…Thursday Now Solution Vanguard Day
By Mmaduabuchi Onwumelu
The state and twenty-one local government areas executive members of the Solution Vanguard Support Group, an initiative of the Local Government Service Commission (LGSC), have been inaugurated in Awka, the Anambra State Capital.
Addressing over 500 people at the Commission’s headquarters, the Convener of the group and Chairman of LGSC, Barrister Vin-Ifeanyi Ezeaka, paid a glowing tribute to the Governor of Anambra State, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, for what he called his fatherly love and care for LG workers and also for the developmental strides across the state.
He disclosed that the idea of floating the support group was mooted by the workers themselves, saying that when they brought the idea before him, he had no other choice but to support and encourage them.
According to the LGSC boss, the local government workers interfaced and related with the rural dwellers on a daily basis and would do more in spreading the message of the Governor’s re-election more than any other group or individual, charging the newly inaugurated executives to live above board and work towards achieving the core mandate given to them.
‘I thank Mr. Governor for this opportunity. Local government workers are truly out to effect the needed changes and ensure landslide victory for the workers’ friendly Governor of Anambra State. This is a litmus test for all of us. Let us go out there and prove to Mr. Governor that we are more than capable and also to prove that we are not an ingrates.
‘The beauty of the vision is that workers who are not party members initiated the move by themselves, sponsored it by themselves and were ready to protest if the Governor refused to run for a second tenure.
‘I urge you all to go back to your various council areas and propagate the gospel of the Governor’s good work. The Commission will from now on, recognize every Thursday as Solution Vanguard Day by putting on their customised Solution T-shirts,’ he said.
Unveiling the car and bus solution stickers produced by the members of Solution Vanguard Support Group, the Special Adviser to Governor Chukwuma Soludo on Political Matters, Dr Alex Obiogbolu, noted that Governor Soludo inherited a backlog of pension and gratuities up to 2014 but had paid up to 2019, and was also paying the ones due in his administration, even as he lauded LG workers for identifying with the present administration.
In her acceptance speech, the State Coordinator of LGSC Solution Vanguard Support Group and Member 4, Hon. Antonia Tabansi-Okoye, expressed delight with the turnout, assuring that she would rally all the state and LG executives towards achieving the set objectives, noting that the Governor had made the job easier for them with what she described as his visible projects. She promised that the group would not leave any stone unturned.
The ex-lawmaker who is the major driver of the initiative, commended the Governor for what she further described as his all-inclusive government, saying that the prompt payment of workers’ salaries, gratuities, and pensions, above all the infrastructural developments; employment of teachers and health workers, had endeared him to the people’s hearts.
Inaugurating the State Executive of Solution Vanguard, the Anambra State Chairman of APGA, Chief Ifeatu Obi-Okoye, represented by his Deputy, Prince Paul Uzor, prayed God to fulfill the aspirations of the workers by granting the Governor success in the November 8 gubernatorial election in the state, noting that their support group was a noble one.
Inaugurating the Local Government Area executives, the Member I of Anambra State Local Government Service Commission (LGSC), Hon Azubuike Okoye, stated that Prof Chukwuma Soludo had no known opposition in the next gubernatorial election in the state.
Hon Okoye, who is the former President General of Agulu Community and the former member representing Anaocha I State Constituency in the Anambra State House of Assembly, enjoined the pioneer excos to drive the agenda down to their various localities, stating that they (State of the LGSC) were closer to the grassroots and stood a better chance of communicating and interfacing with those in the rural areas, adding that the message was to ensure that the Solution Agenda got to all nooks and crannies of all the kindreds, villages and towns.
