Transforming to all-urban state in style

ANAMBRA State may be the next emerging all urban state in Africa. The giant strides made by the state towards realising this dream are evident in their investments in road infrastructure over the last ten years. The road network cutting into hinterlands has made communities in the 21 local government areas easily accessible. Successive governments have played their parts in this project.

The bold step towards achieving this goal could be traced to Chris Ngige’s regime from 2003 to 2006, when reconstruction of the Awka-Nibo-Mbaukwu road, Isuochi—Owerre Ezukala-Ogbunka-Umunze Road, Umunze-Umuchu-Amesi-Uga-Ezinifite-Igboukwu Road, Nnobi-Nnewi-Ozubulu-Ihembosi-Okija Road, Iseke-Orsumoghu-Ukpor-Utuh-Nnewi-Awka Etiti Road, Amawbia-Nibo-Mbaukwu-Agulu Road, Zik’s Roundabout-Nkpor-Umuoji-Uke-Nnobi road all got underway.

  Other roads that got his regime’s priority attention include: Otuocha-Aguleri-Umuleri-Nteje-Awkuzu-Ifitedunu-Abagana-Eziowelle-Abatete-Uke-Ideani-Federal road, Abba junction-Ukpo-Abagana road, Onitsha- Iyienu-Afor Nkpor-Nkpor junction, Adazi Ani-Nnokwa-Nnobi-Nnewi road, Umuoji-Ojoto Uno-Ojoto Ichi road, Nitel Nnewi- Awka Etiti-Adazi Enu-Ichida-Neni roads. But with his tenure cut short as court nullified his governorship election victory, he could not complete the task. Mr Peter Obi of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) party took over the mantle of state leadership and rather than jettison the program took it notches higher.

 He handed over to incumbent Governor, Willie Obiano on March 17, 2014 and the regimes of the duo produced spectacular level of completed roads in the state. The Old Enugu-Onitsha Expressway which was in terrible condition as at 2007 got reconstructed with Onitsha Bridge-Head to Upper Iweka;section emerging in six lane dual carriage way.

The Abatete-Nteje-Aguleri-Otuocha road, Igboukwu-Ezenifite-Umunze, and Iseke roads, Awka-Amawbia dual carriage road; Old Nkpor-Abagana-Awka Road; Adazi-Obeledu-Akwaeze-Igboukwu road; Igbariam-University road; Ichi Road; Nkwo Okija road; Umunze-Anam-Mmiata road; Nkwelle-Ezunaka bypass; Nkpor Flyover (built in collaboration with the federal government), Obosi bypass; Awka Road; Oguta Road; Old Oba-Nnewi road; Mmiri John road (Ojoto); Creek road,  , Enugu-Otu, Eziagulu-Otu, and Mkpunando among others all got in splendid forms of reconstruction.

  Oluoghoha road in Ihiala, Umuabuchi road in Uli, Orsumuohu road, Jerome Udorji road Ozubulu, Ezira-Umuomaku, Achina road, Isuofia road, Ogwuaniocha-Ihiala road (with connecting bridge), Ogwuikpere road, Mmiata-Nzam road, Aguleri Uno–Aguleri Otu road (with longest bridge in the southeastern Nigeria —the 280 metre-long Omambala River Bridge), Aguleri Junction-Anakwu road, Ukwuoji-Umuenechi-Umubelle-Nibo road.

Others include the Esther Obiakor Estate Road in Akwa, Awka-Isuanaocha-Achalla road, Enugu-Umuonyia-Achina-Onneh road, Ichida-Azibgo-Amichi-Osumenyi-Akwaihedi road Amansea-Ebenebe-Ugbenu-Ugbene-Awba Ofemili Road, Achina-Oneh- Agbudu-Ogboji, Atani–Ozubulu roads, Amansea-Awba Ofemmili road, Ifite-Unizik Gate road are all governors Obiano and Obi’s road legacies to the state.

  Arguably, the milestone achievements of this project came under All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) party governance. One can easily understand why Anambra is fast turning into all urban state just in 30-years.