Ukachukwu Calls for Urban Renewal, Regrets Soludo’s Poor Grasp of Visionary Planning

By Our Correspondent

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Candidate for Anambra State, Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu, has emphasized the need for a comprehensive urban renewal agenda for Onitsha and surrounding communities.

According to Ukachukwu, years of neglect, mismanagement, and lack of visionary planning have hindered the development of Anambra’s urban centres and neighbouring communities.

While addressing the media during a declaration of total support for his candidacy by the influential Ofor Nsugbe group, Ukachukwu expressed regret over Governor Charles Soludo’s poor understanding and failure to develop a clear-cut, strategic urban renewal plan for the state.

He pointed to Nsugbe, a community located near Onitsha, as a prime example of neglect by the state.

“Nsugbe, like many communities close to Onitsha, is already burdened by Onitsha’s commercial and population overflow, but for too long, it has been ignored by the state government, lacking the vision to inject the needed infrastructures to accommodate existing realities,” Ukachukwu said.

He described Nsugbe as a strategically located community bordering Onitsha, one of Southeast Nigeria’s major commercial cities.

According to him, the growing population density and proximity to the largest market in West Africa make Nsugbe ripe for both urbanization and industrialization.

“It is unfortunate that the greatest issues facing Nsugbe, like many satellite communities in the state, are rapidly growing population without adequate urban planning or government intervention,” Ukachukwu noted.

Beyond human capital, Ukachukwu emphasized Nsugbe’s rich natural endowments, including its natural springs, Osukude and Osinigwe, which remain untapped treasures due to lack of visionary leadership, poor government policy, and idea deficits.

“Urban renewal is not just about roads and infrastructure; it’s about vision, strategy, and commitment to transform lives.

“Our urban cities are moving towards urban slums and are overdue for transformation, and under my leadership, it will finally happen,” Ukachukwu declared.

He reaffirmed his commitment to delivering a modern, livable, and prosperous Anambra State where every individual and every community will maximize their diverse potentials.

“I understand this better than Soludo; I am coming from a background of urban and rural development with years of experience, and Anambra State will benefit more when I’m elected by God’s grace,” he added.