BY VEN. FOLUSO TAIWO

The Anambra State Governor, His Excellency Dr. Willie Obiano has again reiterated the willingness of his government to make the common man enjoy peace to the fullest by cushioning the effect of the downward trend in the economy, promising that notorious people caught harassing traders in the marketplace would be prosecuted.

The Governor enumerated plans the government is making to encourage agriculture, both subsistence and for export including the small scale entrepreneurship SMEs. In this vein, many expatriate companies are being consulted to work with the state. He encouraged the Church to form co-operative societies with a promise that the Anambra state government will give a lending hand. Dr. Obiano said if all efforts of government are done and supported with pragmatic zeal and skill, the economic recession the nation is experiencing will end in about 18 months time. He said the fastest way to get out of the recession is to form cooperatives using agriculture as the pivot in planting special rice, maize, cassava and other crops because of opportunities opened from the agro allied industries adding that the era of white collar jobs is gone.

He commended all Anglican Bishops and Archbishops in the provinces in Anambra and environs for peaceful co-existence and religious harmony among other religious groups and bodies in the state. He promised them all the state life achievement award. The Governor appealed to the federal government to pay about 48.7 billion naira being money owed the state as a result of taking it upon itself to do some federal roads and bridges in the state.

In his response, the Primate of all Nigeria the Most. Revd. Nicholas D. Okoh thanked the Governor profusely for his hospitality always. He too commended the religious tension free atmosphere in Anambra state.  He recalled that hitherto the religious climate was tension soaked to the extent that people had to present identity cards. He said bravo to all Anglican Bishops in the area for preaching peace. He prayed that the resources of the state will not run dry.

The Primate also called the attention of governor Obiano to the publication in one of the national newspapers that there will be a total shut down of the IBO land on Friday. He appealed to his Excellency to prevail on the people never to carry out their threat, so that he and his team of Clergy, Bishops and laity would not be trapped. A special prayer was said for the Governor and the entire state.