Anambra to Spend N6bn on  Abandoned Govt House Project

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

The Anambra State Government has revisited its abandoned Government House project in Awka, 31 years after it was initiated.

The state governor during a state executive council meeting said the project would gulp N6.088 billion for it to be completed.

This was contained in a statement by the State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Paul Nwosu, after this week’s state executive council meeting at Awka.

The Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo in the statement noted that his government would complete the project within 18 months.

Work on the new government house had been stalled for about 31 years, since after the first Military Administrator of the State, Navy Captain Joseph Abulu began the project.

Nwosu in the statement explained: “The memo on the abandoned government house and 25 other peripheral structures were presented by the Commissioner for Housing and considered by Anambra State Executive Council (ANSEC).

“The project which will cost N6.088billion and will be completed within 18 months was approved by ANSEC.

“Also endorsed for construction are gate houses, police posts, perimeter fence measuring 2.22 linear kilometers and other internal works such as drive ways, parking areas, walk ways, drainages, water supplies, green area, etc. All of these will be complete at the cost of N1.317 billion and delivered in 9 months.”

The new Anambra Government House, a project which had been constructed to a reasonable extent with roofing, was later abandoned to rodents and reptiles, while corrugated roofing sheets and irons used for the project have all been vandalised and stolen.

The Commissioner also revealed other far reaching decisions taken by the Council included the abolition of incursion into people’s property by youths for payment before building, stoppage of indiscriminate dumping of refuse and the construction of a 14.053 kilometers dual carriage road in Okpoko for N9billion, among others.