From Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
Members of Soludo Support Group (SSG), Port Harcourt, Rivers State chapter, and members of the Women Initiative for Greater Anambra (WIGA) have honoured the chairman of Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State, Hon. Arinzechukwu Awogu, with awards of merit and recognition for his steadfastness and for pioneering the Soludo Project in Ogbaru LGA and beyond.
The SSG Port Harcourt coordinator, Sir Charles Ejikeme Ilofulunwa (Afunwa), who was accompanied by the secretary of SSG, P/H chapter, Dr. Michael Obiora, said that Hon. Awogu, alongside the national coordinator and the convener of SSG, Hon. Chinedu Nwoye, among others, were given awards at their Port Harcourt victory celebration for their inspiring role leading to the success of Prof. Chukwuma Soludo in the Anambra State governorship election: “We feel it is worthy to appreciate you and to say thank you for all your efforts and contributions towards the success of the Soludo Project.”
National coordinator and convener of WIGA, Hon. Mrs. Amaka Obi, said that the group decided to give a merit award to the Ogbaru council chairman and also maje him a national patron of WIGA for his strong belief in the Soludo Project.
“Hon. Arinzechukwu Awogu represented strong belief that encouraged many to believe in the possibility of the Soludo Project”, she sad, adding that such efforts cannot go unrecognised.
Hon. Mrs. Amaka Obi, convener WIGA, was accompanied on the visit by Hon. Mrs. Uju Anaekwe, WIGA national woman leader; Mrs. Ijeoma Sunny Egbuna, WIGA national secretary; Ezedike Ndidiamaka P. CNA- WIGA coordinator, Ihiala LGA; and Hon. Ezekwem Oge Jennifer, WIGA coordinator Ogbaru LGA.
Receiving both awards from the two leading groups that heralded the success of Prof. Soludo’s governorship election campaign, the chairman of Ogbaru LGA, who also doubles as the deputy national coordinator (operations), Soludo Support Group and the Deputy BoT Chairman of United Anambra Youth Assembly (U-AYA) and United Anambra Women Assembly (U-AWA), Hon. Arinzechukwu Awogu, appreciated the Soludo Support Group (SSG) Port-Harcourt chapter and WIGA for their tireless efforts in making the Soludo Project a success and for finding him fit for the awards.
“I thank you for finding me worthy to be thus honoured, and I dedicate the awards to those early apostles of the Soludo Project who embraced the message of the Project in early 2018 when others were yet to see the true meaning of the vision of the Soludo Project”.
While assuring that the confidence the people have in the Governor-elect will be justified eventually, Hon. Awogu opined that Energy generation and building a modular refinery in the state will redefine the economic prosperity of the state.
He spoke thus: “The world expects magic from Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, how he does that may not matter to them but somehow they believe that there will be a clear departure from the practice of old under Prof.Soludo. It’s good that Gov. Willie Obiano has set the state on the path of accelerated development with indices of growth and economic advancement.
“Personally, I consider Ogbaru in Anambra State, with its large deposit of oil and gas, vast expanse of untapped landspace and its connection to the Atlantic through Ulasi River as the emerging investment destination to be explored by the new frontiers.
“The world wants to see an Anambra State courtesy of the incoming adminstration, find alternative to looking forward to receiving allocation from the Federation Account every month. Everyone looks forward to seeing an Anambra under Prof. Chukwuma Soludo that harnesses the capacity, both human and material resources of the state to provide the necessary things to move the state’s economic engine forward.
“Energy, to my mind, is what Anambra needs. Anambra is today an oil-producing state courtesy of the efforts of the administration of Gov. Willie Obiano, the incoming adminstration can build a refinery in the state in Ogbaru.
“It mustn’t be a refinery with a fifty million barrels production capacity; what we need in Anambra is a modular refinery with a capacity of producing 20,000 barrels per day. A gas plant as an alternative energy supply is also needed and a power plant. If we can achieve these three things, then the state under Prof. Soludo does not need to rely on allocation from the Federation Account.
“These should constitute the engine room; any other thing would revolve around these three things. With the magnificent Anambra State Cargo and International airport now fully operational, Anambra now needs the engine room of productivity to start working. We have Nnewi, we have Onitsha, we have the oil and gas in Ogbaru and we have the human and material capacity to be the leading state in this country.
“Attracting investors to help build a modular refinery in Ogbaru for the state will be the turning point to not doing the same thing that other leaders have done which did not improve the economy beyond monthly Federal Allocation”Awogu said.
He assured that Anambra was right for choosing Prof. Chukwuma Soludo and called for prayers and support to enable Prof. Soludo’s administration succeed.
The Special Assistant to the Governor on Community Liaison, Sir Osy Odogwu, in his remarks appreciated the members of SSG-P/H and WIGA for their efforts in delivering Prof. Chukwuma Soludo and thanked them for recognising the contributions of Hon. Arinzechukwu Awogu whom he described as a very promising and reliable political force.
He commended the support given to Soludo by the people of Ogbaru and urged the Governor-elect not to forget Ogbaru LGA.
Also speaking, the Coordinator of All Soludo Support Group (ASSG), Ogbaru LGA chapter, Pastor Onochie Obiora, thanked Hon. Mrs Amaka Obi for leading a compelling women folk in the state to support APGA and Prof. Chukwuma Soludo during the election. He appreciated WIGA for presenting an award of recognition to the Ogbaru Council Chairman and said that Prof. Chukwuma Soludo needs the support of all Ndi-Anambra to succeed.