Indigenes of Anambra State living in the United States, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom and South Africa have collectively conferred the “People’s Choice Award” on the governor of the state, Chief Willie Obiano for an excellent performance in his first 100 days in office.
The indigenes, who came together under the umbrella of Anambra State Association (ASA), conferred the award on Governor Obiano at a dinner at the Governor’s Lodge, Awka held in honour of the Anambra State Association in the United States of America (ASA-USA) Women’s Wing, who had been in the state on a medical mission.
Conferring the award on Chief Obiano, the President of ASA World, Dr. Nwachukwu Anakwenze commended the governor for his outstanding performance in office in 100 days and for turning the tide against hoodlums that had hitherto grounded all development efforts in the state.
He said Governor Obiano’s performance had inspired confidence, pointing out that ASA World would do whatever it could to give him the support he needed to expand the frontiers of development in the state.
Dr. Anakwenze stated that with Obiano’s purposeful leadership, Anambra would soon regain its pride of place as a frontline state in Nigeria and the pride of the Igbo race. He urged Ndi Anambra at home and in the Diaspora to come together and lend a hand in the ongoing efforts by the Obiano administration to fast track development in the state.
Leaders of the association in the UK, Canada, Japan and South Africa spoke in the same vein, assuring the governor of their support to move the state forward, while the President of ASA South Africa, Mr. Frank Anyeche used the opportunity to announce that his branch of the association had set up a scholarship for the best secondary school students from each of the 21 local government areas of the state.
Mr. Anyeche explained that the gesture was to support the governor’s efforts in revamping the education sector in the state.
Speaking in a similar vein, the President of ASA-USA, Women’s Wing, Dr. (Mrs) Uche Umeh announced that the group was planning to build a world-class cancer centre in Awka, the state capital for which the state government had already provided land. She commended the administration for its proactive measures to reposition the state.
Dr. (Mrs) Umeh pointed out that the association would partner with investors to fund the project as part of a comprehensive plan to tackle the cancer scourge and provide relief to the victims, while calling for calibration of the mammography machines at Amaku, Awka and Onitsha General Hospitals to facilitate easy screening of breast cancer.
She explained that their medical mission covered seven towns across the state, with about 5,000 patients benefitting from their free medical services, which, she said, focused on cancer screening, surgery and enlightenment to create awareness on preventive measures. She added that women with lumps were admitted to the hospital for a surgical intervention.
Speaking on the award conferred on him, Governor Obiano thanked the members of ASA World for considering him worthy of the honour. The governor assured them that the gesture would spur him on to raise his standard and lift the state to a higher level of development.
