From Ifeoma Ejiofor
The Anambra State government has debunked the news that hit the airwaves on Thursday claiming that the administration of Gov Charles Soludo is planning to build another airport at Orumba area.
The State Commissioner for Information, Law Mefor PhD made the declaration in a press statement made available to journalists on Friday.
He said, “The attention of the Anambra State Government has been drawn to a report making the rounds in the media about plans to build a second airport at Ndikelionwu, Orumba North Local Government Area of the state.
“The government wishes to categorically state that the report is false and at best speculative. It is believed that the speculators may be following the recent visit to the Anambra Mixed-use Industrial City (AMIC), with some possibly assuming that the industrial park would require its own airport.
“The fact is, in alignment with Mr Governor’s Urban Renewal Plan, multimodal transport systems, including railways and airports, are being studied as part of the AMIC master plan to ensure long-term economic and infrastructural sustainability.
“The recent site visit was specifically to commence technical investigations to determine the most suitable locations for these transport systems within the Industrial Park and the new city design, should the need arise in the future.
“The Final master plan also integrates the 4,000-hectare Anambra Mixed-Use Industrial City (AMIC), a Pharmaceutical Hub, and a new global-standard urban city with innovation centers, education and medical facilities, tourism, business districts, and housing clusters to drive industrialization and sustainable growth.
“The Anambra State Government therefore clarifies that whether or not a railway and an airport should be built to service AMIC has not been decided, and any such decision will be communicated through official channels when taken.”
The Anambra State Commissioner for Information advised members of the public to disregard the false report and continue to rely on official announcements on any significant projects or developments in the state.