By Uche Amunike
Former Governor of Anambra State and Labour Party presidential candidate during the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi has defended the investment made by his administration in the state’s brewery, saying that it is a major economic asset, notwithstanding criticisms from people.
Speaking, during an interview on Arise TV, with the Arise News Anchor, Rufai Oseni, Peter Obi recounted the challenges faced by his administration while trying to attract investments to Anambra State, especially the issue of establishing the brewery which has today, become the state’s largest revenue earner.
Hear him: ‘If I ever tell you what I suffered for that brewery to be built in Anambra State, you will not believe it. I had to go out trying to attract business to Anambra State. The biggest revenue source for Anambra today is that brewery.’
While responding to claims the government’s stake in the brewery had depreciated, he dismissed the criticism saying that he wished that other people in Nigeria invested in something that went down.
Hear him: ‘Thank you very much. I wish other people in Nigeria invested in something that went down. That’s not smart.’
According to him, the Anambra brewery directly employs at least 500 residents in the state, while at the same time supports the livelihoods of over 5000 others, including distributors and truck drivers.
He condemned the negative perception that surrounds the investment and contrasted it with similar ventures in other states.
Using Ogun State as an example, Peter Obi asserted: ‘They have the biggest brewery in Ogun State. Have you ever heard anybody say in Ogun State, oh, the brewery is this?’
He also responded to recent criticisms that suggested that his administration was part of the reasons why there is rising poverty in the state, even as some others accused him of lacking the moral right to speak on poverty reduction.
He further stated: ‘You are talking about a narrow interest, a narrow assessment. Go and look at Nigerian Competitive Index,” he replied, citing international development benchmarks. Before I was governor in 2006, and after I came back from impeachment in 2007, I was effectively governor until 2014 — seven years.’
He also stated that Nigeria has global standards to measure development progress, being a signatory to the United nations Millennium Development Goals (UNDP).
According to him, by the time he ended in 2014, Anambra State under his watch was on top of the list, adding that it was UNDP that measured it and not him. He further stated that he was actually invited to the United nations to give a speech on what he did in the state.
He emphasized on improvements in education and health during his administration and urged doubters to consult donor agencies and experts who worked on poverty reduction at the time.
He also said: ‘Ask everybody — the only thing I didn’t do well, Rufai, is that I wasn’t in the media. I wasn’t going about paying media people, advertising myself.’
Peter Obi harped on the need to be people friendly, stressing that he thrived on simplicity.
‘I live in Anambra today. The only place I have a house in my name is in Anambra State. I’m inviting you — any day in Anambra State — let’s walk the streets. And people will tell you who this man is,’ he concluded.
