A group known as the Golden Organization for Accountability in Leadership and Development (GOLD) in Anambra State has stated that it will urge three of the state’s illustrious sons to establish specialized universities within the next year.
The three sons are Arthur Eze, Igwe Achebe, and Chukwuma Innoson, noting that these special universities will help accelerate the development of the state.
According to the group, its formation is aimed at leapfrogging the development of the state by monitoring the state government, especially the local government councils, which are the engine rooms for development.
Addressing journalists in Awka after a crucial meeting on Monday, the group’s Chairman, Comrade Anthony Ozo, said they had placed a premium on accountability as a key index for all levels of government and leadership in society, starting with Anambra State.
He said that GOLD’s aim is to create a conducive atmosphere for good governance.
Comrade Ozo explained that the objective of the group was to generate tangible progress in Anambra State, which had motivated them to propose the establishment of three universities in the state within the next year.
“We feel strongly that the Chief Executive Officer of Innoson Group of Companies, Dr. Innocent Chukwuma, who is doing well in the automobile industry in Africa and beyond, should be encouraged with our support to establish a university in his name.
“The proposed name is Innoson University of Technology.
“We also consider Sir 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 toward promoting and enforcing the beliefs and concepts of the organization.”
“We call on you (the media) because we cannot achieve these goals without the support of the media,” he said.
One of the conveners and pillars of the group, Chief Paul Nwosu, said the group would collaborate with the three individuals to ensure the proposed universities become operational within the next year.
According to him, they would also work in collaboration with the National Universities Commission (NUC) for possible approval and to ensure that the institutions take off as scheduled.
“God helping us, we must make these three universities functional and possibly start admitting students within the next year.
“You can even hold us accountable the way we want to hold governments accountable. We want to lead by example.
“We understand the mindset and thinking patterns of the personalities we’ve chosen to work with, and we know they will do anything that promotes Anambra State. By the time we 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, it will begin to open the minds of future political leaders in the state,” Chief Nwosu added.