Kenechukwu Ofomah
Awka
The construction of the Ekwulobia flyover by the Anambra State Government will usher in the unprecedented economic transformation of the Old Aguata Region, a former Banker, Chief Eusebius Onyemelukwe has said.
Onyemelukwe, a chieftaincy title holder from Igbo-Ukwu in Aguata Council Area of the state was speaking on Sunday after he paid a visit to the project, to have an on-the-spot assessment of the bridge.
Many quarters have criticized the Ekwulobia Flyover bridge as a misplacement of priority, considering the huge amount of money the project is gulping from the state coffers, while some had argued that the import of the project would have been maximized, had it been sited in other developed parts of the state.
But, according to Chief Onyemelukwe, the location of the project is both strategic and deliberate, as it will pave way for the economic turnaround of not just Ekwulobia, but also the neighbouring communities in the Old Aguata Union, OAU, the Anambra South Senatorial Zone as well as the nearby states of Imo and Abia.
He noted that the perennial gridlock that usually character the Ekwulobia roundabout, causing untold hardship to motorists during festive periods, will now be a thing of the past, while the aesthetics of the entire area will be unleashed.
The renowned banker acknowledged the multiplier effect the project will also have on the value of properties within the area will be enormous, thereby boosting the economy of the area, adding that through the development the project will bring to the area will discourage rural-urban migration.
“This is a well-thought-out initiative from the Anambra State Government, because it has so much benefits, not just for people of Ekwulobia, but also for people of Anambra South Senatorial zone and Ndi Anambra in general.
“I am particular about the sufferings of the people of this area during festive periods due to massive gridlock. Many of our people who travelled all the way from abroad, Lagos, Abuja and other places, get stuck here for hours due to the challenge.
“If this flyover is completed, it will make for smooth transportation of humans and goods, because parts of Aguata such as Nkpologwu, Amesi, Achina, Uga and other areas are very good in palm oil production.
“Also, this project, which is the type you find in very developed cities, will help de-emphasize the rural-urban drift, that has left the rural places in dire need of professionals across various fields. With these kinds of things, health workers, teachers and other professionals will have no difficulty coming or even living here,” he posited.
Speaking on his reason for visiting the project, Onyemelukwe said it is the responsibility of citizens to always monitor government projects in their communities, to ensure that they are executed in a manner that will benefit them.
He regretted that the people have been so excluded from government business for so long, resulting in the formation and execution of projects that have no single bearing on their welfare.
“Through this activity, I want to embolden our people to begin to ask questions of the government, about what it is doing in their localities.
“This will ensure that people who have no idea as to what governance is, will never find their way into positions of authority.
“So, I encourage our people in Aguata, Anambra South and the entire state, to embrace the task of proactive citizenship, by getting involved in things that affect them in government,” Onyemelukwe said.
