Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has approved the renaming of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to Ministry of Industry.
A statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Solo Chukwulobelu said the governor gave the approval yesterday at the State Executive Council Meeting at the government House, Awka.
A group of Anambra market leaders under the aegis of Conference of All Markets Traders in Anambra State (COMTAS), had months ago, asked Governor Soludo to immediately drop the Dr Ngonadi as Commissioner for Commerce and Industry in the state.
The group had given one of the reasons for calling for the commissioner’s head to include the non-inclusion of Anambra State Market Amalgamated Traders (ASMATA) and Bridgehead market executives in the market bodies sacked by the Government recently.
They alleged that both ASMATA and Bridgehead market were involved in the flawed elections like Ogbaru Main Market and Ose Okwuodu market among other markets sacked by the Commissioner.
The statement signed by Chief Uzor A Uzor, chairman of COMTAS, accused the new Commissioner of “financial inducement, corporate corruption, abuse of office and lack of transformational leadership in line with the vision of Prof Chukwuma Soludo’s administration.”
But in the statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Chukwulobelu on Monday, the government explained that the decision was to enable the Ministry of Industry focus on the industrialization agenda of Mr. Governor, and for greater performance.
The statement said by the approval, the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Dr. Obinna Ngonadi will henceforth be addressed as the Commissioner for Industry.
It further said the Trade and Commerce aspect of the Ministry will, until further notice, be domiciled under the Governor’s Office and all activities relating to trade and commerce should be channelled to the Governor’s Office.
The Anambra Government Scribe explained that the decision is to enable the Ministry of Industry focus on the industrialization agenda of Mr. Governor, and for greater performance.
