement of people and goods in and out of Anambra.

enerGy GeneratIon anD PoWer sUPPLySuccessive administrations in Anambra have turned deaf ears to the anguish of the people. They sit tight in government quarters, use tax payers’ money to ensure uninterrupted diesel supply to their homes and offices, leaving the majority of our poor folks in misery and darkness.

Reliable power supply is critical to the socio-economic well-being of any society. Our proposed industrialisation will be meaningless if industries in Anambra continue to depend on individual sources of power (generators). A lack of reliable power supply impacts the competitiveness of our local businesses and even threatens some with closure if they continue to sustain losses as a result of the high cost of production. We must, therefore, support these industries by ensuring that power supply, which is the major problem facing the productive industries, is solved.

The palpable darkness that envelops the land in Anambra State must give way to light. The seamstress in Ekwu-lobia, the welder in Awka, the Baker in Aguleri, the barber in Omogho, the small business person in Ogidi, the Student in Uli, and the printer in Onitsha, all require a reliable supply of electricity. Their businesses, professional pursuits, indeed their livelihood, depend on it.

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Under my watch, the state will establish an Inde-pendent Power Plant on the bank of the river ni-ger and omambala river with a sufficient electricity-generating capacity to meet the needs of the people. We will reach an agreement on the distribution and transmission licenced by the Nigerian Electricity Regu-latory Commission (NERC) to ensure that power pro-duced by our IPP will be utilised by Anambrarians. Even though creating the power supply may not be ini-tially profitable based on the regulatory tariff, the re-sulting economic benefits will justify the investment. Therefore, we must go ahead and implement this task. new and adequate transformers, electric poles, and distri-bution lines shall be dispatched to various parts of anambra state. every part of the state will, progressively, be linked to the national Grid to achieve sustainable development. oIL anD Gas DeveLoPMentOne of my priorities in government will be to maximise the development of oil and gas, which is my area of speciali-sation. We will prioritise the exploration of new hydrocar-bon deposits, while maximising the exploitation of existing ones. We will also partner with Orient Petroleum in order to actu-alise its full production potential, stressing the importance of Anambra as an oil producing state. My administration will address the issues concerning the exploitation of oil with respect to our neighbouring states, and will also tackle youth unrest in the affected communities.

DeveLoPMent oF anaMBra state CaPItaL, aWKaMany abandoned projects blight the landscape of Awka Capital Territory. Private developers carry out unplanned developments, such that many parts of our State Capital are gradually being turned into an urban slum. There is no

integrated development plan for the city. The master-plan developed by the out-going administration, at a huge cost, has been gathering dust and totally forgotten. A visit to our Capital City Centre, Aroma Junction, just a 5 minute drive from Government House, will show that the city can-not compete with or stand proudly amongst the capitals of other states.

our government will implement the awka Capital Devel-opment law passed by the 7th assembly of the anambrastate house of assembly. We will ensure that a master-plan for the development of the state is implemented. Road construction in and around Awka Capital City will be aggressively developed and integrated with other parts of the state. All housing projects in Awka will be expedited and completed with social amenities.

We will ensure that awka Capital City and indeed all of our towns, are not only liveable, but are also developed in such a way as to ensure that the environment is sustainable. In meeting the present and future needs of our people, we will balance social, economic, and environmental objec-tives. In this regard we will tackle erosion in many parts of Awka and other parts of the state, and we will combat unplanned construction work. We will develop sound in-frastructure for the disposal of liquid and solid waste. We will also implement the blueprint for the development of our state capital and the commercial towns of Onitsha and Nnewi.

We will also build an International Conference and Trade Centre, which will attract businesses, conferees, and in-vestors to the State from Nigeria and around the world. The monthly activities based in the Conference Centre will bring visitors to the State, who will in turn support local businesses, such as those in the hotel, food, and enter-tainment industries.

Water sUPPLy anD retICULatIon We will revive the ability of the state Water Board to provide potable water to our people. The de-pendence of our people on water that is often of poor quality will be ag-gressively tackled.

It is worrisome that 22 years after the creation of Anambra State, the State has no reliable potable water supply. Most communities rely on bore-holes, streams, and other sources of un-

treated water. We will declare a State of Emergency on water supply in the state and also set up a panel of ex-perts to ascertain the issues and concerns restraining the development of this sector, with the view to resuscitating the Anambra State Water Board Corporation.

