Transformative and sustainability law in Anambra State

Cultivating a solid foundation of a subnational state is not a rocket science, neither is it the rickety fabrications of uninitiated and thoughtless politicians floated by uneven and unfair landscape of electoral fields. It is a well thought out rational and positive legal blueprints for orderly and cohesive economic and social transformation of the society for sustainable growth, productivity, job creation, social security, industrialisation, food security and road infrastructures.

This sums up a significant page in the annals of governance and a phase in the multidimensional strides in the visionary leadership of Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR.

It is a transformational law making aimed at paving the way for transformative governance, a world of departure from the political jungles and imbroglios of rogue leaderships in Africa. On inception of this regime the state has continually been piloted on progressive trajectory of unprecedented social, cultural, political and economic transformation, to make it a livable homeland.

Governor Soludo recently signed into law, 11 bills passed by the state House of Assembly. This is yet another legislative masterpiece in the annals of Anambra state law making. These laws are positive and transformative in the sense that they are humanistic, futuristic, verifiable, predictive, sustainable and legislatively endorsed as a public document for the interest of all.
 

These newly signed laws constitute a landmark in social engineering with only few amendments from the previous regime’s house of assembly laws.

These laws, as instruments of social change, in Anambra state, signed by the Governor are as follows: Anambra State Electoral Law, 2024, Anambra State Touting Prohibition Law, 2024, Secret Cult and Similar Activities Prohibition Law, 2024, Health Facilities and Accreditation Agency Law, 2024, Anambra State Peace Building and Conflict Management Agency, Anambra State Oil and Gas Producing Areas Development Commission (ANSOGPADEC) Law, 2024 and Market Safety and Protection Law, 2024.

Others are; Trafficking In Person Prohibition Law, 2024, Anambra State Revenue Administration (Consolidation. and Harmonization) Law, 2024, Anambra State Private Colleges of Nursing and Midwifery Law, 2024 and the Law to Amend the Anambra State House of Assembly Service Commission Law 2021 and for other Connected Purposes. 

The social and economic import of the new laws is essentially negative because they critically took wing from the house and laws of the predecessors, positive because they are ramifying of a visionary social amity, economic empowerment and technological advancement and nonetheless, integrative and moral.

Hence, the current societal challenges have been brought under the critical justice of the state’s legislature and law. The legal framework is aimed at total rejuvenation of Anambra state’s political economy and civil society. With the new electoral law, the government is set to fulfill its promise and allay the fears of well meaning Anambrarians as well as disgruntled critics by conducting the local council’s elections.

The contours and compass of the new laws in Anambra state have been unprecedentedly and pragmatically extended in frontiers to emasculate and neutralise social deviants such as, human trafficking cultist and touting , even with an ombudsman agency on peace-building and conflicts.

The legal superstructure is also aimed at promotions of Medicare and Medicaid in terms of best medical practices from all fronts. In the new social order economic transformation is upbeat from the nugget of development economist-Governor, empanelin of a resilient market economy with a legal framework for revitalising the fiscal policies as well as oil and gas sectors.

Since the dawn of democratic governance in the state never was such a body of incisive and proactive laws emerged from unprecedented busy state parliament. “This assembly is one of the hardworking and productive Assembly in Nigeria. Enacting the laws shows that they are responsive to the needs of ndiị Anambra…. The laws have to be obeyed from today onwards, to avoid prosecution”(Soludo, 2024). 

The originating motions and debates as well as bills and assents constitute a social contract for livable homeland and stable civil society. Nigerians are hungry as a result of economic mismanagement but the light in the tunnel of Anambra governance model and architecture is a blueprint with legal framework for the state’s technological and economic emancipation. Anambra state house of assembly is a hardworking Assembly committed to enacting positive and transformative laws responsive to the needs of the people.

Following a smooth transition from the 7th Assembly to the 8th Assembly under Governor Soludo the legislative house has been proactive in sustaining and fortifying extant institutions without duplication or subjugation of extant laws. In order words, the laws of the immediate past regime are critically relevant, rekindling the confidence and continuity in governance. The governance structure of the present Governor of Anambra state still flow from that of his predecessor and that of the predecessor of his speaker.

The laws that are not in tune with the demands of unfolding social and economic realities are revised in tune with the social readjustments of the society. The bills and extant laws of the previous administration are not negated or abrogated for incompetence reasons and they include: Anambra State House of Assembly Service Commissions and Funds Management Bill, Anambra State Agency for Erosion, Watershed and Climate Change Bill and Anambra State Public Procurement Bill.

Others include, Open Grazing and Cattle and other Livestock Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Bill, Awka Capital Territory Development Authority Bill, and Anambra State Traditional Rulers Amendment Bill, among others. Only few like the House of Assembly commission law is amended for a smooth legislative enforcement. But for a fledgling and changing society, the old laws needed to be backed up by more fundermental laws as superstructures of envisaged infrastructure development in the state.

The Governor had convincingly surmised that the laws must be willingly obeyed to usher in a cohesive livable homeland. He appreciated the Speaker and members of the House of Assembly for living up to their patriotic duty in laying a sustainable foundation of democracy in all of the three-tier of the  federal system of government especially the local councils elections coming soon and for the good of Anambra people in general.

Prof. Dukor is the President/Editor-in-Chief of Essence Library (cultural and scientific development center), Dept of Philosophy, UNIZIK.