GOVERNOR SOLUDO TO PLANT 10M SEEDLING IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS—LG BOSS VOWS TO BRING MORE INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVP
By Patricia Osegbue/Juliana Nwachukwu :
In a bid to drive the society to a zero poverty sustainable empowerment through distribution of economic tree seedlings to Ndi Anambra and also to fight erosion which have eaten deep in various communities in Anambra, Governor Charles Soludo has launched a programme designed to plant at least 10 million seedlings in Anambra State in the next few years.
Speaking at the event held at Godwin Achebe Stadium, Onitsha South LGA, Governor Soludo explained that environment is the number one existential trait which everything must be done especially in the light of the climate change to recover Anambra land and make it the greenest in Africa.
According to him, “part of our future lies in our past” and so we must celebrate our founding fathers who help to create first prosperity in the first republic such as Dr M.I Okpala with palm revolutions in the Eastern region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo with cocoa in the Western region and Ahmadu Bello with groundnut pyramid in the Northern region.
“Let us exploit and learn from our past to build a sustainable prosperity, let us empower Ndi Anambra sustainably, and give them something to fish on for life, ” the governor emphasised.
Governor Soludo who noted that Malaysia was built largely at the back of palm revolution, China rebuilt poverty significantly at the back of Agro allied industrialization, stressed that South Eastern Nigeria was the fastest Sub region in the world in the late 50’s and early 60’s on the basis of palm revolution.
He further said that, “Our agenda is to create a new industrial sustainable echo system for life in Anambra.
“1.1m seedlings have already been distributed between 2022 and 2023. Today we are officially launching the distribution of 1040,000 seedlings.
“7000 palm seedlings, 200,000 breadfruit(ukwa) which have become extremely expensive, we will bring it back to become a staple food, 50,000 Orji Igbo, 50,000 bitter kola, 40,000 pawpaw.
“All these are currently been distributed in the 320 wards in the state, down to the families and today everyone goes home with at least one seedling”
Reacting, the Chairman of Onitsha South LG, Chief Emeka Orji advised the beneficiaries of the seedlings who are tenants in the city to go home and plant the seedlings in the villages and harvest it when the time comes instead of wasting them.
He lauded the governor for the love he has for the people of Onitsha South and vows to facilitate the construction of Bida Road, Modebe Avenue, Uga Street, Nkrumah, Orlu Street, behind Top Rank, behind Stadium etc.
Onitsha South Chairman after the event hosted some government officials like Managing Director, Anambra Capital Territory Development Authority, (ACTDA), Chief Ossy Onuko, Ocha Brigade Boss, Chief Celestine Anara, SSA to the Governor on Security, Mr Obiechine Obieze, among others at Notion Hotel and Suit, Woliwo.
* Osegbue and Nwachukwu are of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State *