By Chuks Collins
A non-governmental organization (NGO) under the aegis of Golden Organization for Accountability in Leadership and Development (GOLD) has proposed three specialized universities for Anambra State.
These universities proposed to be driven by active and well-to-do sons of the state,of including the Obi of Onitsha, HRM Agbogidi, Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe who is a globally reconized statesman is to be persuaded to set up the Igwe Alfred Achebe African University of Culture and International Studies.
Addressing journalists at the end of their meeting, the GOLD chairman and former chairman of Nigerian Labour Congress, Dr Anthony Ugozor read out the communique, listing out key decisions taken.
He said that their main focus, irrespective of who or whichever political party was in power in the state was proper accountability and responsive governance in all levels of government.
More so, that they are to generate a clean atmosphere for good governance to thrive.
Ugozor said that they placed high premium on accountability as a capital index for all levels of governments and leadership in society at large beginning with Anambra State.
That the objective of GOLD was to generate tangible progress in Anambra State which he explained had motivated them to project and propose the three special universities in the State, expected to take next academic year.
According to Ugozor, “We feel strongly that the Chief Executive Officer of the Innoson Group of Companies, Dr Innocent Chukwuma who is doing well in automobile manufacturing industry in Africa and beyond, hence should be encouraged with our support to establish a university in his name.
“The proposed name is Innoson University of Technology.
“We also considered Prince Arthur Eze as one of those who have the capacity to establish a university in Anambra State to be named Arthur Eze University of Management and Legal Studies.
While the third one should be Igwe Alfred Achebe African University of Culture and International Studies.
“We have various committees including legal, education, contact and mobilization, membership and administration, women mobilization and non-indigene committees.
“These committees are geared towards growing and enforcing the belief and concept of the organization.
“We call on and all citizens and stakeholders to assist in seeing the initiative materialize.
One of the pillars of the group who is also the national chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC)Chief Okey Nwosu noted also that the group would work in collaboration with those three illustrious sons of the State to ensure that the proposed universities became operational in the next one year.
He said they would also work in collaboration with the National Universities Commission (NUC) for possible approval and immediate take off to make sure that the institutions take off as scheduled.
“God helping us, we must make these three universities functional and can even start admitting students within the next one year.
“You can even hold us accountable the way we want to hold governments accountable. We want to live by example.
“We know the mindset and thinking pattern of personalities we have chosen to work with and we know they will always do anything that can promote Anambra State. When we might have started the projects, in the next four to five years, the State will not be the same.
“Government is not maximizing the opportunities we have in Anambra. By the time we start implementing our proposals, maybe it will start to open the minds of future political leaders in the State, “Chief Nwosu
The group which plans to develop the South-East region through skilled-based education noted that it’s door is open for more members daily. That they are non sectional, non political, non religious and drew membership from the professionals, the media, the business class and the academia,etc.
