Victor Ezeja
ONE of the Governorship candidates in the November 6 election in Anambra, Dr. Chidozie Nwankwo of African Action Congress (AAC) has said part of his focus in seeking to be governor is to make the state an enviable industrial hub such that it becomes the ‘Japan of Africa’.
Nwankwo stated this while participating in a governorship debate organized by Prime Business Africa on Saturday evening.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe debate came under the special edition of Prime Business Africa’s Socio-Economic and Entrepreneurship Development (SEEDS) which focuses on addressing socio-economic issues in Nigeria and Africa in general, and was on the topic “Anambra 2021: Security and Economy in Focus”, to enable candidates present to the public how they would address security and economic issues in the state for overall development if elected.
Nwankwo said his mission in the governance of the state is to usher in a new dawn of development projects that would take the state to an enviable height.
The AAC flag bearer said he also has the goal of facilitating the development of oil and gas resources which the state is endowed with under Anambra Basin, as a way of improving the economy of the state to help make it become one of the major revenue earners in Nigeria through derivation which according to him, the state is not currently benefiting from.
Nwankwo who has been in the oil and gas business for many years, said he would leverage his knowledge and experience in the sector to help develop the resources to also meet energy demands both in the state and beyond.
He promised to translate his over 35 years of business experience in establishing entrepreneurship ventures to help create many jobs and generally improve the economy of the state which is predominantly a business environment.
In his closing remark in the debate, the business mogul revealed that he would also offer what he called “integrity capital” which according to him is lacking in the governance of the state.
Nwankwo who hails from Ifite village in Oko, Orumba North Local Government Area of the State, had earlier during the primaries, contested under All Progressives Congress (APC) but defected to AAC following his inability to clinch governorship ticket in APC.
Few participants in the debate however raised eyebrows when Nwankwo stated that he would bring over 300 expatriates to work in some of the landmarks he plans to establish in the state amid the rising unemployment rate in the country.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
