FIRST TENURE OF PROMISES KEPT Despite All Odds
GOVERNOR PETER OBI Laying the Foundation for a New Anambra State
Anambra State University Teaching Hospital, Amaku General Hospital, Awka, nearing completion
HEALTH The health sector within Anambra State has seen significant developments in recent times. These changes have resulted in much needed improvements for local communities and business. Since the beginning of his term in office, Governor Peter Obi has made major strides in achieving unparalleled success within Anambra’s health sector.
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HEALTH
His contribution to improving the standard of the local health system has been highly commended and nowhere is this more apparent than in hospitals such as Onitsha General Hospital and Umuleri General Hospital, where he was instrumental in achieving the following for the state:
» ONITSHA GENERAL HOSPITAL • The Construction of the Cardio Thoracic/Kidney and Breast Centre
• The creation of water borehole systems
• Providing the hospital with generating set, X-Ray and modern laboratory equipment
• The creation of the General Outpatient Department when on-going improvements are still being planned
• Creation of the highly admired Consultants Clinics Complex
• Creating and completing two brand new central pharmaceutical stores
• Construction of the impressive entrance gates from the Enugu/Onitsha Express Road which is reflective of a successful and respected medical centre
• Completing the much needed Accident and Emergency Department
HEALTH
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Breast Cancer/Cardiac/Kidney Dialysis Centre at General Hospital Onitsha: the only such center in the entire South-East
» UMULERI • Fully completed Male wards • Fully completed Female wards
• Renovation of Amanuke General Hospital outpatient block
In addition, major constructions are currently in process at other hospitals within the state including:
» NEUROPSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL NAWFIA » UMUNZE COTTAGE HOSPITAL
Besides the aforementioned, the State Government has embarked and delivered many more projects designed to improve the health sector which include:
Through transparency and good governance, the Anambra State Government’s commitment to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, has yielded many fruits enhancing the development of the region. This is noticeable in the following areas:
• Greater support to the Primary Health Care (PHC) Centres • The vast improvement on the School Health programme
• The immunization coverage rose from below 50% in 2006 to over 85% in 2008
• The accreditation of Onitsha General Hospital for the training of house officers, pharmacists and medical laboratory interns
• Maternal mortality, pre-natal and neo-natal mortality has been greatly reduced
• Extension of greater support to voluntary agencies
• Patient satisfaction and the patronage of state government services has risen
• Provision of grant-in-aid to mission hospitals in Anambra State
• The increase of community participation and partnerships
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The refurbished Onitsha General Hospital
Governor Obi commissioning a modern State-of-art X-Ray Equipment at Onitsha General Hospital
An X-Ray machine at General Hospital Onitsha
Ambulances provided by the Obi Administration for the State Rapid Response Medical Services
One of the newly constructed House Officers Quarters by the Obi Administration at General Hospital Onitsha
Another Block of quarters for House Officers constructed by the Obi Administration at Onitsha General House
HEALTH
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Breast Cancer/Cardiac/Kidney Dialysis Centre at General Hospital Onitsha: the only such center in the entire South-East
EDUCATION » PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION SUB-SECTORS » PAST • Dilapidated school buildings • Poorly motivated teachers, with little promotional prospects
• No operational systems and frame works for teacher performance evaluation
• Lack of adequate supervision in schools
» PRESENT Today, the State Ministry of Education, it’s parastatals and inspectorate units have been repositioned to overcome the obstacles to effective school administration. This remarkable turn-around was achieved through: • Renovation of zonal offices • Renovation of area offices • Procurement of office furniture and equipment • Purchase of seven vehicles, one for each of the education zones and one for the head quarters • Purchase of two motorized boats (Water Buses), through the Education Trust Fund (ETF on behalf of the riverine communities within the State • Procurement of buses for schools
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• Purchase of two brand new commuter buses for the Post-Primary Schools Services Commission • Training of teachers and educational administrators in supervision, courtesy of the E d u c a t i o n Committee of the ASAUSA (Anambra State Association of USA) • Establishment of a Microsoft Academy in 105 schools with 50 laptops per school • Provision of Internet services at our secondary schools
• Over 100 schools have experienced the benefits of the State Government’s laboratory rehabilitation and equipment programme • Renovation of school laboratories, plus an increased supply of science and computing equipment and instructional materials • Renovation and equipping of libraries in 174 secondary schools
» INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT Tremendous progress has been made and continues in the provision of infrastructure and facilities within schools. These include: • Construction and fitting of new classroom buildings in almost all the primary and junior secondary schools in the State. • Procurement of 33KVA generators to over 100 schools in Anambra State. • Three Technical Colleges have been renovated and fully equipped. The magnificent Faculty of Engineering and Environmental Science Building Complex commissioned and constructed by the Peter Obi Administration at the Anambra State University Uli Campus
• Fifteen schools have been supplied with 20KVA electricity generating sets. • Water boreholes have been provided in schools.
