Soludo: How I picked 20 commissioners from 22,000 people that applied to serve

By Akinwande Soji-Ojo

Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, on Saturday, swore in 20 commissioners with a charge that they should get ready for service.

Those sworn into office had earlier been cleared by the House of Assembly.

Soludo, who inaugurated the commissioners at the state executive council chamber, Government House, Awka, charged them to deliver optimal service to the people of the state.

He said his administration would declare a state of emergency in all the sectors, starting with security.

“All sectors will be given due attention beginning with security which we have already started doing something,” he said.

According to the governor, the assignment of portfolios to each of the new commissioners before the swearing-in was a clear departure to known tradition, adding that they were selected based on their areas of specialisation.

“More than 22, 000 persons applied to serve, out of which more than 1, 000 indicated interest to serve as commissioners.

“It is from this list that we picked the 20 commissioners and another commissioner nominee yet to be cleared by the lawmakers because I submitted his name after the initial list was sent,” Soludo said.

He said each of the commissioner would be given his election manifesto, ‘Anambra Vision 2070,’ a document and the report submitted by a transition committee before his handover.

“Each of you must study the three documents because the documents constitute the template best tagged social contract with more than 15 million residents of Anambra and our people in the diaspora,” the governor said.

He appealed to the people of the state, especially the families and close relatives of the commissioners, to ensure that they did not place much demands on them as their services were more to the state.

Those sworn-in include Mr Ifeatu Chinedu (Finance); Prof. Ofonze Amucheazi (Lands); Mr Ifeanyi Okoma (Works and Infrastructure); Ms Chiamaka Nnake (Budget and Economy Planing); Dr Afam Obidike (Health); Mr Patrick Aghamba (Youth Development); Mrs Ifeyinwa Obinabo (Women/Children Afairs); Dr Obinna Ugonnadi (Commerce and Industry); Mr Julius Chukwuemeka (Power and Water Resources); and Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh (Education).

Others are Mr Paul Nwosu (Information);  Dr Foster Ihejiofor (Agriculture); Mrs Patricia Igwebuike (Transport); Mr Felix Odimegwu (Environment); Mr. Chikodi Anara (Home Land Afairs); Prof. Chika Ifemeje (Attorney General/Commissioner for Justice); Mr Collins Nwabunwanne (Local Government and Chieftancy Affairs); Mr Donatus Onyeji (Culture/Entertainment); Mr. Anthony Ifeanya (Petroleum); and Mr Paulinus Onyeaka (Housing).

Rtd Air-Vice Marshal Ben Chiobi was also sworn-in as the special adviser on Security matters.

Speaking on behalf of her colleagues, Ifemeje, thanked God and Soludo for their appointments, adding that they would not disappoint the state.