By Izunna Okafor, Awka
Anambra State Governor, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, has been accused of disliking the progress of Nnewi, the industrial hub of the State.
The accusation comes as a result of the Governor’s alleged abandonment of some of the dilapidated roads in the community, including those he had previously flagged off their construction since last year, such as the Ogbufor Road/Bank Road, among others.
According to the residents, the somewhat state-wide rain that badgered in Anambra last night (on Wednesday night) made the Bank Road and some other similar roads in the city impassable and worst in appearances the following day.
While noting that the rain signalled the approaching of raining season, the residents wondered if their hope and expectation that the roads would be tidied up before next rainy season is also becoming a mirage.
“This road (Ogbufor Road/Bank Road) is in front of New Motor Spare Parts Market in Nnewi, Anambra State.
“Soludo Charles Chukwuma Soludo started the construction of this road since last year, but nothing reasonable has been achieved and we’re almost in rainy season.
“This road leads to international Markets in Nnewi that serve the entire country and Africa,” a concerned citizen of the community wrote on his social media handle on Thursday.
Corroborating the assertion, another indigene of the community, Prince Emenike Chinedu said: “This is an eyesore, there’s no motorable roads currently that connects to Nkwo Nnewi. Ogbufor Road, Bank Road, Park Road, Building Material Road, Ezeogidi Road, 100 Foot Road; all these roads are in a sorry state. Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, the Governor of Anambra State should do the needful and stop this hatred against Nnewi.”
While Chizoba Okafor opined that “ Soludo doesn’t like Nnewi progress”, Engr. Felix Okezie alleged thus: “Soludo is not intentional about any good change in Anambra state, especially in Infrastructure. Worse is Nnewi.”
On his own part, Amanambu Lotanna said the Governor might construct the road till next election to use it as a bait again to win the support of the people; even as a resident of Nnewi, Osinachi Young, and Tochukwu Nwankwo advised the Governor to go for an internship in Abia State, to learn road construction and infrastructural development from Governor Alex Otti.
The residents also shared pictures of other dilapidated roads in the commercial city, while urging the Governor to speed up construction works in the area, wondering why he would not revoke the contracts with the current contractors and hand the road projects over to another serious contractor the same way he recently did in Okpoko community.
Howbeit, some other indigenes of Nnewi who also shared their views on the issue wondered why the community would keep waiting for the Governor for the rehabilitation of the said dilapidated and abandoned roads when a seating Senator of the Federal Republic and other money bags in the State hail from the community.
Efforts by this reporter, Izunna Okafor, to get the views and explanations of the State’s Commissioner for Works, Engr. Ifeanyi Okoma on the said road project abandonments and the delay in construction in Nnewi, proved abortive, as his phone number was not connecting, as at the time of filing this report.