» CAMPAIGN AGAINST SCHOOL DROP-OUT SYNDROME Anambra state is noted for it’s global and national academic exploits. However this trend was on the decline with past administrations, however Governor Obi has opted to tackle this through: • Regular payment of stipend to facilitators, instructors an supervisors of adult and informal education learners • Supply of equipment to 53 nomadic and migrant farmer/ fishermen's schools • Provision of logistics for regular monitoring The new look of St. Anthony’s Secondary School Agulu
• Establishment of market schools in major state markets • Successful organization of workshops to tackle the decline of males enrolling in schools
» TERTIARY EDUCATION SUB-SECTOR » THE ANAMBRA STATE UNIVERSITY Construction of Faculties for: • Agriculture • Management Sciences • Administration Block • Construction of physiology and anatomy building for the College of Medicine within the Anambra State University Teaching Hospital, Amaku. • The restoration of St. Anthony’s Secondary School, Agulu. • Compound walling and gate at The College of Medicine Igbariam Campus
EDUCATION
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» ULI CAMPUS: • Construction of the Department of Geology building and it’s staff housing offices, lecture room and laboratories • Faculty of Science building containing staff offices • Two bungalows serving as offices for the Vice Chancellor and the Registrar, as well as the Council/Senate Chamber. • Library extension at the State University Uli Campus • A three-bungalow complex for the Departments of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry (including the three biochemistry lecture rooms and staff offices)
Library Extension at the State University Uli Campus
• Biochemistry laboratory building • Department of Architecture bungalows containing studios, lecture rooms and staff offices (currently under construction) • Fully equipped laboratories for Departments of Micro-Biology, Industrial Chemistry, Industrial Physics and Computer Science • E-Learning and Research Centre • Landscaping of the Campus • Provision of a water borehole • Provision of an interconnected road network
» IGBARIAM CAMPUS An impressive law faculty building with lecture rooms, library, staff offices and Moot Court. The complex is one of the best in the Southeast geopolitical zone of the country; the library expansion project is now completed.
• Provision of electricity generating sets
Mass Communication
• Maintenance of the access roads to the campus from Awkuzu (through the Onitsha Enugu Express Way)
• A state of the complex consisting of lecture rooms, radio and TV studios and staff offices
• The creation of a vision and master plan for the university • Accreditation of academic programmes, e.g. Faculty of Law
• Provision of roads to the campus from Nando
Faculty of Arts/Social Sciences • A complex housing staff offices and lecture rooms • Provision of a water borehole
» NWAFOR ORIZU COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, NSUGBE • Accreditation of academic programmes: 14 departments have received full accreditation • The commencement of faculty buildings at ANSU.
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AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT Globally agriculture is the largest employer of labour. In Nigeria it employs about two-thirds of the total labour force, contributing about 40% of the GDP and providing 80% of non-oil and other mineral earnings. In view of this Governor Peter Obi’s Administration is vigorously pursuing programmes in the Agric Sector that will ensure food security, poverty alleviation and income generation for the citizens of Anambra State. In the preparation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of developmental plans, the Government has adopted an all inclusive Participatory approach where the private sector and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) are stakeholders. The State Government’s (ANIDS) remarkable achievements in agriculture and rural development sectors are as follows:
• Transformation of the State College of Agriculture Mbauk-wu to a successful tertiary institution • Procurement and distribution of 22 new tractors and other implements to Agric-based local government areas to encourage mechanized agriculture. • Provision of micro-credit funds to farmers under the Government’s micro-credit scheme. • Provision of project vehicles to the State Ministry of Agriculture to enhance the efficiency of its MicroCredit Unit. • Procurement and distribution of fertilizer to farmers at highly subsidized rates. • Through the external counter part funding, the state Government has supported the ‘Under the Food
Security Programme’, with initiatives such as: The Root and Tuber Expansion Programme (RTEP), National Programme for Food Security (NPFS) and FADAMA III Programme. • The implementation of various activities under the Food Security Programme such as the Root and Tuber Expansion Programme (RTEP), National Programme For Food Security (NPFS) and FADAMA III Programme. • Funding, procurement and distribution of grains (N23,841,000.00) to cushion the effects of the high cost of grains and make them affordable to the public. • Establishment of three market g a r dens in the three Senatorial Zones of the State for development of improved seeds and seedlings for
distribution to farmers at highly subsidized rates. • Major improvements in veteri nar y services to enhance bio-security and reduce the outbreak of some endemic diseases. • Daily meat inspection by veterinary personnel to ensure that only wholesome meat is allowed to reach consumers. • Release of N2.484 million to the ministry for the execution of Census and Bio-Security Projects, essentially to control avian influenza and other zoonotic diseases. • Release of N4 million naira for the anti-rabies campaign and inoculation.
