AWKA — The Anambra State Executive Council (ANSEC) has approved a series of measures aimed at strengthening environmental sustainability, economic development and urban regeneration as the state prepares to mark its 35th anniversary.
The decisions were reached at the council’s 10th meeting of the second term of Gov. Chukwuma Soludo’s administration, held at the Light House, Awka.
The Commissioner for Information and Value Reformation, Dr Law Mefor, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday in Awka.
Mefor said the state’s 35th anniversary, which falls on Thursday, Aug. 27, would be celebrated under the theme, “Our Environment, Our Future.”
He said the anniversary would focus on efforts to build a clean and green Anambra while drawing attention to environmental challenges confronting the state.
According to him, major activities for the anniversary include a tree-planting campaign and a media chat with Gov. Soludo.
The commissioner said the council also approved a regulatory framework for cooperatives in the state, aimed at establishing irreducible operational standards for their viability, scalability and protection of members’ investments.
He said the framework would strengthen the capacity of COFAS to discharge its responsibilities and position cooperative societies to make more organised contributions to the state’s economic growth and development.
Mefor said the council also admonished political office holders and other members of government to exercise power responsibly and with restraint.
He said the council emphasised that political power must be deployed for public purposes and the common good, in accordance with democratic ideals, and should not be abused.
The commissioner said the council further reviewed the economics of the proposed Anambra Aerotropolis, which he described as an envisioned export emporium and economic gateway to eastern Nigeria.
He said the project would include the Anambra Mixed-use Industrial City (AMIC) and an entertainment hub, with the components located within the Free Trade Zone.
On urban development, Mefor said the council reviewed a progress report on the regeneration and modernisation of markets across the state and expressed satisfaction with the pace of work.
He said the ongoing regeneration of the Onitsha Main Market remained on course for delivery as planned and would serve as a model for similar projects across Anambra.
According to him, the council acknowledged that the foundational steps involved in the regeneration programme were demanding but necessary to prevent the state from sliding into a chaotic urban slum.
Mefor said the council believed the measures would help place Anambra on the path toward becoming a clean, green and smart megacity.
