By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, will on Saturday flag-off over 63 kilometers of roads across the state.

He dropped the hint on Friday during the commissioning ceremony of a 1.7-kilometre road built by Chief Val Onwumelu in Umuoji, Idemili North Local Government Area of the state.

Speaking at the event, Soludo maintained that “the best way to develop the state is through Public Community Private Partnership (PCPP), not through government funding alone

He said, this is the kind of thing we should be mainstreaming in Anambra State, which every comminity should emulate.”

While recalling the Neni model which he described as the Anambra spirit, the governor explained that when the people of Neni started with the remodelling work, late Chief Tonimas took up the challenge and ended up tarring about 18 kilometres of road, with some other equally good spirited individuals joining with additional 6km of roads

“The Tonimas experience is an example. Umuoji and Anambra, if you know the much you can do, please do. We have come to celebrate that community spirit that distinguishes Anambra from the rest.

“I promised Ndi Anambra that there will be a difference, that I will account for the limited resources, to affect the poorest of the poor and downtrodden. We have entered 'ember' months and Anambra will become a massive construction site.

“As for the Inland door road, we declare state of emergency on it. I've told the Commissioner for Works that this week, they must begin to mobilize there. Whatever is needed to mobilize, we will provide,” the governor stated.

Soludo also flagged off the rehabilitation of the popular Mmili John road, Ojoto, in Idemili South Local Government Area of the state, saying: “We have come to break a long standing jinx at the famous Mmili John where whenever it rains, the flood occupies the road, such that commuters can differentiate the river from

the road.

“The solution is here. We have come and the Mmili John problem will be done with.

“The first time we came to Idemili was at Oba, to flag-off the building of the concentrated drug center. The next is this Mmili John. We were told that it may cut at any time. I thank Ojoto people for all they have done for themselves. I have said it many times that Anambra will develop through the PCPP model we are mainstreaming.

“The private capital will develop Anambra. That’s why we are mainstreaming and promoting the Neni model.”

The governor however stressed that government street lights project is not sustainable because of the cost of diesel, explaining that his administration is gradually converting them back to solar, after which they will begin new ones within the availability of funds

In his speech, the Commissioner for Works, Engr. Ifeanyi Okoma, said that the Umuoji road is 450 meters 2 spurs and well asphalted.

He explained that to solve the issue in Mmili John road, the contractor will dredge 500 meters of the river, by the left and right sides, desilt the culvert and widen the river-flow.

He equally affirmed that the contractor have assured that the project will be completed in six weeks’ time.

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