By Nwafor Okafor
The outgoing Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, has said one of the things he will bequeath to his success, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, is a state that produces oil and large quantities of rice.
Stating that Anambra State would begin to earn 13 per cent derivation in line with its conferred status as an oil producing state starting from March, Obiano said that was one of the battles he fought and won within his eight- year reign as the governor of the state for the the state.
Obiano disclosed this at a media chat with journalists in Aguleri, in his home town , in the Anambra East Local Government Area of the state after a tour of the Awka International Convention Centre and the Anambra International Cargo and Passenger Airport in Umueri built in the second tenure of his administration.
He said he had been notified of this by the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Pricing and Regulatory Agency, who had confirmed lifting of crude oil in commercial quantity from the state.
He said Anambra had 15 oil wells with Eniye 10940 oil field operated by SEEPCO fully operational and wholly owned by the state.
Obiano also said the rice production of the state had hit 530,000 metric tonnes yearly from the 85,000 metric tonnes capacity in 2014.
He said the revolution his administration brought into the agricultural sector had made the state become not only self-sufficient in production but a net exporter of the commodity.
While stating that demand for rice in the state was just 330,000 metric tonnes of the total output, the governor noted that a lot of businesses had been invested in the sector and that many family economies had been transformed.
Answering questions on whether he would be running for a political office after vacating the governorship of the state on March 17, Obiano said he would want to rest after eight years of excruciating times of administering the state.
He said,“I’m going to rest after my tenure before thinking of anything to do. I do not need to be told that I did well for Anambra people, because I know I did well too. Sometimes I’m impolite about this, because I know that I spent many sleepless nights to ensure that I did the many projects I did for Anambra people.
“My wife is the one who will be going for Senate. She wants to run for Senate to represent Anambra North people. She is from Oyi Local Government Area, which is in Anambra North.”
Obiano said in two weeks time, an international flight from the fleets of Ethiopian Airlines would begin operations at the Anambra international cargo and passenger airport to confirm its international status.
“This will boost agriculture, as most agricultural produce will be easily exported through the Anambra international cargo and passenger airport.
“If you know me, you will accept that I’m a man associated with class, and you can see class in all the projects I did for Anambra people. The airport you see there is about the best in sub-saharan Africa, with some of the best facilities any where in the world.
“In terms of safety, it is the best, and has landing facilities that you can hardly find in any airport in Nigeria,” Obiano said.
He said he did not borrow from anywhere to build all the signature projects he would bequeath the state
