*Soludo Doing More With Less: The Place Of Ogbunike Ancient Cave In The Four Historic Tourists Sites In Anambra*
Today, the Executive Governor of Anambra State Prof Chukwuma Charles Soludo CFR Presented the Draft Anambra State Budget Proposals for 2025 to the Anambra State House of Assembly; the budget is code named “Changing Gears 2.0”.
Sincerely speaking, I listened with keen interest as Mr Governor dished out his key achievements in office since inception.
He virtually touched every sector his administration has made significant, and remarkable achievements ranging from his huge interventions on education, youths empowerment, to massive infrastructural developments.
According to Mr Governor, “Despite the macroeconomic challenges, we have remained focused on the ball—delivering on all the five fingers of the Solution Agenda: Security, Law & Order; Infrastructure and Economic Transformation; Human Capital and Social Agenda; Governance and Value System; and Environment. We are working hard, rejigging and strengthening our security architecture, and in some days and weeks to come, Ndi Anambra will fully experience our zero tolerance to criminality”
Mr Governor stated that his administration is doing so much job with little resources available to the state. He went further to list critical projects “Over 540 kilometers of roads are under construction, with approximately 310 kilometers already asphalted in 30 months, and with a quality that Anambra has not seen before. The Ekwulobia flyover and bus terminal are nearing completion. The dualization of the 34-kilometre federal highway from Amawbia through Agulu, Ekwulobia and Uga to the Imo State border as well as the dualization of 36 kilometres from Nwagu Agulu-Nnobi- Nnewi, Ozubulu to Okija linking to the Onitsha-Owerri highway is a game changer. These projects signal our bigger agenda to fundamentally transform our transport infrastructure as all Trunk A roads are planned for dualization, in addition to our Rail transport Masterplan. The construction of the link bridge at Aroma, connecting the two parts of Awka. We have broken the 33-year-old jinx of not having a befitting Government House and Governor’s Lodge in Awka: we expect to move within a few weeks. For the first time in decades, urban and rural water schemes are back”.
While listening to Mr Governor’s speech at Draft budget presentation, I felt emotionally attuned to his plans for a better Anambra. And for me, the most captivating part of the speech remained his well thought out plans for the tourism industry in the state.
He said “Our vision to turn Anambra into a destination rather than a departure lounge is fully on course. The Solution Fun City, primed to be the biggest in West Africa, is quickly becoming a dream come true and will be commissioned in some weeks to come. Pilling work is on steroids for the 10-storey Marriott Hotel in Awka, while construction will soon begin in the 20 Hectare Awka City Leisure and Entertainment Park. Work is ongoing around Agulu Lake, and an international consultant will soon finalize the master plans for the four Anambra’s historic tourist sites. Anambra is indeed one big construction site and Awka is gradually looking like a state capital. The list is long”.
As captured, let me revert to this statement by Mr Govenor “an international consultant will soon finalize the masterplans for the four Anambra’s historic tourist sites.” This brightened my day because, there’s no way Ogbunike ancient Cave will not make the list of four Anambra historic tourists sites. I will continue to run this marathon advocacy on the need for the government to urgently visit Ogbunike ancient Cave.
Last year, at the Anambra State New Yam Festival, Mr Governor had promised to visit the Ogbunike ancient Cave, and I have been praying that this visit be done, soonest. Some months back, I had led a group of redcap Chiefs from Ogbunike to the Office of the Secretary to the State Government to make case for the Heritage site. We presented to the SSG the state of the Ogbunike ancient Cave and the urgent need to invest in the world renowned tourists center.
The commissioner for Tourism and Culture, Hon Don Onyenji had promised to do something. No doubt, Mr Govenor is doing so much with little, but let’s take into consideration the economic benefits, and thousands of jobs that will be created in the state when the Ogbunike ancient Cave is developed to look like other world heritage sites.
I pray, yes, I do, that history would have it, someday, that it was during the regime of the people’s Governor, Prof Chukwuma Charles Soludo that Ogbunike ancient Cave received the deserved attention and treatment.
Ekenem
By Dr. Chuma-Odili Harri Udokamma,FCMsp