DENOMINATION, RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION NOT A CRITERION FOR APPOINTMENTS, SAYS SOLUDO
By MaryAnn Chukwuma
Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Charles Soludo has reaffirmed his commitment to merit-based governance, saying that religion or denomination has never influenced appointments in his administration.
The governor made the declaration on Saturday, May 31, while addressing Anglican faithful during the Diocesan Synod held in Ezira, Orumba South Local Government Area, emphasizing that competence, capacity and the ability to deliver results for Ndi Anambra remain the only considerations in selecting members of his team.
According to Soludo, he has never judged or related with people based on their mode of worship or religious affiliation.
“I have never interacted with anyone in my life seeking to know how they worship or whether they even worship at all. I have never done it once, and I will never do it,” he said.
Reflecting on his tenure as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Soludo noted that many of the most capable professionals he worked with came from different religious backgrounds.
“When I look back at my time at the Central Bank, many of the people who worked closely with me were neither Catholics nor Anglicans. What mattered was their ability to do the job,” he said.
The governor cited examples from his current administration to underscore his position. He disclosed that both his Aide-de-Camp (ADC) and Chief Security Officer are Pentecostals from Abia State, adding that religious considerations played no role in their appointments.
Soludo revealed that after spending nearly two months assembling his cabinet, he only recently discovered that the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning is Jewish.
“There is no Catholic way of constructing roads, no Anglican way of providing security and no denominational method of building houses. Whoever can deliver quality service to Ndi Anambra gets the job. What matters is competence and commitment to service,” he said.
He stressed that citizens are ultimately concerned about the quality of services they receive rather than the religious background or origin of those providing them.
“What the people care about is the service they enjoy and the results they see. Government is about getting the work done, and that has always been my guiding principle,” the governor added.
Soludo also commended the Anglican Church for establishing a new nursing school in Isulo, describing the initiative as a significant contribution to healthcare development and human capital growth in the state.
He noted that faith-based investments in education and healthcare complement government efforts to improve access to quality services and strengthen the state’s healthcare workforce.
The governor’s remarks reinforced his administration’s commitment to inclusiveness, meritocracy, and effective service delivery as Anambra continues to pursue reforms across key sectors, including health, education, and infrastructure.
MaryAnn Chukwuma writes from the Anambra State Ministry of Information.