President Tinubu’s visit signals end of decades of South-East infrastructural, economic marginalisation – Mefor

The Anambra State Government has said that President Bola Tinubu’s last visit has signalled an end to decades of infrastructural deficit and marginalisation of the South East.
The State Commissioner for Information, Dr Law Mefor, who stated this in a statement said the visit marked significant turning point in the quest for inclusivity in national development.
The Commissioner lauded the president for graciously approving key requests by the state government, including inclusion of the State and South-East in the National Railway and the nation’s Gas Pipeline Master plans.
He also thanked Tinubu for approving the completion of the Federal highway linking Anambra and Kogi State, commencement of reconstruction works on the failed portions of the Enugu–Onitsha Expressway, among others.
The statement partly reads: “The government and people of Anambra State are deeply gratified that Mr President, in response to the visionary leadership and engagement efforts of their governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, graciously approved key requests that were part of Anambra’s strategic ask-list.
“The approved items by Mr President include: Inclusion of Anambra State and the South-East in the National Railway Master plan, – a bold step that promises to open new corridors of mobility, trade, and interconnectivity for the South-East and the rest of the federation”
Others according to the Commissioner were the inclusion of Anambra and the South East in the nation’s Gas Pipeline Masterj plan – a critical enabler of industrialisation and energy access, which will support the state’s growing manufacturing and technology sectors.
The President, he said, also approved the completion of the Federal highway linking Anambra and Kogi State which will reduce travel time to Abuja from Anambra by about four hours, fostering trade, mobility, and national unity among many others.
Commencement of reconstruction works on the failed portions of the Enugu–Onitsha Expressway – the long-standing infrastructural challenge is now finally receiving the federal government’s attention under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He continued:”The other critical request made by Governor Soludo was for the federal government to get Onitsha River Port working.
We are deeply grateful to Mr President for pledging the Federal Government’s continued partnership with Anambra State and the South-East for total restoration of security.
The State Visit is therefore a big win for Ndi Anambra and indeed all Ndi Igbo. It is a victory for justice, inclusivity, and visionary leadership. It is also a testimony to the power of constructive engagement, strategic partnership, and purposeful governance of the Soludo administration”.

The Commissioner said the bold response by the president was a deserving show of friendship, “a friendship that transcends politics, rooted in the shared aspiration for a more united, progressive Nigeria and evidence of progressives working together”.
While reaffirming state government’s commitment to working collaboratively with the Federal Government to ensure successful execution of the projects, Mefor expressed confident that the landmark approvals would translate into tangible improvements in the lives of people of the State.
“We hail Governor Chukwuma Soludo for his statesmanship leadership and tireless pursuit of development and equity for Ndi Anambra and the South-East. His commitment to inclusive progress, economic transformation, and national cohesion has once again bore fruit.
“As Mr President rightly noted, Professor Soludo is a solution provider, and Anambra is rising (to use Asiwaju’s words), which is the reason Mr President declared his intention to work with the solution governor of Anambra State.
“Indeed, with this partnership, we are reminded that only progressive welfarism shall thrive in the new Nigeria we all seek to build. Progressives shall continue to work together!

The government of Anambra State and Ndi Anambra, Mefor said, sincerely appreciated “the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Benjamin Kalu; the governors of the South-East (Governor of Abia, H.E. Dr Alex Otti, Governor of Enugu State, H.E. Dr Peter Mba, Governor of Ebonyi, H.E. Francis Nwifuru, represented by his deputy) led by the chairman, H.E. Senator Hope Uzodinma; the Chairman of the Southern Nigeria Governors Forum.
“We also thank Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun; Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State; Governor Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State, and a host of others who travelled from far and near to grace the State Visit and show solidarity to Anambra State.