By Izunna Okafor, Awka
The agrarian Ayamelum Local Government Area of Anambra State, over the week, witnessed a remarkable celebration of infrastructural development, as the Mayor, Hon. Sir Alphonsus Ofumelu, commissioned a series of landmark projects spanning across multiple sectors, in what has been described as another practical demonstration of the domestication of the Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo’s Solution Agenda at the grassroots.
The project commissioning ceremony, which held on Tuesday, attracted a great turnout of dignitaries, including top government officials, APGA stalwarts, community leaders, women groups, youths, stakeholders, councillors, and civil servants, among other participants and residents from different communities across the local government, who gathered in joy to witness the bountiful project inauguration by the present local government administration.
The inaugurated projects included the installed solar-powered streetlights and CCTV surveillance cameras at the Ayamelum Local Government Secretariat, a newly-renovated five-classroom block and modern science laboratory at the Community Secondary School, Igbakwu, the newly-constructed 1.5-kilometre Omor-Umuerum Road axis, a renovated Legislative Building, a new Administrative Building, extensive beautification and landscaping of the Local Government Secretariat entrance, as well as newly-constructed internal roads within the secretariat complex, including a dual-carriage access road.
Speaking during the commissioning of the 1.5-kilometre Omor-Umuerum Road, Mayor Ofumelu described the project as one of the most significant achievements of his administration, noting that it fulfilled one of the promises he made upon assuming office to bring the dividends of Governor Soludo’s Solution Agenda to every part of Ayamelum.
According to him, the road had previously been in a deplorable condition, making transportation extremely difficult and expensive for residents of both Omor and Umuerum communities. He explained that the poor state of the road had negatively affected the movement of people, goods and services for several years.
The Mayor expressed gratitude to God for the successful completion of the project, stressing that commuters can now travel conveniently between Omor and Umuerum in less than ten minutes, compared to the several hours previously spent navigating the bad road.
He further explained that beyond serving the two benefiting communities, the road has become an important link for travellers coming from Onitsha, parts of Enugu State, Uzo-Uwani, Umunokpa and neighbouring areas heading towards Awka, thereby improving regional connectivity and boosting socio-economic activities.
Cutting the ribbon, Hon. Ofumelu also acknowledged the enormous and continuous support of Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo and the Anambra State Government, stating that the resources provided by the state government made the execution of the project possible. He expressed optimism that future administrations in Ayamelum would continue from where he stops and sustain the momentum of development, insisting that there should be “no going back” in the local government’s developmental journey.
The commissioning train thereafter moved to Community Secondary School, Igbakwu, where the Mayor inaugurated the renovated five-classroom block and science laboratory designed to enhance teaching and learning.
Addressing teachers, students and community members, Ofumelu recalled that the school’s Principal, Mrs. Amaka Josephine Israel, had earlier informed him that the science laboratory had collapsed and had become unsuitable for academic activities. He noted that the deplorable condition of the facility had deprived students, particularly science students, of practical learning opportunities.
He explained that reconstructing the laboratory became imperative as part of his administration’s commitment to improving educational infrastructure and domesticating Governor Soludo’s educational transformation agenda as well as his own developmental philosophy of “Ọlụatụegwu.”
The Mayor expressed satisfaction that the laboratory had now been transformed into a conducive environment where students could comfortably conduct practical science lessons. He urged the school authorities to ensure that the facility is effectively utilized for its intended purpose and warned against depriving the students access to the laboratory.
While it was gathered that scientific equipment previously removed from the laboratory for safe keeping during reconstruction would now be returned to fully re-equip the laboratory for academic use; the Mayor further assured that he would continue to pay periodic visits to the school to monitor the usage of the facility and ensure that students are not denied access to quality science education.
Following the commissioning, the Mayor, accompanied by members of his entourage, inspected the renovated facility.
The commissioning activities later shifted to the Ayamelum Local Government Secretariat, where multiple projects aimed at transforming the administrative headquarters into a modern government complex were inaugurated.
Describing the Secretariat as the “Embassy of Ayamelum,” Hon. Ofumelu explained that his administration deliberately concentrated efforts on transforming the environment because the area was previously characterized by swampy terrain and overgrown bushes due to its natural topography.
He said the extensive landscaping and environmental redesign had successfully eliminated the swampy conditions and also created a cleaner, more attractive and befitting environment for government operations.
According to him, the beautification project was undertaken to ensure that the Ayamelum Secretariat compares favourably and even surpasses many other local government headquarters across Anambra State in terms of aesthetics and functionality.
