I’m focused on governance, not competing with anyone – Soludo

Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has said that his focus is on improving governance and not competing with anyone.

He said this on Sunday in response to a remark by the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Kukah, during a thanksgiving mass celebrating Soludo’s three years in office at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Awka on Sunday.

Bishop Kukah, who praised Soludo’s leadership and the progress made in the state, urged the governor to avoid comparisons or competition with others, encouraging the people of Anambra to continue supporting Soludo in his aspirations for a prosperous and livable state.

“Governance is not about competition, but about consolidation,” Kukah said, noting that successive governors in Anambra had all made significant contributions to the growth of the state, each in their unique way.

In his response, Soludo reaffirmed his commitment to building upon the achievements of his predecessors rather than competing with them.

He said, “My Lord Bishop, we are not in competition with anyone. What we are doing is to improve on what the past governors have done, not to compete with them.”\

Soludo highlighted his efforts to improve infrastructure, education, and other sectors that contribute to the state’s development.

He also referenced the progress made under his leadership, stating that his government was working to create a competitive environment, not with past administrations, but with global standards such as the Dubai-Taiwan revolution.

He pointed to recent initiatives like the employment of over 8,000 teachers, not to compete with previous governors, but to align with the educational advancements happening globally.

“We are contesting against the revolution going around the world. When we employed over 3,000 teachers, it was not to compete against our past, but to compete with the revolution going on globally,” Soludo said. “Anambra has all it takes to achieve the Taiwan-Dubai dream.”

The governor also reflected on the state’s achievements in infrastructure, including improved road networks that now make previously inaccessible areas like Amansea and Ufuma accessible within 30 minutes.

He highlighted his administration’s efforts to reduce government expenditure, revealing that Anambra has only spent 65 percent of what previous administrations spent during their first three years in office.

“We are leading in the area of education, health, and other critical sectors,” Soludo said.

 He shared notable statistics, such as the provision of free ante-natal and delivery services to over 102,000 women, with a significant number coming from neighboring states.

Soludo also stressed the ongoing battle against insecurity, focusing on addressing its root causes and cleansing the state of criminals and fraudulent individuals.

He emphasised that Anambra’s vision is to become a prosperous, crime-free state where decent people thrive.

“We are taking the latest fight against insecurity by tackling it from the root,” he noted. “Anambra is known for its enterprise spirit, and that is where we are headed. If you know any criminal anywhere, just whisper to us, and we will come and pick them.”