Awka, the Anambra State capital, was at best, a glorified village when Mr. Peter Obi mounted the saddle as governor of the state more than seven years ago.

Interestingly, however, the situation in the area today, is entirely a different story.  The town which could only boast of about four motorable roads then: the popular Zik Avenue (formally the Enugu Onitsha old road), Works road, Court road which were all in a terrible bad state and of course, the Enugu – Onitsha expressway, currently has a network of several link roads traversing different parts of the capital city, courtesy of the present administration in the state.

Among the roads currently under construction is the Executive Business district, located behind the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN),  state headquarters complex, Chukwura street and about four others at  the hitherto inaccessible Nodu area in Okpuno village, including the one linking the Retreat Centre in that area.  Another strategic road currently under construction in the capital city is the link road to the Chief Jerome Udoji state secretariat complex from the popular Arroma junction, Awka.

Apart from the current roads under construction, the administration had already constructed many strategic roads in the capital city which greatly assisted in decongesting traffic flow within the capital city. One of such roads is the Agu-Awka – Nibo by-pass which provides easy access to motorists conveying people to and from Enugu -  Orumba –North and Orumba South axis to make their trip straight passing through the Agu –Awka area instead of passing through the heart of Awka town. The road also serves as easy access to those travelling to and fro Enugu to Nnewi to cut off the usually congested Amabia round about by driving through the by-pass to Nibo –Nise road, then through Nise –Agulu road to Nwagu junction to Neni – Nobi – Nnewi road.

Besides this strategic by-pass, the administration had already developed an area that is today known as the “New Awka City”.  This area which is located behind the Government House, Awka, has several thoroughly tarred link roads. Located in this area is the Commissioners’ Quarters which was abandoned by the top government officials it was meant for because there was no tarred road linking the area and even within the estate. In fact, the estate was almost a bush before now as the entire area was overgrown with grasses.

 Also in an effort to transform  Awka into a beffiting modern state capital city, the administration has started  the construction of modern buildings for  use by public institutions.

 Almost all  the public institutions  burnt down by suspected political thugs during the  2004 mayhem in the state,  including, the Government House, Awka, state assembly complex, state Judiciary headquarters,  the state Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) headquarters, have been  reconstructed.  The state government had even gone further to build a brand new ultra-modern high rise state secretariat complex named after the late Chief Jerome Udoji.

  Before the new state secretariat was built, the only structure that served as the state secretariat was the one built and donated to the state government by then military president, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida’s administration after the state was created on August 27, 1991. Before then, most state ministries squatted in rented buildings scattered in different parts of Awka.

Another infrastructure that has really improved the social status of the capital city is the popular Dr. Alex Ekwueme Square, which was reconstructed by the present administration. The entire landscape is now thoroughly tarred and provided with proper perimeter fence and gates, gallery as well as fitted with modern plastic seats.

The transformation of the Amaku General hospital, Awka, into the state University Teaching Hospital by the present administration has also greatly enhanced the social status of the capital city on account of the several modern buildings constructed with the teaching hospital.

Mr. Callistus Ilozumba, the state commissioner for Works, told LEADERSHIP that the Obi administration has an elaborate infrastructural development programme aimed at “developing Awka into a modern state capital city,  “and this is why you see all these network of link roads being constructed in all parts of the capital city”.

“The government is committed to developing the Agu-Awka industrial lay-out to attract more investors into the state capital. And that is why you see the network of roads being constructed in the area”, the works commissioner state

Mr. Anthony Okechukwu, president general of Awka Development Union Nigeria (ADUN), though not yet satisfied with the status of Awka as a capital city considering the level of modern infrastructure in place in the town, however praised the administration for putting on ground some facilities relative to what the previous administrations in the state did in the city.

Chukwudi Charles Obi observed that the transformation agenda of the Obi administration has led to increase in investment in the town. This development he further observed has led to increase in the population and house rent.

“When we had no good roads here, very few people were living in Awka. But since Governor Obi came and started developing Awka, many people have started coming to live In Awka. There are many investments in Awka now. And house rent has increased. A flat which used to be N120, 000 a year is now between N250, 000 and N300, 000, Obi told Leadership.

Despite this developmental strides, much work still needs to be done in the city to put it at par with several other capital cities in the country.