Specifically, the panel of experts will investigate the chal-lenges and viability of the water programmes, including but not limited to, greater Onitsha, Awka, and Obizi water projects. It is important that urgent steps be taken to dis-tribute water to households in Anambra. It is lamentable that scant attention has been paid to water distribution and that the salaries of the members of staff of the Anambra

State Water Board have remained unpaid for long periods of time. If given the mandate, we shall look into and ad-dress this matter.

hoUsInG anD UrBan DeveLoPMentan affordable housing scheme will be pursued by our government. We will encourage entrepreneurs and the businessmen and -women of our dear state who are build-ing houses in Abuja, Lagos, Port-Harcourt, and other parts of the country to come back home and invest in our hous-ing scheme. Our government will provide a conducive and friendly atmosphere to make this venture a huge success. Incentives to encourage developers will include allocation of lands and provision of sites and services on proposed development sites. Also, bureaucratic bottlenecks and hardships in getting Certificate of Occupancy in Anambra State will be minimized by our administration.

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I promise investors that Anambra will be more viable than most of the states in Nigeria in terms of business opportuni-ties and estate development.

We will create an environment that will stop our people from relocating to our neighbouring states, as a result of insecurity and poor social infrastructure. We will encourage our people to come back home and invest, so that we will build our state to a greater height. Our people, especially civil servants, will be given loans to assist them in acquiring their own houses in any of the various housing estates the state will set up. We will ensure that salaried workers will have their own homes when they retire.

the state housing Corporation will be financially strength-ened in order to have the capacity to drive the state mass housing programme. If I am elected as Governor of Anam-bra State, we will develop at least 2,000 units in low cost housing estates that shall be built in the three senatori-al zones to serve the masses under the owner-occupier scheme. We will develop new schemes for medium and executive housing for owner-occupier purposes in each senatorial zone.

We are also aware that these development ventures in housing offer direct infrastructural development, creation of jobs, employment, and wealth creation, which further stim-ulate economic growth and youth empowerment.

Waste ManaGeMent anD envIronMentaL BeaUtIFICatIonThere has been a near collapse of our waste disposal sys-tem as refuse is littered over most parts of Anambra State, in areas such as Okpoko, Onitsha, opposite Meteorological Institutes Oba and Obosi-Nnewi-Okigwe Road (Ugwu ak-pati ozu), and the abandoned World Bank assisted inciner-ator project. All the serene sites and parks have been taken over by refuse. These environmental hazards could lead to an outbreak of heath epidemics with fatal consequences.

The government has not done enough to sensitize the people and has failed to provide the necessary hardware and support required to achieve cleanliness. I will establish functional incinerators and operate them according to stan-dards. A long-term approach is to partner with the private sector to develop waste recycling, which will enable waste to be removed proficiently.

I will install bins on every street in our commercial cities. These bins will be carted away by dumpster trucks on a regular basis, and their contents emptied into incinera-tors. We will also commercialise waste management to improve efficiency.

Recycling plants will be developed, which will use the recycled materials to produce paper, plastics, metal scraps, and fertilizer for our industrial and agricultural development.

We will also make sure that our state is beautified. We will build boulevards from Amansea Junction to the Onitsha bridge-head. We will set up a Beautification Directorate that will work closely with the Anambra State Environ-mental Protection Agency (ANSEPA) to ensure that the state is beautified to make it an attractive tourist destina-tion. We will set up recreational parks, beautify the major roads in the state, provide paved walk-ways and green and grass public leisure places, and will encourage resi-dents to plant trees and periodically paint their houses.

roaDsWhile I appreciate that successive governments in our State have done a considerable amount of work on the construc-tion of access roads, a more comprehensive plan is needed.

My administration will implement a plan for the construc-tion and maintenance of both urban and rural roads.

We will pay more attention to long-neglected community roads, using durable but cost-effective concrete and in-terlocking stones to pave them. This method will create community-based employment and youth empowerment,

as well as deliver affordable road construction and easy maintenance. I am a proactive and pragmatic leader. I lead by example. I have already started implementing this in my community where I constructed roads using inter-locking stones and I have also beautified the roads.

Our government will construct the roads in the state with solid stone-based asphalt over-lays. Rural and ur-ban roads must be constructed with drainages for proper flood discharge system. Agricultural communities will be linked with urban areas for effective transportation of their produce.

We will create at least ten thousand (10,000) jobs through road construction, many of which will go to our teeming youths, helping to empower them economically.

