By Jude Atupulazi
The Guber Candidate of Young Progressives Party, YPP, Sir Paul Chukwuma, has said he is on a mission to rescue Anambra State from further decay. Chukwuma, a foremost educationist, who stated this during an interactive session with the University Community at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Tuesday, themed: ”Midday Interaction with the Academics of Higher Institutions in Anambra State”, which held at the ASUU Secretariat, said the essence of the interaction was to identify the problem, interrogate it, and proffer solution. He identified the major problem as insecurity and blamed the Anambra Government for looking away while hoodlums trod roughshod over the people.
He said it was the responsibility of the sitting Government of Prof Chukwuma Soludo to address insecurity but regretted that despite getting N4b monthly as security vote, the government misapplied it. He said the police, army, civil defence, DSS and vigilante were not receiving anything.
Chukwuma also said the FG had never failed to send funds to the government for security but that the State Government did nothing, relying rather on his own security as an emperor.
He said he had a comprehensive security plan which would involve forming a security committee comprising all the LGs in the state that would liaise with conventional security agencies. This, he said, would also involve building a security map and utilize security money from FG to solve security problems.
He alleged that the state had got over N200b security vote from the FG so far without verifiable results.
Chukwuma who accused the Soludo Government of being far removed from the people, attributed the problems experienced in the third tier of Government as beingcaused by insecurity, promising to install CCTV cameras everywhere to combat crime. This was even as he stressed need for sincere community policing.
In education he promised to build teachers’ quarters in every community to alleviate their suffering and prioritize their welfare, noting that his development blueprint would be anchored on his Three-Point Agenda under the acronym of ”HIS” (Human capital development, Infrastructure and Security).
Said LGs would be allowed to function maximally, building roads and doing other things while the state would ensure that things went well.
Accused Soludo of building a flyover to nowhere, insisting that flyovers must lead to somewhere. He regretted that the businesses of people in Ekwulobia had been destroyed for nothing because of the flyover.
He also pledged to reintroduce and modernize the Igbo apprenticeship system and integrating it into the broader economic framework of the state.
‘If elected, I will initiate a comprehensive N200b Apprenticeship empowerment scheme aimed at reinvigorating the Igba Boi model. Markets like Onitsha Main Market and Nkwo Nnewi have served as real-life universities, empowering thousands. We will build on that legacy,’ Chukwuma said.
He further stated that under his government, youths who complete their apprenticeship programmes would be eligible to access start-up capital, enabling them to contribute meaningfully to the local economy.
‘The funds will serve as revolving capital, not handouts. Beneficiaries will access loans to establish their businesses and are expected to repay so others can benefit as well. This will create a sustainable economic cycle,’ he stated
Chukwuma argued that academic qualifications should not be the only criteria for leadership in the state, emphasizing that experience in managing businesses and people was critical.
‘If you’ve never run a business, you have no business leading Anambra State. The state is not a thesis project. It requires real-world management skills,’ he said.
