By Isaac Mission
Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has expressed confidence that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s potential second term in office will bring about a stronger and more equitable Nigeria.
Soludo made the remarks in Awka while speaking at a reception held for the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, at the Alex Ekwueme Square. The occasion also featured the South-East launch of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) Food Bank.
Acknowledging the economic difficulties confronting Nigerians, the governor said h understood the concerns of citizens but remained hopeful about the country’s future.
According to him, despite the challenges, the country was showing signs of recovery, adding that he expected the next four years of the Tinubu administration to produce a stronger and fairer nation.
Soludo also pledged that his administration would continue working to ensure that vulnerable Nigerians benefit from government interventions. He said plans were underway to expand the food bank initiative from its existing locations in the three senatorial zones to communities across the state.
As part of the programme, the First Lady empowered 500 women selected from different parts of the South-East. In Anambra, the governor’s wife, Dr. Nonye Soludo, supported 5,000 women.
Oluremi Tinubu announced that each of the 500 beneficiaries under her intervention would receive N100,000.
The First Lady said Anambra remained particularly important to her, noting her longstanding connection with the South-East and the traditional titles she has received in Igboland.
She also called for women and mothers dealing with malnutrition to be referred to primary healthcare centres for appropriate assistance.
During the visit, the Anambra State Traditional Rulers Council honoured Oluremi Tinubu with the title “Ugo Eze Anambra,” meaning “Eagle of the King.” The council said the recognition was in appreciation of her humanitarian efforts and support for vulnerable Nigerians.
Soludo described the First Lady as a caring mother and supportive wife while reaffirming his administration’s willingness to work with the Federal Government.
He said APGA and the APC-led Federal Government could collaborate on programmes aimed at improving the welfare of Nigerians, particularly at the grassroots.
The governor further pointed to security and human capital development as areas where he believed the Federal Government had made progress.
Earlier, Oluremi Tinubu commissioned a Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) ICT Experience Centre at the Federal Polytechnic, Oko.
The centre is expected to expose students and lecturers to emerging technologies and digital skills, including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, robotics and software development.
TETFund Board of Trustees Chairman, Alhaji Aminu Masari, disclosed that Federal Polytechnic Oko was among six institutions selected as pioneer beneficiaries of the project, with one institution representing each geopolitical zone.
He said the centres were funded through TETFund’s 2024 intervention, with N1 billion allocated to each geopolitical zone.
The TETFund Executive Secretary, Sonny Echono, said the initiative was designed to strengthen Nigeria’s human capital and prepare young people for a technology-driven economy.
The Rector of Federal Polytechnic Oko, Dr Chioma Awuzie, described the centre as a major milestone for the institution, saying it would expand opportunities in digital employment, entrepreneurship and skills development.
She, however, appealed for urgent assistance to tackle erosion affecting some parts of the polytechnic.
The events in Awka and Oko brought the nationwide rollout of the Renewed Hope Initiative Food Bank across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones to a conclusion.
