During the campaign days of Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, CFR, one of the most important items on top his agenda in his manifesto was the declaration of a state of emergency on Anambra roads in view of the noticed deplorable condition of roads across the state.
Professor Soludo, during that electioneering period also promised to reclaim Okpoko community in Ogbaru Local government Area, with a view of giving the people of the area who seemed to have been rejected by successive administrations, a sense of belonging.
These promises are coming through in quick successions because a good leader is one who does not only keep to promises but one who knows the problems of the people and factor them into his agenda.
Soon after the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, declared him winner of the November 2021 Gubernatorial election, Governor Chukwuma Soludo in his appreciation message to Ndi Anambra reassured them, that having employed him as their governor and Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim as his deputy, they would not for one day renege on their campaign promises.
After his inauguration on March 17th, 2022, Professor Soludo swung into action, rolling out his development agenda, with a visit to Okpoko the next day being March 18th 2022, to fulfill his promise of reclaiming the city.
The visit by Mr Governor to the area was welcomed by residents of the area because according to them, Professor Soludo is the first governor both in the old and new Anambra State to visit the area with a promise to rehabilitate it for their own good.
Apart from Governor Soludo’s avowed commitment to transform Okpoko through roads construction and rehabilitation, his administration has so far awarded contracts for either construction or reconstruction of over 220 kilometres of roads across the state as part of moves aimed at fulfilling his promise of declaring a state of emergency on Anambra roads.
These roads are evenly spread across the capital city, Awka, the industrial hub – Nnewi, the commercial nerve center – Onitsha, the emerging urban city of Ekwulobia and other strategic roads that offer economic and developmental advantages in the three senatorial districts of Anambra North, Anambra South and Anambra Central. Critical among these roads is the 26 kilometer Awa-Amansea road which connects Orumba to the state capital territory without passing through the over burdened Awka – Ekwulobia Federal road. Also, the Amansea-Awba-Ofemili-Omor road which opens up the agrarian communities in Awka North and Ayamelum council areas. The Atani-Ozubulu Road, a very strategic by-pass through which travellers can connect Owerri Road without entering Onitsha town measuring 11.37 kilometres long and 7.3 metres is also on the lists. Many of them too numerous to mention.
Inner city and communal roads are not even left out. The government in addition to others also approved the commencement of work on some communal roads in Mbaukwu, Awka South including the Saint Lawrence Anglican Church to Ngene Mmiri shrine to Iyi Utoko stream to Ogodo Village square to Igwe Mbaukwu road. .
One spectacular thing about Governor Chukwuma Soludo is that before any road is awarded for either construction or rehabilitation he must first visit the area himself to ascertain the true nature of such roads. On awarding of the contracts, a fifty percent mobilization fund is paid to contractors handling various projects to ensure early commencement of work in addition to delivering the project on schedule after which the balance payment would be made.
From all indications, it is obvious that Professor Chukwuma Soludo has come to put smile on the faces of Ndi Anambra. What we owe him is to ensure regular payment of tax and levies which the government will be using to develop all the key sectors of the economy including health care, education, water resources among others.
Written by ABUCHI NWOZOR
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