Anambra State has entered a new era of grassroots transformation as Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, officially commissioned a newly completed 3-kilometer road project in the Ekwusigo Local Government Area.
Built under the leadership of the Ekwusigo Local Government Mayor, Mr. Chimezie Obi, the high-standard infrastructure features sub-cement stabilization, stone-base laying, and top-grade asphalt finishing. Describing it as a landmark achievement, Governor Soludo noted that he doubts any local government in the country has constructed a road of this superior standard in the last 20 years.
The Governor emphasized that the successful delivery of the project is definitive proof that the local government system in Anambra is back, working effectively, and directly adding value to the grassroots.
“Today in Ekwusigo local government, we’ve come to commission three kilometers of road, completed with sub-cement stabilization, stone base, and asphalting by a local government administration under the able leadership of the Mayor, Chimezie. I want to congratulate you. I commend you,” Governor Soludo stated.
He attributed this renewed capacity to deliberate structural reforms, noting that the state government has restructured and strengthened the local government framework through local administration laws to ensure fiscal strength and long-term sustainability.
Highlighting the broader scope of governance, Governor Soludo stressed that the era of local councils struggling with basic staff obligations—such as paying primary health workers, pensioners, and settling gratuities—is over.
During the event, the Governor also addressed a long-standing historical backlog affecting primary school teachers who have been owed salaries for 16 months dating back to 2001. After initial partial payments by past administrations, Governor Soludo announced that a fresh recertification process is underway for the outstanding sum exceeding 400 million naira, assuring that disbursements will follow immediately upon completion.
He affirmed that the Ekwusigo road commissioning serves as a “proof of concept” for what empowered local administrations can achieve and revealed that he will embark on a tour in the coming weeks to commission various other projects completed by mayors across different local government areas in the state.
Reiterating the widespread development championed by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) administration, the Governor noted that Anambra remains one large construction site, with over 137 roads and projects currently awaiting commissioning.
“The people’s money is working for the benefit of the people,” Governor Soludo declared before officially declaring the Ekwusigo project commissioned.
Speaking during the event, the local government Mayor, Hon. Obi said he was working to drive the council’s vision, enumerated a comprehensive list of community-focused projects executed by his administration. He attributed this rapid pace of development directly to Governor Soludo’s leadership approach, noting that he was closely modeling his governance after Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s visionary blueprint and the collective aspirations outlined in the people’s manifesto.
Governor Soludo later took a drive round the newly constructed road and also commissioned a legislative building inside the Ekwusigo Local Government premises and awarded cash gifts to some individual students and schools involved in skilled acquisition programmes under the empowerment programme of the Mayor of Ekwusigo
