By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, has urged Anambra indigenes residing in Lagos to return to the state and invest, adding that investing in the State will be in their own best interest.

Thegovernor made the appeal during a town hall meeting with Anambra indigenes trading in Lagos.

He also enumerated some of the progress so far made by his administration after a year in office.

Soludo who was said to have sounded philosophical during his speech at the event said that God couldn’t have made a mistake by making them Anambra indigenes.

He enjoined them to reflect deeply on it and do everything possible to contribute to the growth of the state, adding: “This is the same question I ask myself everyday. And we have a responsibility to leave Anambra State better than we met.”

The Governor emphasized the need to change Anambra State from a departure lounge to a destination point, stressing that the homeland consciousness must be inculcated in the perceptual-mind of every Onye-Anambra.

He said: “Your host will never respect you if you don't have a livable and prosperous homeland”.

Speaking on the chaotic nature of Onitsha, Soludo assured the audience that his government is determined to resurrect Onitsha by returning it back to its former glory as the biggest commercial city in the South East and beyond.

On security-related issues, the Governor maintained that his administration has drastically reduced the menace of killings and kidnapping to the barest minimum with the security architecture put in place by his government.

He commended the security forces – the Army, Navy, Police, the States Vigilante Group and other paramilitary agencies – for their dogged efforts in contributing to the successes recorded so far.

The Governor also told his audience that the first order of business is law and order and reassured them that law and order has been greatly restored in the state compared to the impunity that held sway before he came into office.

He also reassured that more roads will be flagged off in addition to the over 300 kilometers of roads already flagged off and are in various stages of completion.

To boost power supply in the state, Governor Soludo stated that his government recently signed an MOU with EEDC for a 24hrs supply of electricity in the state.

He however enjoined anyone who is interested in collaborating with his government to set up Independent Power Plant in the state is welcome to do so.

On transportation, Governor Soludo reassured that his government is working towards the introduction of rail services; both light and sky rail, to improve the transportation system in the state.

On health and education,he reassured of adequate human capital investments being put in place with the recent employment of 5,000 teachers and over 300 medical personnel to end the pathetic eras of schools without teachers and hospitals without Doctors and Nurses.

The Governor decried the menace of gully erosion and flooding ravaging the state, assuring that efforts are being exerted to control it.

He informed the audience that Anambra Investment Summit will be coming up soon in September this year, urging every business conscious Ndi-Anambra to join the rest of the world at the summit. He added that the summit will be “all about closing deals” and agreements’ signing.

“Anambra is loading and the options are open,” Governor Soludo further reassured.

Concluding, Soludo appealed to Ndi-Anambra to always think home by imbibing the ‘homeland consciousness’ and to alsoensure that part of their taxes are paid to the state, irrespective of where they reside or work, adding that this is the only way they can contribute to the state’s development.”

Others who spoke at the occasion commended the efforts and doggedness of theGovernor in completely turning the state around.

The event featured key Anambra businessmen and women as well members of the State Executive Council.