Gov Obi, UN Under Secretary-General Tour Anambra State

Gov. Obi said that his Government would continue to devote time and resources to the well-being of Anambra State, especially the poorest parts of the State that had been neglected over the years. He said this yesterday while receiving the UN Under Secretary- General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Coordinator,   Baroness  Valerie Amos  to Anambra State  at the Anambra State Governor’s Lodge, Onitsha.

After the reception at the Lodge,  the Governor, accompanied by EXCO members   took the Under-Secretary to areas affected by the last year flood disaster in the State. At the Central School Umueze-Anam, where the team meet with the people of Anambra West Local Government affected by the flood, the Governor assured them that the Government is reaching out to international communities to assist State in her determination to better the lots of the people of the State. The Governor explained o the visiting Under Secretary, the thrust of his Government,  fashioned after the Millennium Development Goals and anchored on Anambra Integrated  Development Strategy, by which his Government develops all sectors simultaneously. He said that his inspiration to work in mostly rural areas was borne out of poverty mapping which Anambra State pioneered in Nigeria. According to him, the mapping showed the poorest parts of the State, which, the cardinal point in his Government, was to  propel those areas being assimilated into other parts of the state through the provision of critical infrastructure to them. “Going by this philosophy, even when some people wanted to please me by choosing  my town of Agulu for the location of a health centre, I insisted it should be taken to places like Nmiata Anam that needed such facilities”, Obi said.

In her response, the UN Under Secretary, who expressed happiness and satisfaction at the zeal and commitment of the Governor to his people, assured that her office would  continue to assist the State in many areas. She said she was in the State to look at ways to continue to support the State from the effects of the flood and ways of improving the effectiveness of response to emergencies.  She said that her Office was ready to work with the State in medium and long term measures. The UNDP Country Representative to Nigeria, Daouda Toure accompanied her said that Anambra State under Governor Obi was an exemplary State that international agencies were happy to relate with. The Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Oseloka Obaze said that the visit would encourage the State on the so many challenges emanating from climate change that she faced.