Over time, the idea of 100 days in office has been used to measure the success or failure of governments.
While some schools of thought believe that 100 days should not be an ideal yardstick to establish the success or otherwise of a leader or government, others regard it as a functional device for measuring the strength of any government.
Typically, the ride into a new administration and execution of brand new policies may be initially resisted by some external forces, or like the Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Charles Soludo said, it could be bumpy.
Within its first 100 days in office, the administration of Governor Charles Soludo proclaimed a well-defined political and economic blueprint that is well applauded by a cross-section of stakeholders. Soludo, who marked his first 100 days in office in the month of June, 2022, with a state-wide briefing, said he looked forward to a better time ahead as governor of the state, while also pledging to fulfill every promise he made to the people of the state.
Charles Soludo has, within the space of 100 days in office, brought absolute calm and sanity to Anambra State which was almost on the verge of division, due to insecurity. The revered former Governor of the Apex Central Bank of Nigeria, who was viewed as an underdog – that can never achieve any great feat in the state has pulled surprises to the amusement of many. In a short while, he has achieved laudable landmarks which are not only remarkable but incredible!
As a gentle Financial expert, he was pregnant with a great vision for his dear state. Soludo made an entrance to the Government House in a grand style, soaring like an eagle that has defied the raging storms.
His administration has engaged in a headlong fight against insecurity. A major policy that topped the activities of the state government from March 17 when he was sworn in till date. This has yielded some huge results.
Speaking on the security challenges in the state, Soludo said: “I remind everyone who wants to commiserate with me that I duly applied for this job.
“We have launched a campaign to restore our homeland. Most people can attest that the grave insecurity is gradually being contained and we remain undaunted. Even as I speak to you now, something is going on in various communities in Anambra State.
“This administration is built on five pillars; our first pillar is security, law and order. We have created a new ministry, the Ministry of Homeland Affairs, which has also unveiled the security and emergency crack team. We have embarked upon mobilisation, sensitisation and worked with clergymen and others to mobilise the people against insecurity.
Indeed, the people of Anambra are united in fighting against the lucrative criminal enterprise and idolatrous acts. With his administration’s efforts, the criminals have been exposed in their hiding places and the people are leading the fight and changing the narrative.Soludo’s government declared war on them and the government is determined to deal with it.
“It took years for criminality to take root, and we have a long way to ensure we stop it. No bushes, forest or home will accommodate criminals in Anambra,” Soludo explained.
Soludo’s administration seems to get its act together, a certainty that it will leave behind enduring legacies after his administration.
“I am not a fan of marking 100 days in office. I prefer to give you an annual report and we look forward to the first one in March next year.
“The last 100 days has been very bumpy and challenging. It has been a case of so far, so bumpy, but so good. Everyday, we work 24 hours to ensure that we do not disappoint you. We have resolved that we must do that to make you happy and proud.”
Soludo is a testimony that, it is possible for a government to begin well and also finish well. From the outset, Soludo had pledged to model his government to suit the dynamics of Anambra State. True to his words, Soludo assiduously Kickstartered work to realize his vision.
Soludo launched a campaign to restore the Anambra homeland. His administration is built on five pillars; security, law and order being the first.
His administration created a new ministry, the Ministry of Homeland Affairs, which has also unveiled the security and emergency crack team. The team has embarked upon mobilisation, sensitisation and worked with clergymen and others to mobilise the people against insecurity. To date, his populist policies and programs have endeared him to all and sundry.
Speaking on difficulties, specifically Soludo has decried the worrisome zero oil revenue to deal with the challenges facing his government and governance systems in the state.
Soludo said, “The last 100 days have been bumpy and challenging as expected with insecurity and red treasury being the most impossible. Since February 2022, the contribution of oil revenue from the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited to the federation account has been zero and many states have difficulty paying salaries.
“The declining revenue and the context of insecurity and over N20 billion in the areas of gratuity to pensioners since 2018 as well as the sky-high expectations from you, our employers are then inevitable.
“We have spent the last 100 days addressing some key foundational issues, part of which are to make some key appointments, mobilise the people of the state to take back the state from criminals, domestic and comprehensive attack on criminals, reverse the 2022 budget, declaration of a state of emergency on roads and traffic and preparation to commission over 220 kilometres of road constructions”, he said.
Leaving out the challenges he may be facing, Soludo’s jet-like start are indicators that he has started well and also may end gloriously.
From every indication, Governor Charles Soludo has demonstrated that he is working assiduously to surpass the enviable model of his predecessors who started well and finished well.
Within 100 days, Governor Charles Soludo has pervaded the state beyond expectation, bringing succor to the less privileged, heeding the cries of the citizens while he’s been found contributing valuable initiatives towards making Anambra State economically-splendorous.
With a view to empower more Anambrans, Governor Chukwuma Soludo has said his administration will not relent in empowering the poor and vulnerable people across the 181 communities in the state.
His vision validates his political manifesto to produce one thousand millionaires every year under his administration.
Recently, he launched the disbursement of about fifty-five million naira, to five poor and vulnerable communities in the state, noting that the empowerment programme has no political undertone.
One of the objectives of the Soludo-led government is to bring development and social amenities as well as increased human capital resources to the rural areas.
The Governor has said more funds will be released to the coordinating units to ensure the full scale of the programme to all 181 communities that constitute Anambra State.Soludo’s approach to governance being Public-Private Partnership-driven would also go down history line as one of his many strategies that have proved to be effective in the efficient delivery of results that are beyond expectation. Since his days at CBN, Soludo is known as a go-getter that cannot be despised as he shatters ceilings in every sector. He is successfully shelving away bottlenecks in the State, to ensure ease of doing business.
From what it has achieved thus far, the Soludo administration is certainly poised to realize its vision of a Greater Anambra State.
Olamide Adeniji is a member of the editorial team of TheScript Newspaper
