ANAMBRA GOVERNMENT COMMITTED TO TRANSPARENCY AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT – COMMISSIONER UDECHUKWU
By Ebele Iyke Odili/Amaka Isikala :
The Anambra State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mr. Christian Udechukwu, has reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and infrastructural development, assuring that every tax revenue collected is being prudently managed for the benefit of the people.
Mr. Udechukwu gave this assurance when he received a delegation from the Social and Integral Development Center (SIDEC) in his office in Awka.
He commended the group for their advocacy efforts in ensuring that the concerns of informal sector taxpayers, particularly traders, are addressed in government policies.
“Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s administration is widely recognized for its financial prudence and transparency in the management of public funds.
“This is a government that is known for doing more with less, and the results are evident. We have invested significantly in infrastructure, ensuring that tax revenues are channeled into transformative projects that benefit the people,” Udechukwu said.
The Commissioner highlighted that Anambra State has set a new standard in infrastructural development, with nearly 700 kilometers of roads commissioned and over 370 kilometers completed.
He emphasized that the state’s economic heartland is undergoing major transformation, with projects such as the dualization of the Amawbia-Agulu-Nanka-Ekwulobia road, linking Nimo, Nnobi, Nnewi, Okija, and the Onitsha-Owerri Expressway.
“Anambra State is currently a massive construction site,” he added. This administration has invested more in infrastructural development than any other state in Nigeria within the current democratic process.
“Our urban regeneration projects in Awka, Onitsha, and other key cities are reshaping the physical and economic landscape of Anambra.”
He further said that Governor Soludo is laying the foundation for the future by developing major economic hubs such as the Anambra mixed use Industrial City , which spans 4,460 hectares.
This industrial city will host key economic zones, including an agro-processing hub, an automotive industrial park, a pharmaceutical zone, an ICT and technology hub, a financial center, an entertainment district, residential areas, and warehouses.
“This is a strategic application of taxpayers’ money, designed to drive industrialization, create jobs, and position Anambra as an emerging economic powerhouse in Africa,” Udechukwu said.
The Commissioner also assured that the government remains committed to free education, free healthcare, and initiatives aimed at improving the lives of Anambra citizens.
Speaking earlier, the Executive Director of SIDEC, Ugochi Ehiahuruikem, explained that their visit was to advocate for improved engagement between the government and informal sector taxpayers, ensuring that their needs are adequately addressed.
“Our research, which covered 21 markets across the three senatorial zones of Anambra, identified key concerns of traders, particularly regarding accessibility for persons with disabilities, challenges faced by pregnant women and nursing mothers, and the need for a more business-friendly environment,” she said.
Ehiahuruikem noted that SIDEC had analyzed the state budget from 2021 to 2025 concerning major market needs, with the aim of encouraging tax compliance while ensuring that funds are effectively used to improve traders’ welfare.
A member of the delegation and media practitioner, Mr. Alfred Ajayi, shared insights from SIDEC’s findings, revealing that traders have commended Governor Soludo’s administration for the ongoing infrastructural development.
“In the past, traders complained that they did not see the impact of their tax payments, but today, they acknowledge that things are changing,” Ajayi said.
They commended the ongoing projects but also urged the government to focus on developments within the markets themselves.”
One of the high points of the visit was the official presentation of SIDEC’s research paper to the Commissioner. The document, which details findings from the 21 markets surveyed, was handed over as a contribution to government policymaking and planning for the informal sector.
Other members of the SIDEC delegation included media practitioners Chibueze Ughala (Radio Nigeria) and Ify Unachukwu (ABS), as well as SIDEC officials Nnoli Evans (Project Assistant) and Bruno Chimnecherem (Monitoring & Evaluation and ICT Officer).
The visit ended with a renewed commitment to collaboration between SIDEC and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, with the commissioner assuring that the government will continue to engage stakeholders in shaping policies that benefit traders and other informal sector contributors.
*Ebele and Amaka are of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State*