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transPortatIonIt is surprising that the State does not have an effec-tive city/town transport system. The major means for our citizenry to get around within any city is by the use of motorcycle commuter transport (okada) and very uncomfortable buses. It is critical that we de-velop an efficient intra-state transport system to aid easy access within cities, towns, and around the state. These will include introducing state-supported commuter buses and taxis which will transport our peo-ple at affordable rates.

My government will recapitalise the Anambra State Transport Corporation (traCas) by restoring it to its glory. I will bring to bear the benefit of my entrepre-neurial experience to make TRACAS one of the most formidable and viable transport outfits in the country. We will tackle obstructions and congestion on our roads as a result of indiscriminate stopping or parking in the middle of roads by drivers to pick or drop off passen-gers. We will develop parks and bus stops, properly lo-cated and well positioned, in order to divert passenger drop-offs away from the roads and highways.

a light railway system will be constructed to connect cities in anambra state. This rail system will also link the proposed Anambra Airport and the Awka Capital territory, Onitsha, Otuocha, Nnewi, Ihiala, and Aguata Orumba. This network will enable the easy transporta-tion of goods while affording our people the cheapest form of movement.

We will utilise the river niger and its tributaries for water transportation to ease the movement of people and goods in and out of anambra. This will attract Anambrarians to invest in marine transport, port, and harbour business in Anambra.

In order to restore faith in our government and ensure transparency and accountability, I will:

• reForM the civil service to ensure improved productivity and performance;

• ProvIDe participatory and transparent leadership;

• PUBLIsh the audited accounts of the State every quarter;

• ConDUCt democratic local government elections, as a matter of urgency;

• BrInG our print and electronic media into the 21st Century; and

• ensUre that persons with disabilities are given equal opportunities and all the support they need to maximise their potentials.

CIvIL servICe reForM The civil service is the engine of administration for any state. The formulation and implementation of policies fall squarely within the province of the civil service. Our work-ers shall be adequately rewarded as we recognise their noble efforts in serving our dear state. We will provide in-centives to civil servants to ensure improved productivity and performance.

A new work orientation shall be instituted and no loitering, absenteeism, tardiness, or indiscipline of any sort will be condoned. I will hold regular discussions with representa-tives of workers in our bid to ensure the realisation of the new work ethic in the Anambra State. Henceforth, work-ers shall see the state government as theirs. I will fully im-plement the worker-friendly policies of the Labour Party,

which prioritise workers’ welfare. Our style of governance will be participatory and open.

transParenCy, aCCoUntaBILIty, anD ProBItyLeadership is no doubt a collective responsibility between the leader and the led. Lack of contentment and selfish-ness are some of the major reasons why we have unbridled corruption in our country. Due to my humble beginning, pa-rental upbringing and religious background, I am a person who is content. I appreciate God’s favour upon my life. I will never compromise God’s grace in my life with lust for material wealth.

7. reForMInG GovernMent anD ensUrInG transParenCy anD aCCoUntaBILIty

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I seek to serve our people. This is a commitment; a deep love for our people and a desire to positively transform our state burns strongly in my heart. It will always influence everything I do. All of my de-cisions will be guided by the need to do all that is right before God and in the best interest of Ndi-Anambra. In order to give all Anambrarians confidence in the administration of the State and enhance the trust between the people and their government, I will publish audited accounts of the State every quar-ter. I will also replicate the same practice with the local governments and the councils, so that people are always informed about how their resources are spent. I promise an accountable, participatory, and trans-parent leadership if voted into power come novem-ber 2013. this is a solemn pledge.

LoCaL GovernMent anD ChIeFtaInCy MattersDemocratically elected local government councils are guaranteed under section 7 of the 1999 Con-stitution, as amended. My administration will, as a matter of urgency, conduct democratic elections to ensure that only credible persons chosen by the people run the local government councils. We will put into place a fully-functional local government system to ensure that the dividends of democracy flow down to the grass-roots.

Our government will respect traditional institutions and consult with traditional rulers. We will ensure that due entitlements of traditional rulers under the Chieftaincy Law of Anambra State (as amended) are given to them.

PrInt anD eLeCtronIC MeDIaThe State radio and television stations will join the league of national and international media houses so that we can bring to the nation and the world the various transforma-tions taking place in Anambra. The stations will frequent-ly advertise the State in order to enhance the inflow of tourists and businesspeople. The Anambra Broadcasting

Service (ABS) will be upgraded to a state-of-the-art network, trans-mitting to the entire South-East.