Prompt and full payment of Government Counterpart Cash Contribution (GCCC) for externally co-funded agric programmes: • N26.54 million has been released for the Root and Tuber Expansion Programme (RTEP). • N74.8 million paid for the National Programme on Food Security (NPFS).
• Release of N2.9 million to the unit for the raising of transplantable oil, palm and coconut seedlings nurseries. The target is to replace all nonproductive and old species with improved seedlings.
• The distribution of 30,000 oil palm and 10,000 coconut seedlings at subsidized rates is ongoing at Amawbia and Nkwelle Ezunaka distribution centres.
• N71.3 million contributed for FADAMA III Project.
AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
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Governor Obi test-driving a tractor purchased by his government for increased agricultural yield in the State
» RESUSCITATION OF ABANDONED PROJECTS The Government is working tirelessly to resuscitate agric projects abandoned during previous administrations, these include: • The allocation of N1.5 million for the rehabilitation of the State Rice Project at Enugwu-Aborfuma in Orumba North Local Government Area. • Resuscitation of the moribund Anambra State Integrated Livestock Farm at Nkwelle Ezunaka under a public/private sector arrangement.
• Reactivation of the moribund fish farm at Ufuma through Private/ Public Partnership (PPP) with Ufuma Good Courage Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society Ltd. for accelerated fish production, job creation and entrepreneurship development.
• Conclusion of arrangements with the Federal Government for the take-over of the long-abandoned Omor Rice Mills/Project in Ayamelum LGA by Anambra State to effect its reactivation
• In keeping with the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the establishment of the Ethanol plant in the State, the reconstruction of Amansea-ebenebe Ugbenu-awba Ofemili Road is now in progress.
• Release of the sum of N5.5 million for surveying work on the CassavaBased Biomass Ethanol Project.
» ETHANOL PROJECT The Peter Obi Administration is facilitating the establishment of an ethanol project at Ebenebe and Ugbenu in Awka North Local Government Area:
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Governor Obi inspecting farm produce at the 2008 Agric Show
Tractors for mechanised agriculture: Governor Obi’s efforts to develop the Agric
Inspection of farm products at the 2007 Farmers Day Celebration
» AGRICULTURE FAIRS Since the inception of the present administration, there has been consistent Government support and funding of agric shows. Governor Peter Obi has made it a point of duty to attend these fairs and personally motivate the farmers.
» CAPACITY-BUILDING • About 500 farmers were recently trained on Fish Farming Techniques • The College of Agriculture is providing training for agricultural service providers under its ‘Job Creation and Entrepreneurship Development Programme.’
Governor Obi planting a tree during the Tree Planting Campaign in the State
AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
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The First Business Park (Financial Centre), Onitsha: providing quality accomodation for high-profile business enterprises in the commercial nerve centre of the State; the Second Onitsha Business Park is already in the offing.
COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY The knowledge and experience that His Excellency Peter Obi gained from a successful career in the private sector, is being put to good practice in the drive to boost the economy of Anambra State. The Government and the organised private sector are working as partners in this process. These efforts are premised on ANIDS, which is fast yielding results, as the state economy is now purpose driven and highly focused on sound economic policies aimed at making the state the economic hub of Nigeria. Some of these policies include the following:
Âť SME DEVELOPMENT AND A N2 BILLION SME INTERVENTIONFUND The state government has identified small and medium enterprises (SME) as a driver for industrial and economic growth. The development and support of small and medium sized enterprises is being vigorously pursued, especially so following the creation of a specialist department exclusively devoted to SME development issues.
The present administration has created an intervention fund of N2 billion for the benefit of small to medium sized enterprises in particular. Industrialists from the state are currently assessing the fund, under the administration of The Bank of Industry (BOI). A branch of BOI will soon be opening at Amawbia.
Âť INDUSTRIAL PARKS AND PROMOTION OF CLUSTERS After a careful assessment of the problem facing industries within the state, the present administration concluded that the best way to overcome some of these challenges would be through industrial parks and the promotion of clusters. This is structured under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) in which common facilities and infrastructures will be provided for entrepreneurial development within a given location.
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The State Government is currently working with The Bank of Industry and two other commercial banks towards the construction of an industrial park at Ozubulu and mechanic village complex at Obosi.
» MODERNIZATION OF EXISTING INDUSTRIAL ESTATES • The cost of the infrastructural development within the estate is approximately N3.5 billion. Similar infra- structural developments are expected at Awka and Nnewi Industrial Estates. •
The Harbour Industrial Estate Onitsha is receiving a massive facelift with the construction of a 15-kilometre dual carriage road with modern drains. The cost of the infrastructural development within the es tate is estimated at N3.5 billion.
