This is the routine for a man who has declared a state of emergency on Anambra’s road infrastructure. I am very certain the Commissioner for works, and indeed, every other Commissioner in the Solution team is learning to pace up to the proactive leadership of Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo whose mantra is “trust, but verify”.
In a State, where road infrastructure is the most valued indicator of good governance, there has to be painstaking eyes for detail to ensure balancing and proper utilization of scarce resources. Of the 220km of roads earmarked for construction, reconstruction or rehabilitation in the 2022 revised budget, Mr. Governor’s simple qualifying indices include but not limited to;
1. Areas with no visible road infrastructure, for instance Nzam in Anambra west LGA being the only Local Government headquarters in the State without an access road. Ikenga in Aguata LGA as one community that has never seen a tarred road since its corporate existence as a Town.
2. Economic viability — the case of the Amansea-Awa-Ufuma road, projected to cross over to Ebenebe, Oba-ofemili up to parts of Ayamelum. Upon completion, this road will seamlessly link the Southern part of the State to the Agrarian belt of Anambra North creating easy access to the State capital from both extremes.
3. Urban Regeneration — exemplified by the ongoing road constructions in Okpoko, parts of Onitsha, Awka, Nnewi and the proposed flyover at Ekwulobia.
In my opinion, these are the 3 qualifiers that Governor Soludo has premised what he calls his “first phase of construction cycle”. As a deliberate leader, he goes on a physical assessment to verify if the roads meet set preliminary benchmark before he takes it to the Anambra State Executive Council (ANSEC) for approval and awarding. Then he goes for flagoff to ensure Contractors are fully on site. This is part of the Solution matrix which I will expand upon in my next piece.
Meanwhile, it is your Tax that is at work!
— Mazi Ejimofor Opara writes Awka, Anambra State.