We've broken 34–yr jinx with new Anambra Govt House —Soludo

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By Madu Obi

Anambra State governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo has said that his administration has broken a 34 -year jinx by giving the people a magnificent Anambra Government House and Governor’s Lodge, which will soon be commissioned.

Governor Soludo, who was addressing members of Late Sen. Ifeanyi Ubah Media team at the site of the Government House and Governors Lodge in Awka, described the project as a mini city with about 34 buildings being built to last, such that it will still be standing like the White House in America in the next 200 years.

He lamented that the state did not have a permanent Government House and Governor’s Lodge 34 years after it was created.

“I said we are going to break the jinx and we are doing that with the biggest and the best such that somebody called it a mini city,” he said.

The governor also explained why his administration pulled Anambra out of an existing loan arrangement with the World Bank, stating that it was to save the state from debt overhang.

According to Soludo, his administration had not only refused to borrow from any bank or institution, but also refused to access the Federal Government loan to states in 2024.

He said in spite of this,, his administration had embarked on ambitious and people -oriented projects which are at various stages of completion.

He reiterated his promise to the people when he was sworn in, which was that that he would make judicious use of the resources available to him to develop the state.

His words: "It may interest you to know that Anambra is the only state that pulled out of an existing World Bank loan arrangements which was signed before I came in.

I looked at the terms of the loan and I said it was not sustainable. It was easy to continue with it because the next generation will pay, but based on the terms, it was a bad deal for Anambra.

Last year N438 billion was distributed to 35 states, Anambra was the only state that did not take it. I need money, but I cannot borrow my state into slavery,” he said.

Soludo said he had done over 750 km with about 410 km completed with special attention being paid to parts of the state that have not seen tarred roads since they started existing,

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Leader of the group, Mr. Kamen Ogbonna said they were impressed with what the governor is doing as it aligns with their philosophy.

"It is interesting to note that Soludo has made such progress in three years without borrowing from any source.

The magnitude of the Government House and Governors Lodge will tell you why other governors carefully avoided the project,” he said.