By Emmanuel Ndukuba
Awka – Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra says his government is working to create a stable and economically-viable environment to improve people’s lives and engender investments in the state.
Obiano stated this in a meeting with a delegation of Anambra State Association in South Africa at the Governor’s Lodge, Amawbia, on Saturday.
He said that the step would help to discourage Anambra indigenes from traveling abroad where they believed the pasture was greener.
“What is important for my administration is to make the state viable for its inhabitants to ensure that our people have less need to seek opportunities elsewhere in the increasing hostilities.’’
Condemning the xenophobic attacks in South Africa, Obiano urged the Anambra community in that country to “think of home”, assuring that their investments would be well protected.
He also called on those preferring to remain in South Africa to shun drug trafficking and cultism.
The governor said that his government would support the association in its efforts to provide empowerment for Anambra youths.
On his part, Commissioner for Tourism and Diaspora Affairs, Mrs Stella Onuorah, said that the state was in dire need of investments from its diaspora community.
“This meeting is in line with the efforts of the present administration through the ministry, to mobilise Anambra indigenes to support the ongoing transformation in the state,’’ Onuorah said.
Earlier, President-General of the association, Chief Onyekachukwu Onyeka, had said that the group would partner the state government to enlighten indigenes travelling to South Africa to guard against wrong doiings.
In his contribution, a member of the association’s board of trustees, Mr Jason Osuafor, expressed appreciation to the governor on the way he had steered the affairs of the state.
He said that the association was looking forward to partnering the state government and other key stakeholders in human capital and business development.