In today’s edition of Making Nigeria Better, we look at the economic potential of Anambra State. This is a state with the most millionaires in Nigeria, so should never have a problem attracting investors to exploit its potential

Ayo Akinfe

[1] By now, Nnewi should have been turned into the Detroit of Africa with every automobile manufacturer on the planet attracted to the city. Ever car company on earth should have a local manufacturing plant in Nnewi

[2] Were things well run, as of today, Anambra State should be generating at least $100bn internally. It should have long withdrawn from the shameful federal allocation money sharing regime, becoming the first Nigerian state to do so

[3] What I cannot get my head around is why thr Anambra State government has not attracted private sector investors to build at least four River Niger crossings. One of these should have been the world’s first aquarium bridge

[4] What constitutes a crime against humanity is that the Anambra State government has not wooed private investors to expand the Onitsha port and turn it into Africa’s largest cargo port

[5] Do you know that Onitsha is home to the largest market in sub-Saharan Africa? Onitsha alone could power the Anambra economy if it is provided with the facilities to exploit its potential

[6] To capitalise on the high literacy rate, the state government should spend 40% of its budget on education and class sizes in both primary and secondary schools across Anambra State will not exceed 30 under any circumstance

[7] We all talk about resource control but that means states governors too must hands off local government areas. Let Anambra State set the ball rolling by giving full autonomy to its local governments to run their affairs as they deem fit. The governor will not touch one penny of their annual budgets

[8] To address the social fallout of this job creation, every year, the Anambra State government must build a minimum of 20,000 housing units

[9] To tap into the skills pool of all those who come to work there, anyone who has lived in Anambra State for three years and paid taxes will be conferred with the title of a citizen

[10] I want to see the Anambra State House of Assembly pass a law compelling the governor to create a minimum of 50,000 jobs a year