By Christian ABURIME
Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo made a significant stride towards transforming the urban landscape of Anambra State with the commissioning of the Solution Market and Solution Park in Ekwulọbịa.
Commissioning the facility, the Governor emphasized the importance of these developments as part of his administration’s comprehensive urban regeneration agenda.
“Big welcome to all of you,” Governor Soludo said, as he addressed the crowd. “What we are commissioning today is consistent with the APGA mantra of leave no one behind.” The Solution Market, alongside the modern park equipped with amenities, aims to create an environment that stimulates economic activity while improving the quality of life for residents.
“This new marketplace is notably the third built by the state government to cater to the specific needs.
Governor Soludo explained that the facility particularly benefits those who will be displaced by the ongoing construction of the Ekwulọbịa flyover, which is currently gradually nearing completion.
“You find markets in all the nooks and crannies of Anambra, and this is no exception,” he added.
The Solution Park promises to breathe new life into urban settings previously marked by desolation. “We are doing a fundamental urban regeneration,” Soludo asserted. He highlighted the features of the park, which includes expansive open spaces for parking, a park for leisure, solar power installations, canteen facilities, and reliable water supply. “We are using this place as a model for what a modern market should look like,” he stated, emphasizing the need to ensure that citizens can “trade and shop in pleasure.”
In line with his vision of elevating Anambra to a level akin to that of global cities, Governor Soludo announced ambitious plans to further improve various sectors. “If we are aspiring to become like Dubai or Taiwan, we must lay a solid foundation. Our people must enjoy minimum pleasure,” he said, referencing the administration’s commitments to free education, free antenatal care, and complimentary delivery services for mothers.
Highlighting the collaborative nature of the project, the Governor noted that the Solution Market and Park are properties of the state government developed in partnership with local authorities, ensuring efficient and effective management. “They have profiled those who will get shops here, free of cost to the beneficiaries,” he disclosed.
Soludo’s administration focuses on empathy and compassion for the less fortunate, making significant strides in connecting communities through infrastructure improvements. The ongoing development around the Ekwulọbịa tower of light and the forthcoming Odu Igbo project stand as testaments to this dedication.
The Commissioner for Transportation, Barrister Patricia Igwebuike, referred to the bus terminal as a legacy project aimed at alleviating congestion.
Meanwhile, Chief Evarist Ubah, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Markets, noted that the establishment of the facility signifies the complete urbanization of Ekwulọbịa.
Earlier, Dr. Chibueze Offorbike, the Mayor of Aguata LG, Chief Joseph Ezeokafor, as well as tricycle operators, bus drivers and market women, expressed their gratitude to the Governor for the initiative that has transformed the area from a previously untouched bush to a developed space.
More than 10,000 party supporters were also on hand to receive the Governor Soludo as he formally commissions the two projects
