Soludo transforming Anambra into Africa’s Dubai, Taiwan –  Mefor

The Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Value Reorientation, Law Mefor, has declared that Governor Charles Soludo is steadily realising his vision of transforming Anambra into what he describes as “Africa Dubai, Taiwan and Silicon Valley” through aggressive investments in infrastructure, education, healthcare, technology and youth empowerment.

Speaking in an interview with Business Hallmark, Mefor insisted that the Soludo administration had already surpassed many of its campaign promises and laid the foundation for a modern, technology-driven economy.

Light House, Awka

On whether the governor was on course in fulfilling his campaign promise of transforming Anambra into “Africa Dubai and Taiwan,” Mefor said the vision was already taking shape across different sectors of the state.

“Soludo is on track, and the dream of transforming Anambra is being realised,” he said.

“He has gone beyond what he promised in his manifesto to give Anambra people free education, free healthcare and empowerment through the One Youth, Two Skills Programme. Concrete steps towards the realisation of that dream are already being taken, and some infrastructure has already been erected to that effect.”

Explaining the administration’s vision, he said the idea of turning Anambra into “Africa Dubai” was centred on building a commercial and logistics hub comparable to global economic centres.

Proposed Main market, Onitsha

“Turning Anambra into a Dubai, for example – what is Dubai? Dubai is a commercial and logistics hub. Efforts are being made in that direction already. There is the modernisation of Onitsha Main Market, for example. The transformation taking place around Anambra, especially the Onitsha axis, shows that the area is wearing a new look.”

Infrastructure Leads

According to him, the suburbs around Onitsha are being transformed into modern urban communities through massive infrastructure projects.

“There are many brand new roads and the suburbs of Onitsha are being transformed into liveable and prosperous suburbs. They are being incorporated into the Onitsha urban area.

“If you go to Okpoko, for example, and you knew the place four or five years ago, you cannot recognise it now. Five years ago, Okpoko was the largest urban slum east of the Niger, with a population of up to 500,000 people without roads, water, electricity, schools or hospitals. Today, all these modern social amenities have been provided in Okpoko.

“It now has a brand new general hospital, half a dozen new roads, electricity, streetlights and several other projects. The place has been dramatically transformed.”

Mefor argued that such projects represent the building blocks of the administration’s long-term economic vision.

“These are the foundations being laid for the transformation of Anambra into Africa Dubai, Taiwan and Silicon Valley. The foundations are in place and actual building has commenced.”

On infrastructure, the commissioner said the Soludo administration had already constructed about 600 kilometres of roads across the state within three years.

“The administration has so far built 600 kilometres of roads. There are five dual carriageways now creating what is called the Anambra Beltway, through which you can connect to any part of the state. Nobody has done that in Anambra State before. Soludo achieved it in under four years.”

He also highlighted the construction of a new Government House in Awka, describing it as one of the administration’s landmark projects.

Solution Fun City, Awka

“Then you come to Awka as a capital city; we now have the most beautiful and audacious Government House in Nigeria. It’s an achievement.

“In fact, it has been peer-reviewed as the most beautiful Government House in Nigeria.”

“We have a Solution Fun City, a leisure park in Anambra that is the biggest in West Africa. There, you have a water park, amusement park, family fun centre and international country club. These four facilities cannot be found together anywhere else in the world.”

The commissioner also outlined achievements in the health and education sectors, noting that the government had recruited thousands of teachers and health professionals.

“We have five brand new general hospitals. We have recruited 8,115 new teachers and 1,650 medical doctors and health professionals.”

“Our own Silicon Valley is now being developed at the old Anambra Government House. That place is being transformed into our own Silicon Valley. The technology capital of Nigeria is springing up in Anambra now.

“The Solution Innovation District, which is our tech hub, already has almost 100,000 Anambra youths acquiring digital skills — skills that are not only making them employable in Anambra State, but also marketable globally.

Learning Development

“A place where people can visit to work, live, learn, relax and enjoy. That’s the big idea — transforming Anambra into a liveable and prosperous smart city.”

On education, he explained that the governor introduced free education despite not making it part of his campaign promises because of his conviction that technology-driven economies must be built on strong educational foundations.

Mefor disclosed that the state’s teacher recruitment exercise drew applicants from across Nigeria.

“One unique thing about the 8,115 teachers recruited in Anambra is that they came from 18 states of the federation. We are not just talking about Anambra indigenes alone. As long as you live in Anambra, we do not care where you come from.”

He explained that the administration was targeting what Soludo calls “one million digital tribe.”

“The aim is that in the next two to three years, when Anambra’s population must have hit 10 million, one out of every 10 Anambra people you see will be a tech expert. That is transforming Anambra into a Taiwan.

Mefor also explained why the ministry was renamed Ministry of Information and Value Reorientation.

“It is about attitude change and behavioural reformation. We are about to launch an ethical and moral revolution in Anambra to recover youths who have been misguided into believing there is anything like wealth without hard work.

“We need to address cultism, internet fraud, drug abuse and every form of moral decadence. We are trying to restore the dignity of labour and hard work.”

Wealth By Effort

“Many youths are now shunning Igba Boy, yet it is key to wealth creation in Igboland, particularly in Anambra State. After the civil war, that was the system our people used to break generational poverty.”

Speaking on the government’s youth empowerment initiative, Mefor said the One Youth, Two Skills programme had identified over 60 skill areas ranging from technology to agriculture.

“With One Youth, Two Skills, youths are trained free of charge, empowered with starter packs and given more than N500,000 each to establish their businesses.

“If it is agriculture, they are given seedlings, fertilisers and support materials. We also mentor them for at least six months to ensure that they survive what economists call the J-Curve – the initial difficult phase before growth begins.”

“Our security has been restored. It may not be Uhuru yet, but Anambra is regaining its lost status as the safest state in Nigeria.

“Soludo achieved this through a brand new security architecture backed by the Anambra Homeland Security Law 2025. That law created Operation Udo Ga-Achi and Agunechemba.”

“These initiatives have helped to reduce crime significantly. We still have isolated incidents here and there, but comparatively, Anambra is over 80 per cent secure.”

Responding to complaints about alleged excesses by some security operatives, Mefor said the government takes such allegations seriously.

“Yes, we receive such complaints, and each complaint against any operative is treated on its merit. Many operatives have been dismissed. We do not tolerate excesses.

“They have codes of conduct and standard operating procedures, and whoever violates them will be held accountable.”