By Bonaventure Melah

The Anambra State Association of Town Unions (ASATU), has commended Governor Chukwuma Soludo for the massive development taking place simultaneously in all parts of the state.

ASATU is made up of Presidents of the entire 179 communities that make up Anambra State.

The National President of the Association, Barrister Titus Akpugo, who stated this at Ekwueme Square Awka, during a solidarity march to mark Soludo’s two years in office, therefore passed Vote of Confidence on the Governor and pledged that ASATU would continue to work with him towards achieving his dream of a ‘Livable Homeland’ for ‘Ndi Anambra.’

The above is coming, even as the African Director of the International Association of World Peace Advocates, IAWPA, Dr. John Metchie, has praised Soludo for his developmental strides which he said was a necessary measure for the sustenance of peace in Anambra State.

During the Solidary March, the ASATU President, Akpudo also used the occasion to urge Governor Soludo, to as a matter of priority, draft the Nigerian Hunters and Forest Security Service (NHFSS) into the state’s security architecture in order to curb crimes and criminalities that take place within and around forests, farms and other ungoverned areas.

He stated that the Solidarity March was not a campaign and had nothing to do with politics, but a gesture to appreciate a leader who has shown determination to give his all, for the betterment of Anambra people and communities.

“It is not about political party. It is not about campaign. Rather, it is all about appreciating and encouraging one who is doing well, who is sacrificing his all for the good of the entire state,” the ASATU President stated.

He said that the dividend of good governance ends in the communities, saying that teachers, medical personnels and others being employed by the government are from communities, adding that youth employment, massive roads constructions, tress, security and others projects of the Governor are beneficial to all the people in the state.

Chief Akpugo said that the entire ASATU family are solidly behind the Governor and would at the right time urge him to go for a second tenure in order to actualize his good plans for the state.

On the issue of security, Chief Akpugo commended the Governor for the measures he has taken so far which he said are yielding positive results and urged him to conscript the Nigerian Hunters and Forest Security Service, NHFSS for the overall good of Anambra.

He said- “We are also pleading with him to conscript the Nigerian Hunters and Forest Security Service into Anambra state security apparatus. They will assist in engaging bad people who are living in the forests. They are trained specifically for that. We need the hunters to help the vigilantes to force the criminals out of the forests. You are doing very well. You are doing wonderfully well. On that note, we want to tell you today, that ASATU family is passing vote of confidence on you,’ Chief Akpugo concluded.

Reacting to the Solidarity March, the African Director of the International Association of World Peace Advocates, IAWPA, Dr. John Metchie, said it was a good and right gesture to appreciate a Governor who is judiciously deploying the resources of the people to bring rapid development in all the communities in the state.

Metchie who is also the Prime Minister of ASATU and the President General of Umueri community said every patriotic and well-meaning citizen of Anambra State would attest to the fact that Governor Soludo is providing very high-quality service that would stand the test of time.

He commended the Governor for the attention his administration is giving to Umueri community and thanked the state’s commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike for facilitating the upgrading and maintenance of Umueri General Hospital as well as employment of doctors, nurses and other medical professionals for the facility.

Dr. Metchie also added his voice to the call for Governor Soludo to draft the NHFSS to work with the Police, the Army and other agencies in the state, saying that the hunters remain the missing link in Nigeria’s overall security architecture.