By Rose Oranye and Lilian Ezejiegu
The Anambra State Commissioner for Information, Dr Law Mefor, has reaffirmed his commitment to continue working with Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo in building a brighter future for Anambra.
Reflecting on his one year in office during the visit of the executive members of the Abatete Born-again Christians Association (ABACA) to his office in Awka, Mefor said he perceived his appointment a year and six months after Mr Governor assumed office as a task to rebase the Solution Government’s information and communication system for Mr Governor’s achievements to be seen and heard, which has yielded positive results.
He stressed the need for Ndị Anambra to understand and support Soludo’s vision and dream of making the state Africa’s Dubai, Taiwan, or Silicon Valley, for which he’s already building the foundation and pillars through some infrastructural facilities like the Solution Fun City, the Light House, and the Anambra Beltway – a conscious attempt to create and recreate Anambra for the future, among others.
According to him, “Anambra Beltway is created in such a way that the state will not be stampeded by population growth in the next 50 years. It is created in such a way that you can set out from Awka and move through dual carriageways to connect the four urban cities in Anambra.
“And more dual carriageways are coming to ease transportation of goods and services because our population as of today is between eight and nine million. By the year 2030, it is estimated that Anambra must have risen up to 20-30 million. Where will they be? How will they move around?
“What this means is that if the next 50 years of Anambra State are not planned today, you will not be able to leave Awka and get to Onitsha in two-three hours. So these things are being created in advance. And it’s not just roads. We are creating the rail ring. There will be a rail ring to complement these beltways and other things.
“Why I am pointing these things out is for people to understand that there’s a possibility of Anambra being an African Dubai or Taiwan with these kinds of things we put in place. These were the kinds of things the founders of Dubai envisaged 10 years ago and put in place that enabled Dubai to emerge as a global logistics and commercial hub.
“So my job is such that I understand that these messages have to be carefully crafted and taken to the people so that they understand that for once, they have a leader committed to the welfare of the people. If other governors did so well, Soludo’s doing a lot better, and he’s doing all this without borrowing a penny,” he said.
Mefor urged the Abatete people to be patient and assured them that he will continue to bring their needs to the government, adding that the government is aware that they have constructed up to a dozen roads through self-help and would soon complement their efforts with at least one road.
The ABACA Chairman, Bro Nwachukwu Oguikpo, explained that the visit was to identify with him, appreciate his good works and pray for higher positions.
