Obiano, Ngige’s Differs On Roads, Donor Funds And Loans

The All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) gubernatorial candidate for Anambra elections on November 16, 2013, Chief Willie Obiano, has debunked the long romanticised claim by the APC Candidate Dr. Chris Ngige with respect to the actual kilometer of roads built during his three-year tenure as Governor of Anambra State. Chief Obiano also dismissed the notion that Anambra is in debt arguing that it is rather a model for fiscal responsibility and transparency through effective leveraging of donor funded projects which hitherto were impossible eight years ago.

Claims and rebuttals were the highlights of the live television debate organized by the Nigerian Election Debate Group (NEDG) for all gubernatorial candidates at the Women Development Centre Awka.  In his rebuttal, Chief Willie Obiano said “Ngige’s administration constructed 197 kilometers of roads which were concentrated in the Idemmili area of the State, and the roads were not certified by the Council of Registered Engineers of Nigeria (COREN), yet he was busy condemning the eight hundred kilometers of roads constructed and duly certified by COREN by the Peter Obi administration.”

Chief Willie Obiano also dismissed the notion that Anambra State was owing money from foreign loans. He explained that the concept of Anambra Integrated Development Strategy (ANIDS) is predicated on the effective use of the MDG Goals to attract counterpart funds which are not loan but are based on the government’s ability to show capacity and transparency by providing 30 percent of the funds required to execute projects. He stressed that the present administration has excelled in this. As Chief Obiano confidently put it; “I am the most qualified based on my background and performance as a Chartered Account and Banker with the ability to attract such funds to Anambra State.”

Chief Willie Obiano, who also had a brief chat with journalists immediately after the Debate said that the APGA Gubernatorial Campaign is driven by the concept of “Continuity” because of the achievements recorded by His Excellency Governor Peter Obi, and that his Blueprint for Anambra would take developments in Anambra to greater heights based on four Pillars: Agriculture, Oil and Gas, Trade and Commerce, and Industrialization, which would lead to massive economic activity, industries and jobs, jobs, jobs for people. He also further explained had the onus was on him to counter such claims that are not backed up by facts on ground.

Chief Obiano urged ndi Anambra to try and sieve through the plethora of promises from the candidates and pick the realistic assurances by APGA that are doable which would be in the interest of the people.

He also assured that his administration would not pursue a sectional agenda as the one before the administration of Governor Peter Obi which cited more than 80% of the much trumpeted roads it constructed in the Idemili area of the state stressing that his Blueprint has earmarked programmes for all parts of the State as he planned to be a Governor for all.