The underfunded state newspaper (National Light), published by Anambra Printing And Publishing Company, will be reinvigorated to join the league of na-tional newspapers.

Persons WIth DIsaBILItyPersons with disabilities will be given equal opportunities and all the support that they need to maximise their poten-tials. Our administration will end economic dependency, social exclusion, discrimination, and the stigmatisation of persons with disabilities. We will ensure that a level play-ing field is provided for persons with disabilities to live pro-ductive and independent lives. We will see to the enact-ment of a law to protect their rights and create an agency for disability affairs.

The agency will be headed by a person with disability and charged with the responsibility of ensuring that persons with disability are not discriminated against in any govern-ment project or activities.

Persons with disabilities will be encouraged and support-ed in embracing education, by offering them scholarships from primary to secondary schools. We will also give spe-cial consideration to qualified persons with disabilities in government recruitments. We will also encourage and give incentives to businesses that employ a certain number of disabled persons.

We will upgrade the school for mentally-challenged chil-dren located at Umuchu.

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8. enGaGInG anaMBrarIans In the DIasPora

In order to engage anambrarians in the diaspora, I will:

• estaBLIsh liaison offices in major cities around the world; and

• enCoUraGe Anambrarians in the diaspora to contribute meaningfully to development back home in our dear state.

ConCLUsIon

Evidently, the situation in Anambra State requires a differ-ent mind-set to overcome the crisis of governance, which the state has been saddled with. For too long, Anambrar-ians have suffered under the weight of bad leadership, causing the people to lose hope in the government.

restoring the people’s faith in their government is a moral duty, which I hope to discharge faithfully and passionately. I shall, God willing, be the instrument and vessel of happiness for the vast majority of our people.

I make a solemn pledge: my foray into politics is to raise the bar of governance, a real game changer for the good of Ndi Anambra. I have no doubt whatsoever that the State stands to reap bountiful harvests of good gover-nance, and Anambrarians will be happier for this.

As someone who has built a successful, global busi-ness, I have a proven record of prudent investments with extensive capacities to create wealth, employment and empowerment.

Ndi be anyi: I AM READY TO LEAD ANAMBRA TO A BRIGHTER FUTURE!

I ask for your prayers, support and vote, as I seek to be elected the next Governor of anambra state.

I wish to express my appreciation for the loving support of my dear wife, Uche, my children, siblings, and other members of my family. I also appreciate the heart-warm-ing prayers of my clergy. For my friends, I thank you all. I will not end without saying thanks to PK, JK, and PhM for their enduring support in my life. I will never forget!

Finally, I would like to make the point that this manifesto is a blueprint for good governance beyond my personal or private wishes. It is in the best and highest interest for my dear state, anambra, and I call upon all anambrar-ians and voters to share this sense of my vision, dedica-tion, statesmanship, and oneness of purpose, in order to uplift the great people of anambra state, which is our final constituency and our home!

This aspiration can only be realised with the commit-ment of all Anambrarians and the help of God. I have confidence that God will bring it to fulfilment. As stated in 1 Cor. 15; 57-8 ‘’But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain’’.

I, therefore, commit all anambrarians, voters and the Labour Party into the hand of the almighty God. I thank you all.

God bless the Labour Party.God bless anambra state.God bless ndigbo.God bless nigeria.

Dr. PatrICK IFeanyI UBahebubechukwu-UzoAugust 10, 2013

Anambrarians are global citizens, doing business and living in various parts of the world. We will make ef-forts to establish liaison offices in major cities around the world.

The Anambra international liaison programme, ‘anambra World,’ will harness the global resources of our people in the diaspora. We will also encour-age the best and brightest among them to come back home and provide much-needed professional and technical assistance in certain areas of our corporate existence as a state.

Our people in the diaspora will be carried along in all developmental activities. Their welfare in their places of residence will be of utmost concern under my watch. We will also expect and encourage them to contribute meaningfully to the development back home in our dear state. We will assist those of them with specialised skills or investment capabilities who want to return to Anambra to acquire homes at afford-able rates.

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A look at his early years reveals how Ifeanyi rose swift-ly from apprenticeship at the age of 16 to running a very successful regional business at the age of 18. He travelled to Ghana and throughout Africa to expand his business and increase trade for Nigeria. By the age of 19, he made his first million naira.

He emerged, quickly, as a significant player in the tyre export trade from Nigeria to Ghana. He was among the biggest suppliers of tyres to Ghana traders such as Kingsman Enterprises.

