Chinedum Treasure
Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra state has urged people of the state to take ownership of government projects.
He said for his administration’s development agenda to succeed, residents must move beyond being spectators and become stakeholders who protect, maintain, and defend public infrastructure in their communities
Inaugurating a group, Ka Anyi Dozie Anambra Volunteers and Ambassadors Network (KADAVAN), the governor, represented by his Deputy, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim said government alone cannot deliver sustainable development without participation of the people.
He said, “While the governor and the commissioners are building, we need to take ownership of the projects. This is the kind of forum where we ask ourselves what we want to do because posterity will never forget you.
“The value system is gone. We can’t continue doing the same thing and expect different results. That is why I like this kind of organisations because they value change.”
Describing the group as a volunteer and values-driven network with critical role to play in sensitizing communities, mobilizing citizens and protecting government infrastructure from vandalism and misuse, Soludo urged members to serve as ambassadors of the administration’s agenda in their local government areas.
Commissioner for Information and Value Reorientation, Dr. Law Mefor said the State was making history with the new drive to reform societal values.
Describing as deliberate inclusion of “Value Reorientation” in the ministry’s mandate, the commissioner called on residents to cooperate to build a better state, saying “it is time for citizens to stand up and be counted.
“The reorientation became necessary because “a lot has gone wrong” in the state. There are practices and abominations that had lingered for too long and must be addressed.
“The Governor’s investment in physical infrastructure will be wasted if the people failed to use them properly,” he said.
Mefor also expressed concern over high number of non-indigenes among apprentices in Onitsha Main Market, attributing it to youths’ preference for quick money, which he described as a major concern to the governor.
He disclosed that the ministry had set up a technical committee and would adopt the “carrot and stick approach” to restore the virtues Anambra was known for as the state of Azikiwe, Ojukwu and Anyaoku, adding that KADAVAN had already been enlisted as part of the technical committee.
Managing Director, Anambra State Civic and Social Reformation Office, ANCISRO, Sir Chuka Nnabuife said supporting governor’s projects was not just about politics, but about ensuring investments in security, infrastructure, youth empowerment, and value reorientation yield long-term benefits for Ndi Anambra.
Dean of Student Affairs, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Prof. Kingsley Ubaoji, called for unity and collective action as the panacea for building a greater Anambra State.
Earlier, Founder/General Coordinator of KADAVAN, Comrade Okechukwu Cyril-Nwuche, said the network was informed by the conviction that building a greater state cannot be left to government alone.
He noted that every citizen, community, professional body and organization has a role to play in shaping the future of the state.
According to him, KADAVAN seeks to mobilize, educate and empower Ndi Anambra at home and in the diaspora to become ambassadors for development, good governance, entrepreneurship, peace, security and values reformation.
Cyril-Nwuche charged young people to see themselves as partners and not just beneficiaries of development.
“The future of Anambra will be determined by the quality of character, ideas, enterprises and leadership that we cultivate today,” he said.
He commended the Governor for his visionary leadership and for inspiring a new spirit of responsible citizenship, innovation and collective participation in the state.
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