Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
At a time when many state governments are unable to pay workers’ salaries, Anambra state government has disclosed that it made about Five Million Dollars in January from its export of agricultural products to the United Kingdom and that will not only be up to date in payment of salaries to its workers but would also pay Christmas bonus and a bag of rice each to every Civil servant in the State.
Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State announced this at a gala nite organized in his honour by indigenes of the state resident in Port Harcourt, on Friday night in Port Harcourt. The Governor said that due to the frugal management of resources and economic template put in place by his two years old administration Anambra has been able to increase production of the Anambra brand of long grain rice rated as the best in Africa from 8,000 metric tonnes to 210,000 metric tones annually.
“Anambra rice is long grain and stone free.Our Ugu and Bitter-leaf were successfully exported to the United Kingdom on January 21,2016.The value is estimated at $5million US dollars. Our farmers are exporting vegetables, especially Ogu(Pumpkin leaves and Onugbu(bitter leaf) to the United Kingdom with a special arrangement with ABX World Cargo Ltd in partnership with Bosh Produce and Eagle Solution.”
Under its health policy, Governor Obiano said his administration has renovated 346 primary health care centres and a bill is before the state House of Assembly to enact a law for Health insurance policy.
He revealed that Anambra in just 25 years of existence is making steady progress in education as his administration has renovated 1,762 schools.”Salaries are paid to teachers on or before the 24th of every month and they will go home with their leave allowances, while they are trained and retrained for optimal performance.”
The Gala nite was an avenue to inform Anambra people who are scared of going home to invest for fear of insecurity that the state is secured.
In attendance were prominent Anambra sons and daughters including: Dr Nkem Okeke,Deputy Governor of Anambra state.