From Ghana, he expanded his business in Nigerian trade into Liberia and Sierra Leone. Unfortunately, the war that began in Liberia affected his business and he returned to Lagos. He then expanded his business, which now included the supply of auto parts to the Con-go (DRC). His leadership qualities led him to become the president of the Nigerian community in the DRC at a young age. He took responsibility for catering for his business and for the welfare of all the Nigerians in the DRC, including taking responsibility for feeding thousands of Nigerian refugees who fled from Congo Brazzaville. His company continued to grow, becoming a major im-porter of automotive spare parts in the DRC. He also attended international trade shows such as Automotive Industrial Week in Las Vegas, USA and Automechan-ika in Messe Frankfurt, Germany. He extended his business activities into England, Belgium, South Africa, Dubai and other parts of the world. He did business with large companies in South Africa,

including: AE, Payen, Kolben Co., and the AngloAmeri-can Industrial Corporation. In Belgium and London he did business with companies including Banque Belgo-laise (Brussels) and AE Automotive Parts (Leeds, UK). Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, who started with nothing, had built a business empire beyond his dreams, and was now expanding into the field of oil and gas. He established Capital Oil SPRL in the DRC, through which he imported oil and gas from Ibeto Petrochemi- cal Nigeria and supplied the biggest transporters and industrial establishments as well as governmental agencies such as the national railway. In South Africa, he did business with Chevron Oronite and Elit South African Pty Limited. With the help of his mentor, Cletus Ibeto, who support-ed his business and further tutored him on the oil and gas climate in Nigeria, he invested his growing resourc-es from his successful business enterprises to expand his operations in Nigeria, creating Capital Oil & Gas Industries Ltd. and thousands of jobs.

the Man, Dr. PatrICK IFeanyI UBahLike a lot of Anambrarians, Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah started with nothing, but, from an early age, he was never afraid of taking on the odds.

Through hard work, perseverance, faith in God, and be-lief in himself, he became one of the most successful businessmen in Nigeria. It’s an opportunity he wants to make possible for every young Anambrarian.

Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah was born September 3, 1971 to the humble, working class family of Mr. & Mrs. Alphonsus Ubah of Umuanuka in Otolo, Nnewi. Being born to par-ents who were both teachers, Ifeanyi and his siblings had very humble beginnings. They endured material depriva-tions, which the children of teachers suffered and still do.

His parents provided for their family’s needs with their meager salaries and a fervent trust in God. They incul-cated in him the virtues of deep faith in God, honesty, hard work, leadership, and innovativeness.

His father distributed what little he made for the educa-tion of his children and other relations. While attending OMGS in Nnewi, Ifeanyi saw his father struggle and, as the first son, chose to take on responsibilities beyond his years in order to lessen the burden on his father and help provide for the Ubah family, made up of three older sis-ters and three younger ones.

When he communicated this decision to his parents and siblings, this was the first time he ever saw his father cry, expressing his frustration that he as a teacher was un-able to fund the education of all his children by himself,

and his concern about the risk of an uncertain future for his son. Ifeanyi demonstrated courage and assured his father that he would make him proud, and that not only would he eventually shoulder the responsibility for the entire family’s upkeep, he would pursue his education and develop himself intellectually.

In honouring this promise, and reflecting his tireless pursuit of excellence, he has continued his quest for knowledge and attended several local and international courses and seminars in leadership and business management. As a result of his creative leadership, his economic ideas, and his entrepreneurial ingenuity, he was conferred with an Honourary Doctorate of Management Technology (DMT) by the Federal University of Technology Owerri, in Imo State and an Honourary Doctorate of Philosophy in Criti-cal and Creative Thinking from Montclair State University, New Jersey, USA. He is in the process of completing the prestigious Owner/President Management Program at Harvard University, Cambridge, USA.

The company was founded in 2001, and by 2003/2004 it had extended into haulage, transportation and petro-leum products retail. One by one, he built three of the largest oil and gas depots in all of Nigeria and acquired a fourth. By 2011, Capital Oil Group’s depot facility was the largest in Nigeria, with a combined capacity to berth 3-6 vessels simultaneously and 32 loading arms. The group today accounts for about 30% of daily petro-leum products distribution in Nigeria, employs a work-force of over 3,000, and has caused the creation an additional 1,000 related jobs.

He led his company to own the largest fleet of marine vessels, barges and tug boats in Nigeria, including a large fleet of oil tankers.

