SOLUDO ATTENDS OFALA ONITSHA, MAKES COMMITMENT TO ERADICATE TOUT MENACE IN THE STATE
By Christian ABURIME
Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, has vowed to eradicate the tout menace that has been haunting Onitsha and the state at large.
The Governor who was accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Nonye Soludo, stated this during the 2023 Ofala Festival of the Obi Onitsha, Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe.
The festival was held at the Obi’s Palace, Onitsha.
Governor Soludo congratulated Igwe Achebe for celebrating his 22nd Ofala Festival and wished him well in his reign on the throne.
The Governor also thanked the people of Onitsha for consistently projecting the foremost Ofala festival which has successively been celebrated annually.
“Reading through the brochure, I saw all you have done during the last twelve months; some independently, some in partnership with the government and the private sector,” Soludo said.
He also spoke about the importance of Onitsha to the Igbo people, saying, “The greater Onitsha which is Onitsha North, Onitsha South, Ogbaru, Idemili North and Idemili South is Obi ndigbo and if Onitsha doesn’t move forward, the igbo race will also, not move forward.”
Soludo reiterated his commitment to developing Onitsha, saying, “Our emphasis on government is majorly on Onitsha and I assure you that the dry bones shall rise again. We have undertaken massive road infrastructural development in Onitsha.”
He also spoke about the government’s fight against touts in Onitsha, saying, “We have reiterated that touts must leave Onitsha. We can’t continue to condone the frequent harassment of touts at Upper Iweka. We arrest them in hundreds and they keep flooding into the State but we won’t relent on the fight against touts until they all leave permanently.”
Earlier in his welcome address, Igwe Achebe praised Governor Soludo for his significant accomplishments in the state during his short tenure in office.
He also extolled Soludo for his plans for Onitsha and assured the Governor of the full support of the State Traditional Rulers Council, which he chairs.
The Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr Ernest Ezeajughi, Members of Anambra State Executive Council, Igwe in Council, Ndi Ichie, Traditional Rulers amongst others attended the festival.