Soludo Seeks Private Partnerships as He Opens Ichida Road
The Governor of Anambra State, Professor Charles Soludo, has stated that the Public-Private-Community Partnership (PPCP) model remains the most viable blueprint for the rapid transformation and infrastructural development of the state.
According to the governor, traditional government financing is no longer sufficient to address the huge infrastructural deficits facing Anambra State.
He therefore called on wealthy individuals, communities, and stakeholders to partner with the government in driving sustainable development across the state.
Soludo made the call while commissioning a newly completed 2.5-kilometre road in Ichida, Anaocha Local Government Area, constructed by Chief Tochukwu Nzekwe under the Public-Private-Community Partnership (PPCP) initiative.
Reiterating the importance of the model, the governor said PPCP offers the most practical pathway for accelerated development in Anambra.
“To develop Anambra in a fast-paced manner, PPCP is the answer. We launched our development strategy, which is PPCP, because government alone may not be able to do it on the required scale. The money in government coffers is not enough to tackle all the infrastructural needs of the state. We are left with no other option than to adopt this model,” he said.
Governor Soludo commended the people of Anaocha Local Government Area for their long-standing tradition of community-driven development projects. He paid tribute to notable individuals who laid the foundation for such initiatives in the area.
“Anaocha has always been at the forefront. Tonimas of blessed memory is a good example, having constructed about 18 kilometres of road. Others followed suit. This kind of gesture creates an enduring legacy. More people are now stepping forward to build roads and other public infrastructure. This is the way to move society forward rapidly,” he added.
The governor further urged residents of the state to emulate the public-spiritedness of Chief Nzekwe, whose intervention served as a catalyst for the completion of the road project.
He stressed that community development is not solely dependent on immense wealth, but on the willingness of citizens to contribute meaningfully to the collective good of society.
“I use this opportunity to thank Ndị Anambra who have answered this call. The truth is that nobody has enough, but no one is too poor to give, and no one is too rich to receive. Contribute your own quota ,buy a pencil for a child, sweep the village square, or provide useful information about criminal activities in your community,” Soludo said.
Linking the newly inaugurated 2.5km Ichida road to the broader infrastructural agenda of his administration, Governor Soludo disclosed that the state government is currently dualising major arterial roads to improve connectivity across Anambra.
According to him, once the central beltway project is completed, smaller community roads will seamlessly connect to form an integrated road network across the state.
The governor also revealed that the administration is working on the development of four new planned cities aimed at preventing haphazard urbanisation and ensuring orderly expansion in the coming years.
“We are working on four new cities because, in the next 10 years, everywhere may become built up in a haphazard manner if proper planning is not put in place,” Soludo warned.
Expressing optimism about the pace of development in the state, he added: “What I see all over Anambra today gives me joy.”
In his remarks, the benefactor and financier of the road project, Chief Tochukwu Nzekwe, expressed profound gratitude to God and the Anambra State Government for the successful completion of the project.
He explained that his decision to undertake the construction was driven by a deep desire to alleviate the suffering of his people, as well as to support Governor Soludo’s consistent advocacy for the “Think Home” philosophy and community-oriented development initiatives.
