Having been returned for a second term, I now expect Governor Charles Soludo to implement an ambitious development plan that looks like this

Ayo Akinfe

[1] Within 30 days, he should host a meeting of the South East Governors Forum in Akwa. At this summit, I want to see him sell the other governors the idea of floating a finance house called Ogbunigwe Bank. It will hand out loans to small businesses across the southeast geo-political zone with a maximum interest rate of 5%

[2] Within 100 days, he should sign a deal with Innoson Motors under which every government vehicle in the state will be bought from the company. It should be a criminal offence for any Anambra State public official or traditional ruler to but a vehicle from another automobile manufacturer

[3] Governor Soludo should get all the five southeast governors to pledge to purchase all their vehicles from Innoson Motors as part of a plan to support the company and enable it expand. If Nigeria is to compete on the global stage, we need a company that can stand toe-to-toe with the big boys

[4] Governor Soludo should also announce that he will be making Nnewi the home to the world’s largest car engine factory. Anambra State government should hold a 15% stake in a holding company which will be created between Innoson and international automobile companies like Nissan, Peugeot, Volkswagen, Renault, Toyota etc. This company will aim to manufacture at least 1m engines and gear boxes a year

[5] Within 100 days, Governor Soludo should float a pan-Igbo holding company called Isiagu Enterprises in conjunction with the other southeast governors and the private sector. Created to drive investment, each of the five state governments of the southeast will hold a 25% stake in it, with international partners and the private sector owning the rest

[6] Governor Soludo should set himself the target of building at least five extra River Niger crossings. Isiagu Enterprises will commit to building several, with at least three of them being rail links

[7] Isiagu Enterprises should also commit to dredging the River Niger up to Onitsha with the aim of building the world’s largest inland port. It should aim to become Africa’s largest cargo port

[8] Isiagu Enterprises will then lease land in states like Taraba, Niger, Borno and Kaduna with the aim of growing cash crops to fuel its industries. Ambitious targets will be set for agricultural output with the aim of quadrupling the production of cash crops like palm oil, yam, cassava, maize, kolanuts, cashews, etc. Nigeria must grow every raw material it uses in its food processing business

[9] Isiagu Enterprises will also undertake to dredge Ikot-Abasi and Calabar ports so they can take big ships like Apapa. Rail links will then be constructed linking them with the rest of the country. No law in Nigeria prevents a regional company from investing in another geo-political zone

[10] Isiagu Enterprises will introduce the world’s most humane corporate social responsibility contract that will fund education and infrastructure development in the host communities where it operates. For instance, if it is sourcing leather from Dapchi in Yobe State for its shoe processing factory, Isiagu Enterprises will fund the construction of a primary school there. The idea behind this is to kill this widely-held notion that Ndigbo are just out to grab, grab, grab

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