» SECOND BUSINESS PARK (ICT):
Prototype of the ICT building at the second Onitsha Business Park: The establishment of the park is aimed at modernising business in the state, especially in Onitsha
It is noteworthy that the revenue raised from the leasing of the Financial Centre is now being re-invested into the Creation of a new Business Park targeted at ICT and Telecomm Companies.
» YOUTH EMPOWERMENT SCHEME ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND CAPACITY BUILDING “Taking Youths off the street/youth working for the future of the State” is the slogan for driving this project. A series of workshops/seminars have been organised, targeted at promoting SME entrepreneurial spirit, and engendering skill acquisition, self-employment, economic independence and self-actualization programmes for the youths. The programme is targeted at taking our youths off the streets by empowering them with the necessary skills and management techniques for profitable ventures.
Governor Peter Obi receiving equipment and materials for the establishment of a neem-based organic fertilizer industry at Amawbia
These workshops include: • Sources of fund and business improvement for SME’s • Boot camp programme: Secrets of Business Success
Governor Obi commissioning the first automated electronic stock exchange in South East Nigeria (Onitsha)
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» OJOTO SKILL ACQUISITION CENTRE
» CHILDREN’S AMUSEMENT PARK
This Skill Acquisition Centre was built by the Ojoto Community and handed over to the Ministry for the purposes of training the youths in various types of skills.
The State Government is currently working with a consor tium of investors from USA towards creating an amusement park/spa.
» INDUSTRIAL POLICY DOCUMENT 2007 This is a comprehensive industrial policy for the State to aid investors and assist industrialists in doing business in
the State. The document is a guide for establishing industry and business ventures in the State.
» MIXED DEVELOPMENT HOTEL RESORT PROJECT AT ONITSHA The State Government is partnering with private sector investors on the development of a modern hotel resort in Onitsha. The mixed development is a concept of Smart City (a mini city within a city). The projects will be carried out in phases and will incorporate: • The development of a 120-room world class hotel with a village square, • Conference/Convention Centre • A shopping mall (Shoprite, South African) • Luxury apartments and town houses • Office towers • A high end, gated estate with an installed card system. The State Government is acting as catalyst by providing
land and the needed funds to kick-start the project through an SPV to which Anambra State will take at least 20% of the equity. This is strictly a private sector driven project. The development when completed will boost tourism and the State’s economy and create the environment for commerce to thrive.
» STATE COUNCIL ON INDUSTRY (SCI) The State Council on Industry is the highest policy making body in the State in all matters relating to industries. The convocation of the Council on the 8th and 9th October
2007 was aimed at drawing up an industrial blueprint for the State and endorsing the industrial policy document
» FREE EXPORT ZONE PROJECT It is a major plan of the present administration to establish an oil and gas Free Export Zone in the Ogbaru area. This is to take advantage of the State’s proximity to the Niger Delta region and incentives of the National Policy on Local Content Programme in the oil and gas sector. This Ministry has since 2007 been dealing with the Federal Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) to realize the objective. As part of the preparation to launch the free zone, the
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Director of industry participated in a 21-day seminar recently held in China. The Hon. Commissioner and the Desk Officer (FTZ) participated in the Convention of Africa Free Zones Association held in Abuja from 4th to 5th November 2008. The license to operate the Free Zone is expected shortly from the Federal Government.
» FACILITATION OF REGISTRATION OF BUSINESS PREMISES FEES COLLECTION As part of its effort to boost IGR collection in the state, the present administration has provided three Ford Ranger 4 x 4 double-cabin vans for use by MCIT Divisional Trade Officers (DTOs) in their revenue drive, registration of business premises fees and renewal thereof. Prior to this,
these officers operated without vehicles and AIE. This affected their collection capacity. Business premises fees defaulters will now be prosecuted in the revenue courts within the State.
» REGISTRATION AND SUPERVISION OF COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES The Peter Obi Administration has encouraged the formation of co-operative societies as a weapon for poverty alleviation and grassroots mobilization. Between March
Prof. Amobi Ilika
Hon. Commissioner for Health
2006 and November 2008, this ministry registered 3549 Co-operative Societies. Professional supervision of the societies by the Ministry has also been intensified.
Dr. (Mrs.) Kay Onyechi
Hon. Commissioner for Education
Chief Godson Ezenagu
Hon. Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development
Chief Maja Umeh (Okwoaka Amichi) Hon. Commissioner for Information & Culture
Chima Philip Okafor Esq. Hon. Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Tourism
COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
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CREDITS The Invest in Anambra State digital book was prepared by Mr. Elonna Aguh +234 803 2470988 Editor: Sylvia Powell for the Henley Media Group
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