Dr. Obiora Okonkwo’s governorship insight for Anambra state is anchored on the maka ilu olu oma mantra. His vision is encapsulated in a 10-Point Agenda (manifesto) which he titled ‘My Project with Ndi Anambra’. The 10-Point Agenda contains realizable deliverables that would help transform Anambra state and move it away from the lower rungs of administrative malaise it has suffered in the past years of the APGA government.
The vision includes: Rapid rural development, economic growths with jobs, revitalization of education -human capital development, youth manpower development and employment, planned urbanization and urban renewal, peace and security, improved access to basic (preventive and curative) health services, diaspora engagement, rebuilding our ethical infrastructure and social welfare and poverty eradication.
According to Dr. Okonkwo, these deliverables will ne anchored on a leadership philosophy whereby every project MUST pass the test of value addition to Anambra state. He had said that every project he embarks upon must be tailored towards poverty eradication and wealth creation, creation of employment (provision of dignified and meaningful life), reduction of in-equality (i.e. enthronement of social justice and the creation of a society in which everyone has a stake in it, now and its future), have provision for human capacity building –building the critical skills of the future, rebuild ethical infrastructure of the state through value re-orientation and enthronement of honesty, have value for money by way of cost effectiveness, efficiency, and integrity as well as encourage equity including gender equity, common good and God’s assigned purpose for Ndi Anambra.
For this, Dr. Okonkwo intends that his administration shall run on some core pillars which include to demonstrate responsible and purposeful leadership through service above self, to restore power to the people in deciding their fate, to demonstrate the efficiency and value of public service and public institutions, to establish the value of an efficient bureaucracy in the delivery of government’s programs and projects and to help restore the people’s confidence in themselves, their can-do spirit and their government.
He also has promised that his administration will harness the energy, skills, wealth, social capital of all Anambra State citizens and residents, including those in the Diaspora and friends of Anambra state in transforming Anambra into a model state, enthrone transparency, accountability and rule of law, encourage responsible citizenship, utilize maximally domestic and external partnerships for the benefit of the state, increase Anambra State’s financial independence by significantly, progressively and creatively increasing her internally generated revenue (IGR)), use laws to institutionalize the new ethos and transformation agenda and also ensure that government uses its convening power and serve as an honest broker for the benefit of the people and also encourage the use of data, research and knowledge to guide public policy.
These ideals are guided by Dr. Okonkwo’s overall governance standard which says: “We intend to run an open, consultative and all-inclusive government. It shall be a government that is transparent, creative, accountable, respects rules, procedures, separation of powers and responsibilities of the different arms of government. It shall give due consideration to equity, gender balance and fairness in allocation of resources, projects and appointments among the three senatorial zones. It shall accord maximum respect for elders, traditional institution, leadership of non-governmental organizations (churches etc.) underpinned by strict pursuit of merit, honesty and other democratic ideals.”
Dr. Okonkwo and his running mate, Dame Jessie Balonwu esq, are determined to change the narrative on Anambra state through a hands-on practical leadership approach. It is interesting to note that whatever Dr. Okonkwo has promised to do for the good of Anambra are not things that are captured in thoughts only. They are things he is already doing in his private capacity as an entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist.
As chairman of United Nigeria Airlines, Dr. Okonkwo has created jobs for a good number of Nigerians and expatriates in the aviation sector. The value chain of the jobs he created is immeasurable. Also, as chairman of The Dome Entertainment Limited, an umbrella body of such businesses as The Camelot Spa, The Francis Hotel, The Summit Restaurant, The Bowling Alley, The Twins Café, Paradiso Gardens, Wesley Snipes Lounge and many others, he created opportunities for more than 1500 Nigerians to be gainfully employed with full benefits including healthcare and housing.
Dr. Okonkwo also has a lot of Nigerians on his education scholarships within and outside Nigeria. Just yesterday, he signed three Memoranda of Understanding with the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) Awka, in Anambra state to open up internship opportunities for engineering students of the university at his airline. Part of the MoUs include those on academic exchange programmes and scholarships with Russian universities and government. He is also providing financial and material assistance to the university for research, development and production of animal fed with the university. Prior to this, Dr. Okonkwo had financed a research into the entrepreneurial spirit of the Igbo with a special focus on the downturn of the apprenticeship (Igba Boyi) scheme despite its proven capacity to address the problem of unemployment. The study was carried out by the Business School of the university and its report was launched penultimate week. Outcome of the study, will, no doubt, radically change the perception challenges on the Igba Boyi scheme as the name is now suggested to become Nkwado Ogaranya. This is credit to Dr. Okonkwo’s untiring efforts towards addressing youth unemployment in Igboland.
As President of the Nigeria-Russia Chamber of Commerce, Dr. Okonkwo has reached agreements with Russian businesses for the investment of $10billion into the Anambra state economy through massive industrialization projects that will take off with the creation of two free-trade zones in the state -the first ever of its kind since the creation of Anambra. He has also promised that the FTZs will be linked by rail to a port facility to be created at Ulasi River, which is better positioned for such facility than the Niger River at Onitsha. To this effect, he had invited Russian businessmen and investors into the state to undertake a study on the best approaches towards actualizing these dreams.
Okonkwo has in during the campaigns dazzled several groups that he encountered with facts and figures about the erosion of the Anambra economy and hand-on solutions to reverse the trend. The undeniable fact is that the past years of civil administration of the state has been more to the benefit of neighbouring states of Anambra as investors from the state would rather take their investments to those states than have them in Anambra. Asaba in Delta state and Owerri in Imo state, are strong beneficiaries of investments by Anambra born investors. Basic reason, Okonkwo would say is because the economy of the state was eroded by poor government policy, vision and insight. He comes ready with solutions that will make Ndi Anambra happy again with their state. Okonkwo is not a man of too many words. He is rather a man of solutions.
The Okonkwo dream holds a lot of promises for Ndi Anambra. He is accepted across the state as the man with the Midas touch. He is a deep thinker and an ideas man. Anambra will be in good hands as the effort to reverse the maladministration of the past years since 1999, orchestrated by the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Grand Alliance, begins.