Our dream Anambra gradually taking shape — Soludo

By Vincent Ujumadu

Anambra State governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has said that his administration’s vision of making the state a liveable and smart city is steadily taking shape.

Speaking with journalists in Awka, the governor explained that in addition to the existing cities of Awka, Onitsha, Nnewi, and Ekwulobia, three brand new cities are being planned, with the locations already mapped out.

“Based on the landmark projects we’ve executed in line with Anambra Vision 2070, which is a 50-year development plan, the vision is to make Anambra a liveable and prosperous mega city where every visitor feels at home, relax and work,” Soludo said.

According to him, a new aerotropolis is being designed within the axis of a new industrial city in the state, with 6,000 hectares of land already acquired for it.

“These are part of long-term planning for the next 200 years of our state. We are doing away with the haphazard development where everything — residential buildings, churches, markets and filling stations — compete for the same space.

“We want to be intentional in planning our cities. Because we have a small land space, only second to Lagos, we are strategic in designing the new cities,” he explained.

The governor said the ongoing dualization of intercity roads was informed by the vision of creating a liveable and smart city that allows easy movement.

“Many communities that had never seen any tarred road in their areas now have well-built roads. We’ve done over 800 kilometers of roads, with over 600 already asphalted in a quality the state had not seen before.

“We asphalt an average of 12 roads every month. We’ve completed two iconic flyovers and seven bridges. We are also facing erosion control with the seriousness it deserves because of its existential threat to the entire state, especially as Anambra is branded the erosion capital of Africa,” he added.

On water supply, Soludo said his administration has rehabilitated five urban water schemes, while about 15 semi-urban water schemes and 109 small-town water projects are now functional.

In the area of urban regeneration, he stated that Okpoko in Ogbaru Local Government Area has been transformed from what was once described as the largest urban slum in Nigeria into a bustling city.

“Okpoko is now called New Haven. It boasts asphalted roads with streetlights, a brand new General Hospital where women enjoy free antenatal and delivery services, as well as pipe-borne water.

“Also, Onitsha South, as big as it is, never had a General Hospital, and we’ve built one there. All the dilapidated roads in that area are being rehabilitated,” he further said.

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