Soludo Swears In New SSG, Key Officials

The Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, on Wednesday swore in the newly appointed Secretary to the State Government, Mrs Chiamaka Nnake, alongside other key officials of the state government.

The ceremony took place at the Executive Council Chamber of the Government House, popularly known as the “Light House”, in Awka, the state capital.

Soludo urged the appointees to justify the confidence reposed in them by delivering optimal service to the people of Anambra State.

The new SSG took the oath of office alongside the other appointees at about 12:47 p.m.

Before the swearing-in ceremony, the former Solicitor-General of the state, Mrs Ngozi Iwouno, administered the oath of office on the new Attorney-General of the state, Tobechukwu Nweke, who subsequently administered the oath of allegiance on the other appointees.

Addressing the officials shortly after their inauguration, Soludo welcomed them into what he described as “Team Solution 2.0.”

He said every member of the team had undergone a thorough vetting process before being assigned their respective portfolios.

The governor also disclosed that the appointments were only the first batch, noting that more would be announced in due course.

He said, “I welcome you all to the ‘Team Solution 2.0’. Each of you has been carefully vetted through a thorough process, and we were very intentional in selecting everyone on this team.”

Soludo added that the new appointments mark the beginning of a broader administrative arrangement in the state.

“The team is unfolding. This is the first batch of appointments that is unfolding today; there will be other batches,” he said.

The governor described the appointments as both an honour and a responsibility, reminding the officials that public service requires sacrifice.

According to him, the opportunity to serve the people of Anambra should not be taken lightly.

He said, “I want to sincerely congratulate all of you and also commiserate with you. I say congratulations because it’s always an honour to serve. Out of the estimated over nine million Ndi Anambra, you have been called upon to serve.”

Soludo, however, cautioned that the task ahead would not be easy.

“I commiserate with you because of the task ahead, but you are among the team we are calling upon to pay to serve; there will be sacrifices, and all I see is a call to serve,” he said.

He stressed that public office should not be viewed as an avenue for personal enrichment.

“When people are called to serve, they see it as a means to ‘chop’, but here, I didn’t see any table. For me, I don’t actually see the benefit, yet you are called upon to serve,” he added.

Soludo also reminded the appointees of the significance of the oath they had taken, urging them to remain committed to the responsibilities attached to their offices.

He revealed that he personally keeps a copy of his oath of office as a daily reminder of his responsibility to the people.

“I want you to remember that we swore to the same oath of office and allegiance. I placed my oath of allegiance and oath of office in my bedroom, and every morning before I step out, I take a look at them,” he said.

The governor further urged the officials to reflect on the meaning of the oath they had sworn to.

“This is not just a ceremony; you have taken an oath, and beyond this moment, just sit down and read every sentence in the oath and reflect on what it means. Provide your compass for the rest of the service,” Soludo stated.

Soludo emphasised the importance of teamwork and collaboration in achieving the objectives of his administration.

According to him, the success of the government depends on effective coordination among members of the team.

“Welcome to the ‘Team Solution 2.0.’ I stressed the word team; it’s about teamwork, with one ball and 11 players, and the goal is to put the ball into the net in the opposite direction,” he said.

He added that collaboration and coordination among the officials would be essential in delivering value to the people of the state.

“The word is collaboration, coordination; it’s about value. The title is simply to let you in on the room,” the governor added.

Soludo also appealed to the people of Anambra State, particularly the families and close associates of the newly appointed officials, not to place undue pressure or expectations on them.

According to him, the appointees’ primary responsibility is to serve the people of the state.

List Of Newly Appointed Officials

Among those sworn in are Mrs Ngozi Iwouno, who was appointed Head of Service; Joachim Anetoh, Principal Secretary to the Governor; and Dr Ben Nwankwo, Chief of Staff to the Governor.

Others include Prof. Frank-Collins Okafor, State Chief of Protocol; Uzochukwu Okafor, Commissioner for Finance; and Tobechukwu Nweke, SAN, Attorney-General of the State.

Also appointed are Christian Aburime, Chief Press Secretary; Dr Vincent Okechi, Deputy Chief of Staff; and Ms Ngozi Okoye, Deputy State Chief of Protocol.

Additional appointees include Dr Godwin Nnadozie, Special Adviser on Medicals and Pharmaceuticals; Ms Chinwe Okoli, Special Adviser on Innovation and Business Incubation and Chief Executive Officer of the Solution Innovation District; Prof. Ebuka Nwankwo, Special Adviser on Special Projects and Director of Project Evaluation and Monitoring; and Ken Emeakayi, Special Adviser on Community Security.