Soludo Approves Full Operationalisation of ANSOPADEC, Road Project for Oil Producing Communities
By Ebele Ezeh
Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, has approved the full operationalisation of the Anambra State Oil and Gas Producing Areas Development Commission (ANSOPADEC) in line with the law establishing the commission.
The Governor has also approved the construction of the road linking Atani to Umuezerabia in Ogbaru Local Government Area, a community that hosts several oil wells.
The Commissioner for Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Professor Charles Ofoegbu, disclosed this during a meeting with Ogbaru stakeholders at the Jerome Udoji Secretariat, Awka. The delegation was led by the traditional ruler of Ossomala, Igwe Victor Awogu.
Professor Ofoegbu, alongside the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mr. Nomso Ebonwu, also announced that a primary school and a Primary Healthcare Centre would be established in Umuezerabia Community, adding that the procurement process for the projects had reached an advanced stage.
He urged stakeholders from Ogbaru to clearly articulate their developmental priorities in a formal proposal to the state government, accompanied by technical recommendations on addressing the environmental and socio economic challenges associated with oil exploration and production.
The commissioner assured the delegation of Governor Soludo’s commitment to the sustainable development of oil producing communities in Ogbaru and the overall transformation of the area.
Speaking through the Secretary of the Ogbaru Summit Development Initiative, Honourable Emmanuel Ifeachor, the traditional ruler of Ossomala, Igwe Victor Awogu, appealed for closer collaboration with the state government to accelerate the electrification of Ogbaru, improve road infrastructure, strengthen security, and ensure that host communities receive adequate representation and the benefits due to them from oil exploration activities.
