Anambra West And The Politics Of Electioneering Year
Anambra West A forgotten Local Government Area
Anambra West Local Government Area was created in December 1996 by the Government of Gen. Sani Abacha with the headquarters at Nzam. The local government is located at a peninsula bounded by Anambra River in the east, River Niger in the west and South while Kogi state at the northern side.
The local government is inhabited by Igbo and Igala speaking tribes respectively. The local government has a large deposit of crude oil and natural gas as well as fertile land for Agriculture. The local government is tagged the food basket of Anambra State.
The local government due to it's large population of little above 40,000 has been a beautiful bride to politicians who besiege her at election times to secure votes but abandon the area after they have won election.
The local government in the past has produced several politicians such as past Deputy Governors, Speaker of old Anambra State house of Assembly, house of Reps members, federal Minister and Commissioners therefore do not lack human capacity as well.
The local Government since inception and inspite of the mineral, agricultural, and human potentials has been neglected by both the state and federal government in the following areas:
Electricity
The Local government has remained the only Local government area in Anambra state yet to be connected to the National grid. In 2000, the government of Chinwoke Mbadinuju awarded a contract for the electrification of the local government to messers Leonard Chukwudebelu and Co Ltd. The project never saw the light of the day as only Umueze Anam was connected without being energized. In 2005 the government of Dr. Chris Ngige energized that of Umueze Anam but it collapsed almost immediately and since then there was no light until in 2015 when Chief Willie Obiano brought the agu awka substation line to Aguleri. It took the development union of Umueze Anam contributions to extend the light to Umueze Anam.
Shortly before Mr Peter Obi handed over to Willie Obiano, another contract to connect Anambra West to the National grid was awarded to Paulock Ltd. The contract never saw the light of the day as the working Gov. Willie Obiano commissioned a generator powered light at Miata Anam in 2015. The light went off as the Gov left Miata this angered the people and they took the contractor to efcc as the Anambra State Public Utilities failed to act. The area has no light till date. The contractor one Nnamdi Okonkwo pocketed N300 Million without doing anything.
Road.
The local government which is located in a low plain area of both Niger and Anambra River brain is usually flooded during the rainy season thereby making the area not noticeable during the period. For this reason road construction has eluded the area as Dr Chris put it while he was a governor "road construction in Anambra west is a waste of fund as the area is not viable, has no economic impact and do not connect anywhere" this was a thank you comment from Nigeria after voting massively for him to become the Governor. The Local government will be eternally grateful to Dr Chuba Okadigbo for giving them bridge and Mr Peter Obi for giving the area a solid road from Umueze Anam to Miata Anam. The people is praying fervently that the working Governor extends the road to Nzam to connect the local government headquarters to Anambra state. Currently the headquarters is being linked from Illah in Delta State. People from other communities in the Local government will have to travel for four hours through Onitsha to Illah in Delta State. This led to the relocation of the local government business to Umueze Anam since top government officials cannot access the local government. The federal road which is supposed to link Anambra to Abuja and reduce the travel time from onitsha to Abuja from 8hours to 4hours has since been abandoned by the federal government because the representative at both the Senate and house of representatives has failed to fulfill their campaign promises to the area.
Social Amenities
The local government lacks social amenities such as hospital, there is no General hospital in the entire local government area, the Primary health centres are abandoned with no doctors, nurses, and other health workers. The people travel to Onitsha for medical treatment, those who could not resort to the services of quacks hence the reason for high infant and maternal mortality rate in the area. The community is highly vulnerable to water borne diseases due to lack of sanitation and sewage disposal. There are several occasions of outbreak of epidermic such as cholera in the area.
The people of Anambra West heaved a sigh of relief when their brother Chief Willie Obiano assumed power as the Governor of Anambra State. They were happy because they taught that he will continue from where Mr Peter Obi stopped. They prayed that the road from Miata to Nzam will be completed, they taught Miata-Umuenwelum-Onono will be a dream come true. They hoped that Nzam will be connected to Inoma. They boasted that electricity will be connected up o Nzam. When the Umueze Anam-Eziagulu you Aguleri link road to the oil rigs was awarded they were happy thinking that the spur to Iyiora will be awarded too but they watched as he road goes o Aguleri without meeting Iyiora.
Another election year is here again and the beautiful bride shall be courted by aspirants, the local government will be open to accept anybody who has shown strong commitment to the challenges facing the area.
