By Dr. Tony Olisa Mbeki
Governor Soludo’s transformative campaign over Anambra State’s beleaguered roads has not merely touched upon, but thoroughly turned the state’s infrastructure to a marvel of modernity, a testament to his commitment that would have Homer himself grasping for grander epithets. The completed roads are ribbons across the landscape, stitching together a narrative of revived mobility and burgeoning potential.
In the bustling urban sprawl, Sokoto Road, Port Harcourt Road, and Premier Road no longer resemble the teeth of a saw, but rather the smooth lines of a painter’s brushstroke. Miss Elems Street and Moore Street-Iweka Road join the chorus of revived routes, all singing the tune of transformation.
Venturing away from the city’s heartbeat into the rural embrace, the Amansea, Awka – Ndiukwuenu – Manu forest – Awa – Ufuma Road, at over 26 kilometers, has become the sinew connecting once isolated limbs to the state’s body, emboldened by a bridge that defies swell and tides. Club Street Road in Awka, once a riddled remnant, now mirrors the Millennium Road behind the CBN, with a gleam that beckons prosperity at every turn. Isuofia-Nanka road, too, charts new territories of trade and travel where before there were only tracks that sighed with the weight of despair.
The Amansea-Ndiukwuenu-Ndiokpalaeze-Awa-Ufuma Road has risen like a phoenix, with flood controls acting as bulwarks against nature’s caprice. The Isuifia-Igboukwu section along the Nnobi-Ekwulobia road has been graced with similar measures to guard against the once relentless floods. Okpoko and Akpaka, too, shed their old skins of disrepair, donning a fresh coat of asphalt warmth.
The over ten-kilometer Mmiata-Anam-Nzam road is itself a tapestry of change, a triumph of topographic textile woven by determination and engineering.
Bridging educational hubs with the economic heartlands, Governor Soludo’s vision illuminates new developments—from Zik’s Avenue to Esther Obiakor road and beyond, all roads mapping out the courses of progress. The Awka GRA road, the artery from Arroma junction to the Federal High Court, all pulsate with the vibrancy of Soludo’s statecraft. The new government house, a jewel in the infrastructure crown, is cradled within this network, which now extends double-laned to Ifite, uniting AMC road and the expressway.
Roads aren’t merely constructed; they’re crafted with a dedication that mirrors the venerable legends. The Obodo-Owerri road unfurls over 5.77km of potential; the Oguagu- Ik Onuorah- Anumudu-Mgbuka- Amazu-Owerri road spans almost 3km of commerce and connection. With each street, from Edeh to School and Awalite, to Ojoto to Umuobom, Governor Soludo interlaces the people’s needs with the state’s capacity, crafting a living, moving artwork of infrastructure.
The assembly of thoroughfares connecting Umenweke to Umeojiakor, Ojoto to Anumudu Amazu, and Uzii to Mission streets, encompasses both the intricacies of community needs and the grand strategy of state development. Each junction, from Ik Onuorah to Gmi road, marks a crossroads of opportunity, a checkpoint on the road to Anambra’s future—a future shaped substantially by the hands and vision of Governor Soludo, who has not just built roads but sculpted gateways to destiny.
Governor Soludo’s visionary leadership doesn’t stop at the completion of existing projects. The works ongoing under his stewardship further demonstrate a commitment to the comprehensive development of Anambra State, touching the rural areas with the same transformative zeal that has invigorated the urban landscapes.
In the midst of this grand design, the ongoing venture in Nkpor (inland doors) stands as a testament to the governor’s broad lens, recognizing that the state’s future spans across every settlement, town, and city. The developments in Umuoji and Obiaja bridge, fervently pursued under his administration, underline a fidelity to ensuring that progress cascades throughout the state, crossing urban and rural divides with equal determination.
The continued works on Nnobi road signal an understanding that urban centers need strong connections to the rural peripheries. While cities may act as the engines of commerce, it is the veins that spread into rural areas which ensure the lifeblood of development reaches every part of the state.
Governor Soludo’s roadmap for Anambra is not one of selective growth, but rather an inclusive vision that encompasses every corner and constituency. The ongoing projects in different rural areas testify to his pledge to weave a unified tapestry of development, ensuring that no part of the state is left behind as Anambra journeys towards a prosperous and harmonious tomorrow.
