…As Anambra guber aspirants assure AFI of attention to major towns
The Academic Frontiers Initiative (AFI), a group of lecturers in tertiary institutions, has reinstated its commitment towards the support for good governance.
The group said it would act as a gadfly that would not only join in pointing out incidences of bad governance in any administration, but prescribing what should be done to get it right in terms of good policies.
The group also said it would interface with those desirous of public posts to ensure that the best among them emerges.
In a release made available to the media, on Sunday, and signed by its National Coordinator, Dr. Chinedu Onyeizugbe; the National Secretary, Dr. Tochukwu Oguegbe and their Anambra State Coordinator, Dr. Uche Ngenegbo, the group said that governance has been bastardised in Nigeria and that everyone should show interest in governance using their peculiar capacities.
The group, which has had several meetings with those aspiring to become governor in Anambra State in 2021, said they were happy meeting with the APC candidate, Chief George Moghalu and PDP candidates, Hon. Chris Azubogu as well as Dr. Ifedi Okwenna.
According to AFI, the efforts of the past and present administrations should be encouraged, improved and sustained.
The group recalled that during the last administration, the UN-Habitat helped the State to prepare structural plans for Awka, Onitsha and Nnewi, which were already being implemented to the extent that the same UN Habitat, in 2010, pronounced Onitsha as among the most growing cities in the world, following the desilting of Sacamori and Nwangege drains, the restoration of the Habour Industrial Park, rebuilding and cleaning of the Bridge Head as well as the construction of all the roads within the GRA.
Chief Moghalu, among other issues according to the group, decried the dirty state of Onitsha as a commercial centre and promised to pay adequate attention to the city and equip the town with suitable environment fit as one of the major commercial hubs of the state.
He further pointed out that his administration would revamp the water scheme of the state using his experience as the Managing Director, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA).
The group also revealed that in its meeting with Dr. Ifedi Okwenna and Hon.Chris Azubogu, both promised to explore their wealth of experiences working with the former governor, Mr. Peter Obi in ensuring better Anambra State when elected. Hon Azubogu noted that his ten years experience as a federal legislator and the various committees he has served in , equips him with requisite skills to govern the state effectively if elected.
Dr. Ifedi Okwenna, on his part, said he would explore his position as a Commissioner for Environment under whom Onitsha was cleaned during Peter Obi’s administration.
On the forthcoming Edo and Ondo gubernatorial elections, the group vowed to use the network of its membership spread across the federation to work for free and fair election.