Hon. Okechukwu Onyeaka from Miata Anam.
Anambra West Local Government Area was created in December 1996 by the Government of Gen. Sani Abacha with the headquarters at Nzam. The local government is located at a peninsula bounded by Anambra River in the east, River Niger in the west and South while Kogi state at the northern side.
The local government is inhabited by Igbo and Igala speaking tribes respectively. The local government has a large deposit of crude oil and natural gas as well as fertile land for Agriculture. The local government is tagged the food basket of Anambra State.
The local government due to it's large population of little above 40,000 has been a beautiful bride to politicians who besiege her at election times to secure votes but abandon the area after they have won election.
The local government in the past has produced several politicians such as past Deputy Governors, Speaker of old Anambra State house of Assembly, house of Reps members, federal Minister and Commissioners therefore do not lack human capacity as well.
The local Government since inception and inspite of the mineral, agricultural, and human potentials has been neglected by both the state and federal government in the following areas:
Electricity
The Local government has remained the only Local government area in Anambra state yet to be connected to the National grid. In 2000, the government of Chinwoke Mbadinuju awarded a contract for the electrification of the local government to messers Leonard Chukwudebelu and Co Ltd. The project never saw the light of the day as only Umueze Anam was connected without being energized. In 2005 the government of Dr. Chris Ngige energized that of Umueze Anam but it collapsed almost immediately and since then there was no light until in 2015 when Chief Willie Obiano brought the agu awka substation line to Aguleri. It took the development union of Umueze Anam contributions to extend the light to Umueze Anam.
Shortly before Mr Peter Obi handed over to Willie Obiano, another contract to connect Anambra West to the National grid was awarded to Paulock Ltd. The contract never saw the light of the day as the working Gov. Willie Obiano commissioned a generator powered light at Miata Anam in 2015. The light went off as the Gov left Miata this angered the people and they took the contractor to efcc as the Anambra State Public Utilities failed to act. The area has no light till date. The contractor one Nnamdi Okonkwo pocketed N300 Million without doing anything.
Road.
The local government which is located in a low plain area of both Niger and Anambra River brain is usually flooded during the rainy season thereby making the area not noticeable during the period. For this reason road construction has eluded the area as Dr Chris put it while he was a governor "road construction in Anambra west is a waste of fund as the area is not viable, has no economic impact and do not connect anywhere" this was a thank you comment from Nigeria after voting massively for him to become the Governor. The Local government will be eternally grateful to Dr Chuba Okadigbo for giving them bridge and Mr Peter Obi for giving the area a solid road from Umueze Anam to Miata Anam. The people is praying fervently that the working Governor extends the road to Nzam to connect the local government headquarters to Anambra state. Currently the headquarters is being linked from Illah in Delta State. People from other communities in the Local government will have to travel for four hours through Onitsha to Illah in Delta State. This led to the relocation of the local government business to Umueze Anam since top government officials cannot access the local government. The federal road which is supposed to link Anambra to Abuja and reduce the travel time from onitsha to Abuja from 8hours to 4hours has since been abandoned by the federal government because the representative at both the Senate and house of representatives has failed to fulfill their campaign promises to the area.
Social Amenities
The local government lacks social amenities such as hospital, there is no General hospital in the entire local government area, the Primary health centres are abandoned with no doctors, nurses, and other health workers. The people travel to Onitsha for medical treatment, those who could not resort to the services of quacks hence the reason for high infant and maternal mortality rate in the area. The community is highly vulnerable to water borne diseases due to lack of sanitation and sewage disposal. There are several occasions of outbreak of epidermic such as cholera in the area.
The people of Anambra West heaved a sigh of relief when their brother Chief Willie Obiano assumed power as the Governor of Anambra State. They were happy because they taught that he will continue from where Mr Peter Obi stopped. They prayed that the road from Miata to Nzam will be completed, they taught Miata-Umuenwelum-Onono will be a dream come true. They hoped that Nzam will be connected to Inoma. They boasted that electricity will be connected up o Nzam. When the Umueze Anam-Eziagulu you Aguleri link road to the oil rigs was awarded they were happy thinking that the spur to Iyiora will be awarded too but they watched as he road goes o Aguleri without meeting Iyiora.
Another election year is here again and the beautiful bride shall be courted by aspirants, the local government will be open to accept anybody who has shown strong commitment to the challenges facing the area.
Hon. Okechukwu Onyeaka from Miata Anam.
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