On September 4, 2014, illustrious sons and daughters of Anambra North Senatorial zone, under the auspices of Anambra North Development Forum, converged on Sharon Hall, Onitsha to discuss some pertinent issues that were critical to the growth and development of the zone.
At the forum, the common denominator in the discourse was that the seven local governments of Anambra North Senatorial District were created in 1991, along with other councils of Anambra State, but today, compared to others, a lot more was desired in the zone. Ironically, the zone still boasts of great sons and daughters that are highly educated, influential and highly placed in both the private and public sectors.
Nigeria‘s former Aviation Minister and the Senator-elect for Anambra North zone, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah, presented a paper in the forum entitled: “Anambra North: Perishable Agriculture –The way to go for rapid rural development.” Though the contents of her presentation would be the subject for another day, Oduah did lament that the zone was yet to take its pride of place in Anambra State and Nigeria at large.
She said: “Today, our communities are faced with challenges beyond their comprehension. Despite our huge human and natural resources, our people remain on the lower rungs of the economic and political ladder. Although, we have measured tremendous economic growth as indicated by the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) index, this growth does not necessarily reflect the level of contentment of our people as compared to other nations of the world; it measures neither prosperity nor well-being.
“The politicians and bureaucrats, who represent our people are unable to understand why the enormous growth in economic activity in our country and the communities they come from, has led to the rising unemployment, increasing poverty, spreading urban slums and migrations from rural communities to cities, they can’t understand that the growths they are promoting are malignant-believing that the sickness that affects our society today –growth in crime, drug abuse, family breakdowns, civil disorder and environmental degradation are no more than the normal phenomena, which inevitably accompany economic development and progress.
“So, they concentrate their political, economic and social programmes on initiatives whose primary purpose is to make GDP grow quantitatively without its regards to the impact on our vulnerable communities.
“Only effective political representation of our people can offer real hope and change the situation. This will be my social contract with the good people of Anambra North Senatorial district, of which I am an integral part of its rich history and culture. My experience in both the public and private sectors has prepared me for this task, in which networking capability, interpersonal ability and management of both human and material resources, is a necessary prerequisite for success at the National Assembly.
“The high point of this responsibility was my appointment by President Goodluck Jonathan, as the nation’s Minister of Aviation in 2012. That mandate oversaw the remodeling, construction, provision of runways, navigational equipment, control towers and security provisions at 22 airport locations in Nigeria.
“This was only possible through my ability to work at the highest level of government and with interactions with Ministers of Finance, Environment, Water, Works and a host of 22 state governments including the organised private sector.
“As a senator representing Anambra North, I definitely will use this networking ability to explore every opportunity to bring development to our rural communities, the urban centres and position of youths, women and other qualified people for employment in government and the private sector.”
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