From: David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
After many decades of meeting at a borrowed hall called Nnewi Youth League Hall built by its youths, the Nnewi industrial community has begun an ultra modern community town hall project courtesy of Governor Willie Obiano.
The governor has supported each of 179 communities in Anambra State with N40 million choose-your-project funds released in two batches.
While performing the ground-breaking ceremony, on Wednesday, near Nnewi North Local Government Area where the building was sited, the monarch of Nnewi community, Igwe Kenneth Orizu III, said the community had long been desirous of a befitting town hall, civic centre and a stadium considering the ever-increasing population of the one town community.
The monarch noted that because of the cost effect of such community projects that was capital intensive, many communities in the state could not take-off in order not to abandon them half way through.
The monarch also expressed satisfaction that it was under former Governor Peter Obi’s watch that town unions in Anambra State begun to receive attention and heaved a sigh of relief which tempo he said Governor Obiano has increased.
The monarch also called for unity of purpose of his subjects and advised the contractors handling the building construction to deliver on schedule.
Member representing Nnewi North constituency,
Hon. Amalachukwu Anazodo, said that Nnewi was growing fast to a mega city that necessitated a befitting meeting place for its people. He said that because of the importance the community attached to the project, it should not be delayed or abandoned.
President General of the community, Sir Ugochukwu Udemezue, explained that what had delayed the take off of the project when other communities had long utilized their own choose-your-project funds was the time it took the community to decide on what to use the money for including water project which did not receive majority approval.
He said where the project should be sited also constituted its own delay before the current transition council chairman of the area, Hon Chukwudi Orizu with his council executive members made available a parcel of land to the community for the town hall project.
Sir Udemezue said such prominent sons of Nnewi as Chief Cletus Ibeto of the Ibeto Group and Dr Chika Okafor of the Chicason Group were instrumental to the take off of the project before the utilization of the State government funding.
For the contracting firm, Digital Constructions Limited with Architect Kenechukwu at helm of affairs, there is a firm promise that the job would be completed in a six months’ time.