Jude Diugwu
Some Awka residents in Anambra State, said that Gov. Chukwuma Soludo’s road projects had been attracting investors and realtors as well as improved agricultural productivity.
The residents made the assertion while speaking with newsmen during a project tour of roads and other infrastructure in Awka South And Awka North Local Government Areas, organised by the Recover Nigeria Project, a civil society organisation.
The projects visited in Awka South were the Amansea-Awa-Ndiukwuenu-Ufuma 23km Road, remodeling of Ekwueme Square, Ifite link bridge over the Awka-Enugu Expressway, Government House/Governor’s Lodge and Solution Funcity.
Amansea-Ebenebe-Ugbenu-Ugbene-Awba-Ofemili 26km Road project in Awka North.
Mr Ambrose Nweke, a native of Awba-Ofemili community, said the newly constructed roads had made transportation easy especially for farmers and had brought the community to limelight.
“Before now this road was in a very bad condition, even motorcycles find it difficult to ply the road. As a agrarian area, farmers find it difficult to take their goods to town or market.
“We thank Gov. Soludo for remembering us. Now our community is accessible to all, farmers can easily take rice, garri, palm oil and other farm produce to the market easily. Good road is truly life and light,” he said.
On his part, Mr Michael Okagbue said: I’m most excited because as a farmer, the market people now come into our farms to buy our farm produce.
“We cried to previous governments to ensure the road is passable, but Gov. Soludo wiped away our tears and we are experiencing rapid development in our communities. We will vote for him again so that he can continue this good work.”
Also, Mr. Chinedu Oraekie,a 47-year-old former Secretary-General of Awba-Ofemili Community, said investors and realtors had been trooping into the community since the road was tarred.
“I was born here, and the road conditions were terrible. I thank God today for the governor we have. Our land has appreciated from N150,000, N200,00 to N800,000 or N1 million, depending on the site.
“People are coming in to invest in real estate and agriculture because this road brought out the potential of this community. Awba rice is now popular in the markets.
“We thank Gov. Soludo and hope he will fulfill his promise to link us to Ayamelum Local Government Area. We believe he will do it,” he said.
Mrs Joy Akachukwu of Ugbenu community said the had been easy access to healthcare since the road was constructed.
“It was very difficult to get to the primary healthcare centre at Ebenebe or Awka town due to bad road but with this tarred road, it is easy and fast to access health care.
“We thank Gov. Soludo but as Oliver Twist, we are a pleading that our primary healthcare be made functional. The structure is there but it is not functioning,” she said.
The Convener of Recover Nigeria Project, Mr Osita Obi, commended Gov. Soludo for impacting positively on the lives of the people through his various developmental projects across the state.
“Just two and a half years in office, Gov. Soludo has performed well especially in the area of roads and infrastructure. These achievements will leave a lasting legacy.
“I’m appealing to residents to re-elect Gov. Soludo so that we will not disrupt this process of radical transformation in the state,” Obi said.