He also highlighted the installation of solar-powered streetlights and 24-hour CCTV surveillance cameras, explaining that the facilities would improve security, provide adequate illumination and safeguard government infrastructure around the secretariat.
The Mayor equally commissioned the renovated Legislative Building within the Secretariat complex, revealing that the structure had remained abandoned and virtually unusable for more than twenty years before his administration undertook its rehabilitation.
He disclosed that a new access road leading directly to the Legislative Building had also been constructed to facilitate easier movement, while plans for installation of furniture and other fittings in the renovated were already ongoing, to enable comfortable and full legislative activities within the complex.
The newly-renovated and totally-overhauled Local Government Administrative Building within the Secretariat Complex was also commissioned by the Mayor to provide a befitting office environment for efficient public service delivery.
Expressing satisfaction with the transformation, Hon. Ofumelu noted that the entire secretariat now presents a brand-new appearance worthy of the people of Ayamelum. He further noted that his administration still has some other completed and ongoing projects spread across different parts of the Local Government area, which would also be commissioned at the ripe of time for the overall benefit of Ndị Ayamelum.
Speaking during the event, the Supervisory Councillor for Works, Hon. Ginika Samuel, commended the Mayor for his visionary leadership and commitment to infrastructural development. He also appreciated Governor Soludo for providing the enabling support and resources that facilitated the successful execution of the various projects.
In his goodwill message, former Transition Committee Chairman of Ayamelum Local Government Area and former Anambra State Commissioner for Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Hon. Barr. Anthony Ifeanya, described the transformation as unprecedented.
According to him, since he left office as Local Government Chairman on January 27, 2014, he had not witnessed any new and significant infrastructural development within the Local Government Headquarters until the present administration embarked on the projects.
He praised Mayor Ofumelu’s performance, describing it as outstanding, while also encouraging the incoming administration to complement the physical infrastructure with extensive tree planting and environmental vegetation to further sustain the beauty of the Council Headquarters.
Barr. Ifeanya also expressed appreciation to Governor Soludo, the Mayor, councillors and other stakeholders for working together to restore the glory of Ayamelum after many years.
Earlier speaking during the commissioning of the Legislative Building, the Leader of the Congress of Councillors, Rt. Hon. Cosmos Obinna Obiorah, also commended the administration’s efforts in providing a befitting legislative complex for lawmakers to effectively discharge their constitutional responsibilities.
Similarly, the Deputy Mayor, Mrs. Felicia Mbanugo Oruya, applauded the administration for promoting inclusive governance, particularly through greater participation of women in politics and governance, while also ensuring that every part of Ayamelum enjoys a sense of belonging under the current administration.
Speaking in an interview with journalists shortly after the commissioning ceremony, the APGA candidate for the forthcoming August 29 Local Government Election in Ayamelum, Amb. Mgbechi Emmanuel Igwebuike, commended Mayor Ofumelu for what he described as an impressive record of achievements within a relatively short period.
Hon. Mgbechi (popularly known as the The Incoming), observed that the projects commissioned, including the Omor—Umuerum Road, the reconstructed school laboratory, the transformed Local Government Secretariat, the landscaped environment, the Administrative Building and other infrastructural developments, clearly demonstrated purposeful leadership and commitment to grassroots development.
The APGA candidate assured residents that if elected in the forthcoming local government election, his administration would build on the strong foundation already laid by the present government and continue delivering people-oriented projects across the local government.
Speaking on behalf of the students earlier while delivering a vote of thanks during the commissioning of the renovated school laboratory, the Senior Prefect of Community Secondary School, Igbakwu, Miss Nwabueze Esther Ogechi, expressed heartfelt appreciation to Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, the Anambra State Ministry of Education, the Ayamelum Local Government Chairman, the Deputy Mayor, councillors and all lovers of education for giving the students a modern science laboratory.
She assured that the students would make judicious use of the facility and protect it from damage, while also praying for God’s continued blessings, protection and prosperity upon all those who contributed towards the successful completion of the project.
Spiced up by special performances from the women, the commissioning exercises ended amid jubilation as residents, stakeholders and political leaders applauded the visible transformation recorded across critical sectors in Ayamelum, describing the projects as strategic investments that would improve education, transportation, security, environmental sustainability and public administration across the local government, while further advancing the domestication and implementation of Governor Soludo’s “Solution Agenda” at the grassroots level in the area.
More photos from the event:
