Chairman, Anambra Vision 2070 Plan, Prof Chukwuma Soludo says the plan is for Ndi Anambra, by Ndi Anambra, for security, prosperity and happiness.
Prof. Soludo said this while addressing the Anambra State House of Assembly at the complex on Aug. 4, during which he presented to the lawmakers, the preliminary objectives and roles of the legislators in the plan.
According to Soludo, we want to have a view as to what kind of prosperity, peace and happiness that a child is born in today, by the time he or she turns 50 years; the kind of state that he or she is going to live in.
Gov. Willie Obiano inaugurated the Committee tagged: “Anambra Vision 2070 Plan’’, to draft Anambra State 50-year development plan.
The former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, who was on an expansive consultative process called for inputs from all Ndi Anambra residing within the state and all over the world, including neighbours, development partners and associates.
“It is not a plan drafted by somebody. It is not a plan of any specific person; it is a plan for Ndi Anambra, irrespective of any political party, religion or whatever body they belong to.
“Our coming to the parliament is for them to first of all, see the objectives of the Vision 2070 plan. I have come to ask them to make their own inputs and we hope it is achievable.
“They have a role to play as Ndi Anambra and they have inputs to make as Ndi Anambra. When we finish, there are some legislators that will be earmarked as Ndi Anambra to re-energise and enable this plan to happen.
“So, this is part of our committee’s expansive consultative process and it is participatory. We want inputs from all Ndi Anambra all over the world and their neighbours, development partners and associates.
“If you are from Anambra or you love Anambra or live in Anambra, you are invited to make your own input and the address, phone number, what’s app or email address to which you can contribute is there,’’ Prof Soludo explained.
“Send us your inputs, thoughts and vision on how we can finance it or get things done. What kind of state do you want to see and how do we get there?
“What will be the role of everybody, individual, organisations, executive, communities, town unions, traditional rulers, the Church, the market associations, labour association, professional associations, amongst others,’’ he stressed.
Responding, the Speaker of the Assembly, Mr Uchenna Okafor promised that a legal framework would be developed, where legislators would pass a bill to make into a law.
Mr Okafor added that the bill if passed would enable Anambra Vision 2070 to become achievable in the state saying: “it was a very wonderful presentation; I say kudos to Prof Charles Soludo, the Chairman of Anambra State Vision 2070’’.
According to the speaker, Vision 2070 is all about sustainable development policies that must start now to implement if we really want to get where we are expected or where it is getting to be.
“Members of the House have inputs to make at the policy level, after that we are going to develop a legal framework, where legislators will pass a bill to make it a law, because to us, this is the work that should be taken very seriously.
“I am not in any doubt if it is going to work. I suggest that if people can avail the power-point presentation displayed by the committee chairman step by step today (Aug. 4), there is no doubt that this is achievable.
“So, I strongly believe that this is not going to be like other visions in the past and I thank God we have a Governor, whose interest has always been for the development of Anambra State.
“Now, we have a group of legislators that are young, full of agility that will be instrumental to the struggle. We have all the mechanisms, we have everything, all the vehicles that can get it work out,’’ the speaker re-assured.
