By Titus Chigozie
More than two years in office as the Governor of Anambra State since March 17, 2022, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR has been rightly described as a distinguished achiever whose dedication and excellence have indelibly transformed the landscape of Anambra State.
Anambra is proud to celebrate the remarkable achievements of Professor Soludo, as he is bestowed with the prestigious award of Governor of the Year in Infrastructure and Rural Development by Daily Champions Newspapers on Saturday, May 25, 2024.
Professor Soludo’s remarkable journey is a tribute to the power of intellect, vision, and passion for excellence. His academic prowess was evident from an early age, as he graduated with Distinction from secondary school and went on to earn a B.Sc (First Class Honours), M.Sc, and PhD in Economics from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. His academic excellence was further recognised with numerous departmental, faculty, and university prizes, and his thirst for knowledge took him to the hallowed halls of Oxford, Cambridge, and Warwick for advanced courses.
At the age of 38, he was promoted to Professor of Economics at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and has since authored over 200 publications, including 15 seminal books. His contributions to the field of economics have been acknowledged globally, with fellowships from prestigious institutions like the Chartered Institute of Bankers, Nigerian Economic Society, and Wolfson College, University of Cambridge. His academic journey also included a stint as a Visiting Professor at Swarthmore College in the USA.
Governor Soludo’s distinguished career extends beyond academia into international service and public policy. During the global financial crisis of 2008, he was the sole African representative on the 10-member United Nations technical committee tasked with reforming the international monetary and financial system.
His expertise has been sought by the World Bank, IMF, UK-DFID, and numerous other global institutions. His advisory roles have included serving on the Chief Economist Advisory Council of the World Bank and the External Advisory Committee of the IMF.
In Nigeria, Governor Soludo’s impact has been profound. As Chief Economic Adviser to President Obasanjo, CEO of the National Planning Commission, and Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, he initiated groundbreaking reforms that stabilised and transformed the nation’s banking and financial systems.
His visionary leadership earned him the third highest national honour, Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR), in 2006, and he has been celebrated with over 200 national and international awards, including multiple recognitions as the African and Global Central Bank Governor of the Year.
Since his election as Governor of Anambra State on March 17, 2022, Professor Soludo has brought his exceptional acumen and visionary leadership to bear on the development of the state. His tenure has been marked by a relentless focus on infrastructure and rural development, driving transformative projects that have revitalised communities, improved livelihoods, and set a new standard for governance and public service.
Over the past 2 years of Governor Soludo’s administration till date, over 450 kilometres of roads, including flyovers, are in various stages of construction and completion across the 21 Local Government Areas of Anambra State. All this also encompasses vital initiatives such as road rehabilitation, erosion control, and desilting drainage systems to fortify the state against environmental challenges.
In energy, aside a partnership with Enugu Electricity Distribution Company towards achieving 24/7 electricity, Governor Soludo has also converted 25,000 diesel-powered streetlights to solar technology, resulting in the revitalisation of night economy, and a more eco-friendly and economically sustainable future.
Other concrete infrastructure and rural development achievements of Governor Soludo include improved transportation and water supply systems; slums transformation, agricultural revolution involving distribution of 1,100,000 hybrid coconut and palm seedlings to over 100,000 rural households towards eradicating rural poverty; improved primary healthcare with the upgrade and renovation of general hospitals and other healthcare facilities; and so on.
As Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo is honoured with the award of Governor of the Year in Infrastructure and Rural Development by Daily Champions Newspaper, we celebrate not just his past achievements but his ongoing dedication to the people of Anambra State.
Of a truth, his work stands as a bastion of hope and a model of excellence, inspiring us all to strive for a better, more prosperous future.
