On the 15th of March 2024, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo while commissioning the Okpunoeze, Uruagu Nnewi roads was clear about his administration’s commitment to embarking on a purely ambitious project in the state in months to come which entailed dualizing of Nnewi – Nnobi – Adazi – Awka roads.
It would amaze you my dear reader to know that on the 31st of October 2024 Prof. Charles Soludo’s government awarded the dualization of Awka – Agulu – Adazi – Nnobi – Nnewi roads, Nnewi – Ozubulu – Okija axis at publicly known cost to the state.
While we unfortunately have Anambra state popular on the mainstream media for the insecurity reality that the citizens wish could be tackled more holistically, it is also necessary that we do unbiased appraisal of other sectors of the state economy to have a true picture of what is going on in the state under Prof. Soludo’s administration.
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The Okpunoeze Uruagu Nnewi Road is one strategic project that speaks to the intentional disposition of this government to open up the villages and grant them access to the city centre with ease to be able to evacuate their agricultural products and also engage in economic activities with ease.
Another major beneficiary of that access road that was delivered is the management of Nnamdi Azikiwe University teaching hospital, Nnewi.
As we all know, under the leadership of Prof. Joseph Ugboaja (OON) the chief medical director, the hospital’s operation has been moved from its very relatively small sized compound at Nnewiichi temporary site to the very expansive permanent site of the hospital in Akamili.
Just some months before the Okpunoeze, Uruagu road was completed, accessing the permanent site of the hospital was quite herculean and stressful owing to the distance one has to cover and the numerous numbers of carelessly and unprofessionally erected speed bumps on the road to the permanent site of the hospital.
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With the newly constructed Okpunoeze road which thankfully is free of speed bumps, you can access the permanent site of the hospital with the most of ease as there would be no fear of the bumps making it more difficult for medical emergency cases to be conveyed to Nnamdi Azikiwe university teaching hospital (NAUTH) permanent site in record time.
With the Nnewi bank road – Uruagu road construction going on at the moment, the city would have been well connected on its completion, and this would have a ripple effect on the quality of lives lived by Nnewi residents and also the ease with which the residents transact.
While most Nnewi residents basked in the joy of the multiple road construction projects going on in the town, while they live daily in fear for their lives due to the widespread insecurity, I am amazed that some educated residents of the town are daring to oppose the dualization of Awka – Agulu – Adazi – Nnobi – Nnewi roads and Nnewi – Ozubulu – Okija axis.
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These objections to the execution of this project by the state government underscores why it is necessary that a leader who is strong willed, stubborn and focused must be elected at all times during our election cycles else such a leader would end up not doing projects that would be in the overall interest of the citizens being led.
Another aspect of the construction projects that is worth being applauded is the deliberate disclosure of the cost of these projects.
While some South-eastern state governments leave their citizens to always guess about the cost of projects, it is interesting to see that Prof. Charles Soludo’s government was deliberate enough to publish the cost of the projects and the companies that would carry out these projects.
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Knowing that the dualization of Agulu – Adazi – Nnobi – Nnewi roads being done by Lebtech Constructions Ltd at the cost of thirty-three-billion-naira (33,000, 000, 000) is expected to be delivered in twelve (12) months period is such a good way to go. Having Ferotex Construction Company handle the construction of Nnewi – Ozubulu – Okija axis at the cost of thirty billion naira (30, 000, 000, 000) which is expected to be delivered in eighteen months is a commendable approach to transparency in governance.
We are well aware that in the course of dualizing the road, that buildings and businesses would be affected, it is my sincere wish that the government looks into the complaints of the people whom their structures would have to give way for the project while we also acknowledge that there is no way Anambra state can become well developed in terms of infrastructure without literarily “breaking eggs”.
While it is understandable that people would lose their houses, business premises as the road expansion project is being done, we plead with the government to please work out modalities to see that the masses do not suffer so much as a result of the project with more emphasis for consideration being on the people who have very legitimate claims to their property’s location.
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There is no justification for anyone to be opposed to this project. I have read some people whom I would term developmentally ignorant make careless statements like “If Senator Ifeanyi Patrick Ubah were to be alive, such a thing like this would not happen in Nnewi”. While I would not want to dwell on the implication of this statement, I would want to state categorically that this project is in the best interest of ndi Anambra and must be supported by all men and women of goodwill irrespective of political leanings.
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Despite the people who maybe adversely affected, this project is in the interest of the development of the state and we must rally round to support the government to do that which is in the developmental interest of the state.
Finally, as the Anambra state investment submit holds in Awka today at the international conference center, it is our wish that these projects help to facilitate the inflow of investments into these regions of the state, on the completion of these projects. When it comes to ramping up the infrastructure deficit in the state owing to where the state is coming from, we can rate Prof. Charles Soludo’s government to be deliberate about this aspect of the state development. However, the dent being done on the state government by the revenue touts is unbearable.
4 responses to “Beyond the insecurity in Anambra state; a ray of hope.”
This was a good read!!
The fact is that Nwa Mgbafor has done reasonably well so far. While insecurity has overshadowed his achievements, I still feel that he needs a good publicity team to showcase his numerous achievements especially in the road and health sector.
These are facts that stare us in the face and one other thing we must acknowledge is that he has been deliberate about the places he cites most of these projects. We must be patriotic enough irrespective of our political leanings to say these truths, in the interest of the region.
Is a good one, I pray that God will guide and protect him and remove evil people around him.
That’s our prayer and it is our utmost wish that he fixes this insecurity and it would be mind blowing to see the manner the state would explosively develop.