For clinching the highest political trophy in Anambra State after many stints in academics and as a technocrat within and outside Nigeria, Governor Chukwuma Soludo, CFR, is bound to face myriads of challenges as expectations from Ndi Anambra.

Happily, the governor is aware of these challenges and he has girded his loins to tackle the problems. One of the major challenges facing him is the problem of insecurity. Take it or leave it, Anambra State is the epicenter of Igbo enterprise economy which has been bridled with viral insecurity.

It is expected that Soludo, whose name epitomizes the inscription, “follow the path of peace”, will use his unprecedented economic skills and political wizardry to enthrone peace in Anambra State.

Another problem is gully erosion, which has devastated and buried many homes and farmlands, as well as sent thousands of people to their untimely graves. Equally, many have become refugees in communities like Nanka, Oko, Agulu, Ekwulobia and some other areas plagued by erosion. As at the last count, there are over nine hundred active erosion sites in the state

Furthermore, Professor Soludo’s vision, of “one-mega-city-state”, may not be realized with the epileptic power supply in Anambra. The present and emerging industries springing up here and there cannot endure with the current energy crisis prevailing in the State.

Irregular power supply in Anambra State has adversely affected industrial establishments in areas like Nnewi and its neighbourhood, as well as Onitsha and Awka. Governor Soludo should find an alternative energy like gas, which is found in Igbariam, said to be the largest in Africa. This can be harnessed as the advantages are too numerous to mention.

Another area of utmost importance is roads. The new Chief Executive of Anambra State should construct link roads to all the communities in the State. As the people are into buying and selling, such road infrastructure will go a long way towards helping industrialists to invest in the rural areas. Meanwhile, the state of dilapidated roads in Anambra is becoming worrisome. Roads like the Oba-Nnewi-Ozubulu road; the Aguleri-Umueri-Nkwelle-Ezunaka-33-Onitsha road, the Nnobi-AwkaEtiti-Igboukwu-Isuofia-Ekwulobia road, the Aguleri-Nando-Anaku-Federal road, among others are death traps. One other area is youth unemployment. Youths in the State sincerely need jobs because an idle mind is the devil’s workshop.

Again, question like what happened to the Premier Breweries, the General Cotton Mills, the State owned soft-drinks factory, all in Onitsha, among others, will also prick the senses of the new governor. This will include the State Water Corporation and the State owned Ikenga Hotels, which are now ghosts in urban centres.

Ndi Anambra also expect that Governor Soludo should turn around the various General Hospitals in the State to be centres of excellence. Most of our General Hospitals are bereft of medical facilities with the environment overgrown with weeds, thus making the citizenry look up to private hospitals for medical attention. Some do not have adequate manpower to treat serious cases. Hence, the governor should ensure that General Hospitals are not reduced to mere consulting clinics because of negligence. He should declare a state of emergency on the health sector.

Professor Soludo should beware of sycophants and political harlots. Rather, he should try to engage critical stakeholders such as the civil society, civil service, market unions, traditional rulers, elders’ forum, youths and church organizations, to enable him govern effectively.

The saving grace, however, is that Soludo is a seasoned intellectual, an administrative guru and a distinguished technocrat. He has all the trappings of a transformational leader. This was seen in his antecedents.

Certainly, Ndi Anambra mostly expect him to chart a new course of sustained economic prosperity and unrivalled development of the State. No doubt, Professor Soludo will create that liveable and prosperous homeland that will be the industrial, technological and leisure hub of West Africa, which he envisioned in his manifesto.

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