Charles Soludo should set himself a target of withdrawing Anambra State from the federal allocation formula by 2030 to make the point that Ndigbo are not parasites but productive people

Ayo Akinfe

[1] Nothing is as responsible for Nigeria's current socio-economic woes as the federal revenue allocation formula. It has made us dependent on one primary commodity, stifled economic growth and inhibited productivity. I am hoping that Charles Soludu will initiative the process that will eventually slay this dragon. If by say 2029, Anambra state has a gross domestic product (GDP) of $200bn, it has no need whatsoever for the paltry Abuja handouts

[2] Now, three Igbo cities dominate Nigeria's retailing industry - Nnewi with automobile spare parts, Orlu with pharmaceuticals and Abriba with clothing and shoes. Nnewi is in Anambra State, so I am expecting Governor Soludo to come up with a public private partnership (PPP) plan that will create the world's largest automobile distributor with the Anambra State government owning about a 25% stake in the venture

[3] What Governor Soludo should be looking to do is create a global automobile equivalent of Tesco, Sainsbury, Asda, Aldi, Supermarchet, Walmart, etc. A genuine multinational with an annual turnover of about $10bn with its headquarters in Nnewi

[4] At the moment, Innoson Motors in Nnewi is the only company in Nigeria that can mass-produce industrial goods. Governor Soludu has to provide it with tax-breaks and government patronage, enabling it to diversify into boat and ship making, aircraft parts manufacturing, armament production, agricultural equipment like tractors, medical equipment like ventilators, electrical equipment like transformers, motorcycles and bicycles, consumer electronic goods like fridges, freezers and washing machines, railway carriages and engines and communication equipment like mobile phones, laptops, iPads and desktop computers

[5] To help recapitalise Innoson Motors so it has the deep pockets for diversification investment, the Anambra State House of Assembly has got to pass a law compelling all its ministries, agencies and parastatals to buying all their vehicles from the company

[6] Governor Soludu should also press the Nigerian Governors Forum to pass laws compelling their states to buy Innoson. If we want the company to compete, it needs deep pockets, which means government patronage. This was the approach adopted in Japan with Toyota, Mitsubishi and Nissan and in the US with General Motors, Ford and Chrysler

[7] Governor Soludo should also get the state-owned Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University to start offering City & Guild, OND or even a HND qualifications in retailing. In my opinion, retailers have been trained in a profession

[8] Governor Soludo needs to build at least four River Niger crossings and turn them into a great money spinner for the Anambra State government. I would like to see innovative projects like underground railway tunnels, overhead one-mile long aquariums, cross-river cycle paths, etc

[9] Onitsha market is the largest in sub-Saharan Africa, I want to see the city basically rebuilt and turned into another Cape Town or Liverpool. Make it a genuine global trading hub

[10] In 2021, inland ports are just as important as coastal ones. I want Governor Solud to dredge the River Niger up to Onitsha and convert it into a port of similar status to Apapa, Lome and Cotonou. nu 2025.