The Anambra State Governor, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, as part of activities to mark his two years in office, appeared on a Channels TV programme, Politics Today with Seun, where he answered questions about his stewardship in Anambra State within the time frame.

The Progressives Media, having monitored the half-hour programme, is constrained to respond to many of the fallacious assertions from Mr Governor.

First, we take exception to his many false allusions to the huge FAAC receipt received by the state since June last year when the naira was floated the Naira. Failing to justify his poor performance despite huge resources, the governor sought to blame inflation for his poor performance even when evidence did not support such claims.

When prodded by Seun on what he has been able to achieve with the increased FAAC revenues that have doubled in recent months, Mr Governor sought to dribble his way using jaundiced economic terms carefully created to confuse

While we acknowledge the effect of inflation on the purchasing power of the naira, we maintain that a FAAC jump from a monthly allocation of N4 billion in March 2022 when Soludo came into the office to N10 billion as of February 2024 represents a leap even when adjusted for annual inflation within the two years.

Calculating the impact of inflation on revenue is not so complex. Assuming an inflation rate of 30%, the N10b accruing to Anambra state would amount to about N7b in the real term. This still amounts to a 75% increase on the previous receipt.

Curiously, Mr. Governor forgot to account for the local government funds, which he has continued to spend without appropriation and accountability.

We strongly disagree with Mr. Governor’s statement and his attempt to use ambiguous data to deny the increased value of the FAAC revenue accruing to the state. For the avoidance of doubt, the FAAC revenue under the watch of Mr Governor has increased by 75% in real terms and not less than 20% as he wants us to believe.

Having established this, we are compelled to demand that the governor immediately begin to pay the wage award of N30,000 to civil servants in the states as agreed between the Labour Unions and the government. It is necessary to reiterate that the Government of Gov. Soludo, despite receiving an increased FAAC receipt amounting to 75% in real terms, has yet to create any form of coverage for poor Ndi Anambra who are being crushed by the hyperinflation.

Despite the allocations of funds for CNG buses to the states by the FG to reduce the cost of transportation, Anambra has yet to purchase any or offer any alternatives to suffering Ndi Anambra.

While the governor continues to boast of presiding over the most austerity government ever, we would wish to remind him that he is not yet accountable to Ndi Anambra and can’t be a judge in his case. Until he renders the account of the LGA funds and that of FAAC, we seek that he quits the deliberate self-glorification of running an austerity government.

AnambraDeserveBetter

24MonthsOfSoludo

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