Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo has banned ministries, departments and agencies from giving awards of any kind to internal government officials.

The Governor said such awards and recognitions given by ministries and agencies to internal officials have the tendency to promote mediocrity, adding that henceforth, only awards and recognitions from outside the government can be accepted.

According to a statement by Christian Aburime, Press Secretary to the Governor, which was sent to Nationwide Reports Sunday, Soludo said the directive is with immediate effect.

The statement said- “Following a due directive by Mr Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, please be advised that the Anambra State Government has issued a strong warning against the idea and practice of government organs, departments and agencies or its affiliates presenting merit, honour, or recognition awards to officers within this same government.

“As an ethical leader who abhors undue self-promotion, Mr. Governor particularly frowns on any attempt at self-recognition awards in this administration.

“While recognising and appreciating the hard work, excellence, and dedication of government employees is crucial, such accolades should ideally originate from external, independent organisations.

“Also, while internal appreciation is commendable, it is important to emphasise that awarding of merit awards by government agencies or its affiliates to their own officers can create a perception of impropriety and abuse of privilege. True excellence should be recognised objectively and impartially, and external validation from independent bodies carries greater weight and credibility.

“The government encourages all relevant bodies to prioritise, if necessary, external recognition opportunities for deserving officers. These could include awards from professional bodies, civil society organisations, and other reputable institutions that conduct independent evaluations and adhere to rigorous selection criteria.

“Therefore, as this directive aims to uphold the highest standards of transparency, merit, objectivity, and integrity within the Anambra State Government as always advocated by Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, all organs of the state government and its affiliates are enjoined to comply accordingly.”

Anambra people magazine

Anambra State Governor, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo said his administration would begin to document all the native doctors practicing in the state, as part of the strategies to combating the alarming rate of insecurity in the state.

Soludo declared this on Friday at the 2024 Public Service Day celebration in the state, which held at the Jerome Udorji Secretariat Complex, Awka, Anambra State capital.

Themed “Ensuring Safety and Health at Work in a Changing Climate”, the event, which is an annual ceremony to celebrate the public servants in the state, also attracted top government functionaries and public servants from different MDAs in the state.

He highlighted the various giant strides and achievements recorded by his administration in different sectors and different parts of the state and lauded the state’s workforce and its leadership for giving their best, and for their exceptional support, efforts, and inputs which, he said, had contributed significantly to progress of the state.

Soludo reiterated the administration’s commitment to its vision of making Anambra a livable and prosperous homeland, emphasizing that his administration’s projects, policies and programs are usually targeted in such a way that they can benefit everyone, irrespective of class or social status —all in the spirit of Onye Aghana Nwanne Ya (Leaving No One Behind). These projects, policies and programs, the Governor noted, have contributed in massive influx of people into the state, as a destination hub it’s envisioned to be.

While acknowledging that Anambra used to be a home for all, Soludo, however, emphasized that the state should be home for all law-abiding citizens, and not for anyone who would come to distort the peace and progress of the state.

The Governor, who said that over 70% of the hoodlums and criminal elements so far arrested in Anambra are non-indigenes, also recalled that his administration recently briefed the citizens on the security situation in the state, where he also rolled out some kinetic and non-kinetic mechanisms and strategies towards combating the situation, one of which is the launching of a new security force, known as “Udo Ga-Achị.”

Nigeria’s main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has blamed President BolaTinubu for the stampedes that occured in two states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja last week, saying the unfortunate incidents were as a result of government’s woeful economic policies that have triggered hardship and hunger across the country.

The PDP stated this Sunday in a statement signed by its national publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba and sent to Nationwide Reports.

It would be recalled that 33 children died earlier in the week in Ibadan as a result of stampede that occured at a funfair organized by former wife of the Ooni of Ife, Naomi in partnership with a radio station to share food for the less privileged.

On Saturday, 13 persons died during palliative sharing exercise to the poor by a Catholic church parish Maitama, Abuja while 35 others died in Okija, Anambra State when stampede occured at the venue where rice was to be shared by a philanthropist in the community.

Reacting to the incidents, the opposition PDP said- “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) describes the widespread food stampede in the country as an ugly testament of the alarming level of misery, poverty, hunger, starvation, sense of hopelessness and desperation for survival currently plaguing our nation under the overtly insensitive, corrupt and rudderless Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) government.

“The Party laments the tragic stampede at private events in Oyo and Anambra States as well as the FCT, Abuja which claimed the lives of about 60 vulnerable citizens including children in their desperate struggle for food as a result of the pervasive hunger in the land occasioned by the anti-people policies of the APC administration.

“The PDP is devastated that the APC-led administration has wrecked our once thriving economy and pushed millions of Nigerians deeper into abject poverty and hunger with many citizens, not being able to afford their daily meals, now resorting to suicide and desperate measures including slavery mission abroad and fighting for crumbs for survival.

*It is heartbreaking that despite our abundant resources as a nation, Nigerians have been subjected to agonizing life where they die struggling for food.

*This horrifying situation in the country further confirms the APC as a party of “political vampires and buccaneers” who have no iota of regard for human life but rather derive pleasure in the suffering and death of citizens including innocent children.

*Only this explains why the APC administration continues in arrogant false performance claims including empty assurances of food sufficiency while deliberately failing to make the required investments to boost the productive sector, particularly in agriculture and food production.

“This also explains why the APC administration has rejected all advice and suggestions by the PDP and other well-meaning Nigerians to review the hasty implementation of the suffocating policies of abrupt increase in the price of petroleum products and the floating of the Naira, despite the crippling consequences on the productive sector and life-discounting effect on the citizenry.

“More provoking is that instead of deploying the nation’s resources for the wellbeing of the people, the APC leaders are engaged in massive looting through direct pillaging of government vaults, budget padding, contract inflation, oil subsidy scam, palliative racketeering and phony programmes which have no benefit to the lives of the citizens.

“The PDP calls on Nigerians to hold the Tinubu-led APC administration responsible for the remote cause of these tragic occurrences for which it must recompense.

“Our Party insists that any administration that is sensitive and cares for the people would have since introduced intervention programmes to ease the suffering and improve on the welfare of the masses which is the primary purpose of government.

“For the umpteenth time, the PDP demands the immediate review of all the suffocating economic and tax policies of the APC administration which are bringing misery and death to Nigerians daily.

“The PDP commiserates with Governor Seyi Makinde and the people of Oyo State for the death of the children at the private event which has brought agony and pain to many families and the people of Oyo State at this time.

“Our Party commends Governor Makinde for his rapid response in swiftly moving the victims to hospitals for immediate medical assistance which helped to save many lives.

“The PDP also condoles with the families of the victims of the Anambra State and Abuja food stampede while calling for an investigation into the immediate cause of the three tragic incidents so as to prevent such sad occurrence in the future.

“Our Party prays for the repose of the souls of dead and speedy recovery for the injured.”