In order to decongest truck tankers from Lagos roads, Ifeanyi Ubah built a truck park capable of holding 1,100 trucks simultaneously.

In his drive to lower fuel prices for Nigerians, he has acquired land to build the first private refinery in La-gos and has made a presentation to the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and is currently await-ing approval.

Today, Ubah’s core business is oil and gas trading, port and harbour investment in the African continent. He also invested in property and real estate develop-ment, telecommunication, commodities importation, financial institutions, and hospitals.

He sits on the board of several companies, including:

• Knoll & Hachfer Engineering Co Ltd• Chevron Oronite & Chemical Co Ltd• Hero Communications Ltd• First Nigeria Independent Oil Co Ltd• Commodity Giants Nigeria Limited• Capital Group Congo S.a.rl. in the Congo DR• Oil Force Nigeria Limited• American Hospital Ltd

Ubah led the building of strategic regional reserve de-pots within the geopolitical zones of Nigeria: Suleja in Niger State, Funtua in Katsina State, Enugu State, Warri and Koko in Delta State. These developments have created thousands of jobs for Nigerians, mostly youths.

He believes that “wealth and job creation is an art and empowerment is an obligation.”

He was profiled by the Oxford Brooks Magazine as one of the “Forty under Forty 2009”, a list of the top forty Nigerian business leaders under the age of forty.

He remains faithful to his friends of early days and they also form part of his strength today. he appreci-ates friends, but has no god-father but has Father God, the almighty!

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That is why Ifeanyi is fondly called “ebube Chukwu uzo” meaning “Placing God First”.

Ifeanyi is also a philanthropist. Driven by a desire to give back to society, he established the Ifeanyi Ubah Foundation, which gives students free university educa-tion, drills boreholes for communities, installs electric-ity transformers, repairs and constructs roads, provides free fuel to the popular “Okada” riders and bus drivers every Monday in all his filling stations.

He is building an ICT Centre for the University of Nige-ria, Nsukka, and has built and donated a student hostel at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. He has built and fully equipped with state-of-the-art tech a 160 seat-ing capacity ICT centre for the Nigerian Defense Acad-emy, Kaduna.

He is also building a 3,000 seat Catholic Cathedral for the Nnewi Diocese. He was a lead donor in refurbishing St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Umuanuka Otolo, Nnewi, his home church, and has generously donated N60 million for the acquisition of the Bishop’s Court for the Anglican Diocese of Awka. He has also materially sup-ported bishops and other clergymen of various religious denominations across Anambra State.

He has distributed kerosene to all the regions of Nigeria - including areas in turmoil – in order to alleviate the plight of the poor masses, who would have no ac-cess to these products otherwise.

A family man, Ifeanyi Ubah is married to Uchenna Ubah, a graduate of Business Administration from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaira.

He notes that their marriage “was the beginning of God’s manifestation in my life, by blessing me with a jewel of inestimable value: my wife, the mother of my five children – a girl and four boys.”

Having raised a beautiful family and built a successful worldwide business, he now wants to ensure that every Anambrarian has the same opportunity he had to suc-ceed and provide the next generation of Anambrarians with education, jobs and a brighter future.

www.ifeanyiubahgovernor.com

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— Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah

As I seek your mandate to govern our beloved state, I look up to God, who I place first in everything I do, and recall from Psalm 127.1 that unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labour in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand and watch in vain.

I therefore place my aspiration to serve our people and our great state in the hand of Almighty God. I am positive that He has plans to prosper us and give us a future filled with His love, peace and assurance.

Our great state, Anambra, is at a historic point, where we need business acumen and strategic leadership skills to transform it for the benefit of the maximum number of its citizens.

By His grace, I have a proven record of investments and a capacity to create wealth and employment. I believe this makes me ideally suited to tackle the challenges facing our state, as the next Gover-nor. In practical terms, I have also created thousands of jobs and empowered thousands of Anambra indigenes, mostly youths.

I sincerely believe that my leadership will make Anambra a better place, bursting with economic opportunities, peace, and security. I believe that there will be a guaranteed future of bright opportuni-ties for our children and generations unborn.

My vision is bigger than my fears; my actions are louder than my words; and my word is my bond.

I am confident that despite the challenging times we have gone through, the trials and tribulations, there are brighter days ahead. We have forgiven and we should also be forgiven for any misunder-standings, conflicts, or shortcomings.s

Why I Want to serve as Governor