Governor Obi will be leaving office in about nine months time and the expectation is that his successor would lift the city to a higher ground.
Source: http://leadership.ng/news/040613/awka-struggling-assume-status-capital-city

Town Planning - that's what 'Awka' lacks,

as they try to develop awka other parts of the state should not be neglected.

Awka is turning into another Onitsha - absolute mayhem,

Vote - Town planning!

There is already UN Habitat Masterplan in Awka which is already being implemented.

Some pictures of Awka:

Welcome to TWITTER LOUNGE AWKA.

Inside Twitter Lounge

In this age of easy access to cameras and camcorders, a few pics/videos of the projects described in the original post (both finished and on-going) would have sufficed......and one of the pics posted up there is a render of a project that was first mentioned about 3 years ago; the present status of which nobody knows since Anambra peeps don't seem to like taking pictures.

More pictures of Awka:

Anambra State University Teaching Hospital, Awka

Women Development Center, Awka

smh.....

Eko Ile: smh.....

I DON'T REALLY EXPECT ANYTHING GOOD TO COME OUT OF OTHER STATES APART FROM LAGOS STATE. ODE

Fire Service, Awka

Anambra Secretariat- Awka

BRITISH SPRING COLLEGE (BSC) is located at Awka, capital city of Anambra


http://springschools.net/about

More on Awka city

mike404: I DON'T REALLY EXPECT ANYTHING GOOD TO COME OUT OF OTHER STATES APART FROM LAGOS STATE. ODE

Ok, what about nice little village development?



That sounds good?




lmao..

More on hospitality

Queensuites-Awka

More on hospitality.

Office complex opp. ABS-Awka

More on hospitality.

Ngige's hotel in Awka.

The school looks good.....hope there's more of those type in Awka and other cities so the kids get quality education in a serene environment.

More on hospitality..

Finotel Classy-Awka

http://www.finotel.com.ng/home.php#

The O.P is just being mischievious... Believe me i could(though i wont) skip my lectures tomorrow just to go into Awka and take pictures...calling Awka a state capital is an insult on state capitals...i've been in Awka for only about 5 months but the little i've seen is enough to make me to go to Gov't house and murder whosoever is in there. To cut my story short...Awka is an eye sore and a far cry from what a modern 'Village' should look like talk more of a 'City'.

Op, most of dese places u r showing wasn't built by peter obi ...anambrians r generally industrious wch explains the private sector boom. Peter obi should construct proper roads in the capital for chritsake. Awka has no plan whatsoever, 5 or 6 stories scattered all ova d place, houses built on the roads etc

Eko Ile: smh.....

You should rather shake your head for Fashola who had not really done any significant thing in Lagos in the past 6yrs. Anambra is not Lagos that has been sitting on federal infrastructure for decades. Anambra was created in 1991 and between then and 1999, the state was mis-ruled by clueless military administrators appointed by dictators. There was virtually nothing (state and federal presence) on ground in Anambra when this democratic dispensation began in 1999. From that perspective, you can appreciate what is now on ground. Anambra state is being built from scratch

Sincere 9gerian: [s]
You should rather shake your head for Fashola who had not really done any significant thing in Lagos in the past 6yrs. Anambra is not Lagos that has been sitting on federal infrastructure for decades. Anambra was created in 1991 and between then and 1999, the state was mis-ruled by clueless military administrators appointed by dictators. There was virtually nothing (state and federal presence) on ground in Anambra when this democratic dispensation began in 1999. From that perspective, you can appreciate what is now on ground. Anambra state is being built from scratch[/s]

STFU.

Lagos state witnessed neglect like any other state in Nigeria and you feel like comparing, list all your past governors since 1999 with their achievements combined and let's stack them against Lagos state's since 1999.


I dare you and that's if you get liver which I know you don't have..

Awka has improved significantly from almost a sprawling village pre-1999 to a growing city. Has it gotten there yet? No, but we appreciate the growth trajectory.

In contrast, Lagos has been there since 1960 and before, yet it is the dirtiest, most unlivable place on planet earth, as ranked by unbiased non-Nigerians.

Anambra is a frontline state..we have been entertaining you all with just one city in Anambra, we will soon move to another city- Onitsha

The most resourceful state in Africa..

FSU: Awka has improved significantly from almost a sprawling village pre-1999 to a growing city. Has it gotten there yet? No, but we appreciate the growth trajectory.

In contrast, Lagos has been there since 1960 and before, yet it is the dirtiest, most unlivable place on planet earth, as ranked by unbiased non-Nigerians.

Thump up..