In what many observers see as a desperate attempt to mask three years of underwhelming governance, Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s administration has taken to social media to celebrate the completion of a 2.62-kilometer road in Nnewi. This latest development has sparked widespread criticism, with many questioning whether such a minor project warrants the level of publicity it has received.
Governor Soludo, who came into office with promises of transforming Anambra into a modern economic hub, now finds himself at the center of public scrutiny for what many perceive as a lack of tangible development. Rather than showcasing a legacy of industrialization, improved healthcare, or a robust economy, his administration’s biggest highlight appears to be a single road project—a development that should be standard in any serious government.
For three years, the people of Anambra have waited for the grand vision Soludo outlined during his campaign. Instead, they have been met with rising economic challenges, a struggling infrastructure system, and an administration that seems more focused on perception management than actual governance. The glaring lack of large-scale developmental projects raises pressing questions: What has become of the promised economic boom? Where are the new industries that were meant to create jobs and boost local production? What happened to the urban regeneration projects meant to modernize Anambra’s cities?
Rather than addressing these concerns, Soludo’s media handlers have instead chosen to flood social media with praise for a single road, a move critics argue is an insult to the intelligence of the people. Even local government chairmen in better-organized states have delivered far more without seeking such fanfare.
Political analysts note that the governor’s decision to make such a spectacle out of a basic infrastructure project speaks volumes about the state of governance in Anambra. If a 2.62-kilometer road is being heralded as a major milestone, it suggests that the administration has little else to show for its time in office.
As Anambra edges closer to another election cycle, Soludo’s leadership is now under intense scrutiny. While his supporters argue that infrastructure development takes time, critics maintain that three years is enough to have set a clear developmental trajectory. Instead, what they see is a governor struggling to justify his time in office with projects that should be routine.
The people of Anambra had high hopes when they elected a former Central Bank Governor to lead them. Today, those hopes are increasingly being replaced with frustration and disappointment. If this road project is the best that Soludo’s administration can offer as evidence of progress, then history will not be kind to his tenure.
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