The Governor of Anambra State Prof. Chukwuma Soludo has nominated Nnewi born Christian Udechukwu as the new Commissioner for Industry. Udechukwu who is reportedly a close ally of the governor would upon confirmation by the Anambra State House of Assembly, replace Obinna Ngonadi who was appointed barely one year ago.
In the last few months, Prof. Soludo has unbundled the ministry of Trade, Commerce and Industry, separating the trade and commerce components from that of the industry. The governor moved the trade and commerce aspects of the ministry to his office for supervision and left the Commissioner with managing only the industry components of that ministry. However, yesterday, in a letter sent to the House of Assembly and read by the Speaker of the House Rt. Hon. Uche Okafor, Governor Soludo requested the House to consider his new nominee Christian Udechukwu for appointment as his new Commissioner for Industry.
This has left many in a state of confusion as to what the governor intends to do with Dr. Obinna Ngonadi; if Ngonadi is going back to Trade and Commerce as a Commissioner or to something else or leaving the services of Anambra State Government. Worst still, Christian Udechukwu and Obinna Ngonadi are not only from the same Local Government of Nnewi North, both are also from the same quarter of Nnewichi, which leaves very slim room for two of them to serve as Commissioners at the same time.
Meanwhile, a statement by the governor’s Press Secretary Christian Aburime, signed on Friday, appears to have put a seal on Soludo’s decision, as it was emphatic to the effect that Soludo has appointed a new Commissioner for Industry, while also noting that “he replaces Dr. Obinna Ngonadi who previously held forth in that position.” Nothing was said about where the new appointment has left Dr. Ngonadi.
He is a Technical Assistant to Governor Willie Obiano’s Special Adviser on Legislative Matters, whoonce was a Special Adviser to a former Deputy Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly. Ebuka is a second class upper division graduate of Political Science from University of Calabar, Calabar Nigeria and holds a Masters Degree in Political Science with specialization in Government and Development Studies, from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Nigeria
