Governor Soludo has continued to deepen civic engagements in a bid to drum home the initiatives and policy thrusts of his administration.

The governor today, 4th May, 2022, held a strategic meeting with landlords in Onitsha at Sharon House by All Saints Anglican Cathedral, Onitsha.

Landlords from Omagba Phases One and Two, GRA Onitsha Zone, Housing Estate, American Quarters, Trans-Nkisi, among many others, participated in the meeting.

The governor explained that the visit is in line with the mantra of “be your brothers’ keeper’, saying that it is to dialogue on how best to reclaim Onitsha, starting from the contributions of the landlords.

While describing Onitsha City as ‘dead’, the Professor Soludo stressed that everyone has one critical role or the other to play, and recalled that Onitsha was once reputed to be housing the largest market in West Africa, which is sadly no longer the case, as New businesses and investments are now tilting toward neighbouring states.

He emphasized that a verifiable estimate shows that thirty-five to fourty percent of the productive assets in Onitsha are evacuating, noting that landlords will benefit the most from the engagement because the value of their assets will increase eventually.

This, he noted, is the reality of the situation his administration committed to turn around into a smart megacity, as Onitsha has advanced into a metropolis.

Members of the State Executive Council, member representing Onitsha North, Constituency Two, Honourable Eddy Ibuzo, his Onitsha South One counterpart, Honourable Uzoma Eli, the National President Of Anambra State Association of Town Unions, ASATU, Barrister Titus Akpudo, among others also attended thr event.

For details of the event and other government activities, join the program, “Anambra Government House Diary” with Ejike Abana (ABS Government House Correspondent), On ABS 88.5fm, Mondays-Fridays, 6:05 and 5:30pm Daily.

Anambra State Government has re-commenced moves to construct an international drug market in Oba, Idemili South Local Aovernment Area.

A joint enforcement team, comprising the state’s ministry of health and officials of the Anambra State Physical Planning Board, visited the location for on-the-spot assessment and site evaluation.

Anambra State is as one of the four states benefitting from the project alongside, Kano, Abia and Lagos, with works in the other three states almost at different completion stages.

Unfortunately, the project was unable to take off in Anambra due to bottlenecks which included but not limited to encroachment by illegal developers.

According to the Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Obidike, Governor Soludo’s administration has vested interest in the project which he described as a world standard market, pointing out that the visit was to ascertain if the the project and its location meet international requirement.

Dr Obidike added that the governor communicated his clear directives to them regarding his position on the project, revealing that the move will reduce the influx of adulterated and low quality drugs into Anambra homes and health facilities.

The Chairman of Anambra State Physical Planning Board, Barrister Chike Maduekwe who recalled that the project had been in the pipeline for a very long time, revealed that it had been approved by the federal government, from the Physical Society of Nigeria, to build a world class drug market designated for Oba.

Barrister Maduekwe noted that the governor’s directive was among other things, to issue notice to illegal occupants which they have done, advising individuals who have issues to come forward and show their interest as the governor is deeply committed to moving the project forward.

While stating the imperativeness of controlling the environment where drugs are sold, he however disclosed that the land was acquired by Asset Management Corperation of Nigeria, AMCON, and that those who acquired it are willing to go ahead with the project.

On his part, the Managing Director of Anambra Investment Promotion and Protection Agency, Dr Ifedirora Amobi, stressed that the investment potential of the market is enormous, adding that besides delivery of services to the people of Anambra State, one of the things it will do is that Anambra’s IGR will increase.

He noted that the present administration should have a good return on investment for every project that comes into the state, expressing optimism that on completion, the market will be more structured, organized and controlled.

Ongoing illegal projects on site were sealed off and eviction notices served to owners.

In keeping faith with the Peoples’ Manifesto to continuously engage the people on regular basis , Prof Soludo has met with cross section of Anambra people to intimate them on what he plans to do next.

This is what Soludo told the people ”Today, I interacted with community leaders – women, youths and traditional rulers.

Part of the agenda was firstly, to intimate them with our programs and seek their collaboration in the ongoing fight against criminality. We agreed on the need to reform the laws establishing the town union administration as a way of addressing the various problems plaguing the system.

Anambra has a development trajectory, anchored on the Town Union system as a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for accomplishing any initiative targeted at the people. We are also a Society with a bulge of youthful population, with our very respected Traditional Rulers as the Chief Security Officers of various Communities.

When you have these groups of people under one roof, it is almost taken for granted that every household is represented. This is why we have decided to continue the “Community Choose Your Project” initiative established by my Predecessor. This time, we would ensure greater participation of stakeholders in all communities in this process, and also increase the funding.

As part of our “Regenerative Agricultural” program, we have requested community leaders to liase with their people to provide Lands for the first batch of our Palm Tree revolution. This first batch shall see the distribution of about one million improved palm seedlings, and other economic trees.

Our mandate is of and by the people. We owe them every explanation for all our actions, and to them will our commitment be. Where this is not so, we may as well be relapsing to a fascist regime.

This was a fruitful outing, more of it will come all through the life span of this administration.

God bless us all immensely” Soludo