By Ikeuognna Eleke
Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, has approved the renaming of Anambra State Association of Town Unions (ASATU) to Anambra State Town Union Council (ASTUC).
The Governor made the pronouncement during a meeting with the Presidents General of the 179 communities in the state, at the Governor’s Lodge, Amawbia, last Saturday. He also appointed Sir Vin Dike, the President General of Oraifite Improvement Union, as the Chairman of the Council.
He emphasized the critical role of Presidents General as public servants elected to perform specific duties for the government in their respective communities. He cited the need for them to function as a statutory council, rather than a mere association which ASATU had always stood for.
Meanwhile, the newly appointed Chairman of ASTUC, Sir Vin Dike, has pledged to work with Governor Chukwuma Soludo to ensure peace and security in various communities in the state.
Dike, in his maiden interview with journalists in his country home in Oraifite, said: ‘We will streamline our processes and we as a council will partner the Traditional Rulers Council, to work with the governor to ensure peace in communities.
‘ASTUC will work with government. Already, through the Homeland Security Law, the PGs have been empowered as chief security officers of communities, and are responsible for security in the communities. What we will do is to work with the governor to tackle insecurity, and you may know that the governor is also backing us with intelligence, foot soldiers on ground and many more.
“If you watch, you will see that the partnership we have with government is already yielding results, what my leadership will do is to take it a notch higher. We will arrange trainings and seminars for new Presidents General, so as to acquaint them with our workings and how they can synergize with government to improve the security of their communities.’
Speaking about the achievements of the Governor, Dike said: ‘Soludo has done what no other Governor has done in Anambra State and you know that ASTUC on 29 March endorsed him for a second term. His road infrastructure is second to none. In terms of education, health, you need to see what the man has done in these areas, including employment of teachers and doctors.
‘To speak about his achievements in Oraifite, I can tell you that in the last 18 years, we have never seen the presence of government in Oraifite, but through him, we now have several projects here, including the recently flagged off Smart School at Oraifite and the Nkwo to Nkwo Road among others.
‘Come November 8, I will be among those shouting from the rooftops campaigning for him because the man has shown that he knows what he is doing and does not only speak, but shows what he has done.’
Speaking about his emergence, the chairman said: My emergence is a combination of both surprise and preparation. We were preparing for election and I was a contestant, but when we met the Governor, in his wisdom he reviewed the foundation of the ASATU and changed its name to ASTUC so that it can work, not as an association, but a statutory council and he appointed me the chairman.
So, even though I was prepared for the job. I was also surprised that I was appointed by the governor.’
