Anambra State Commissioner for Housing, Mr. Michael Okonkwo, an Architect says housing development and the iconic monuments dotting the landscape of Anambra State, can be attributed to political will and visionary leadership provided by Gov. Willie Obiano.
Responding to questions at a “Meet the Media’’, a weekly interactive program of the Governor’s Media Team, Mr. Okonkwo unveiled that the Obiano administration invested hugely in the development of a master plan for Anambra State.
According to him, the 
emphasis has been placed on the Awka Capital Territory Development area and the strategic city structures for the greater Onitsha, Nnewi, and Ekwulobia urban development.
“Housing development in Anambra is a growing effort to close the gap between housing supply and demand through social housing initiatives and other public-private partnership ventures,’’ he observed.
“It is to the credit of the Obiano administration that the Millennium City Project has been activated alongside many other housing development projects.’’
The commissioner noted that the state government under Gov. Obiano created a secure and enabling environment to attract partnerships from the private sector.
“This is what has given rise to the iconic Millennium City, which is being developed by MP Infrastructure Ltd,’’ he added.
Other segments of estate development in Anambra State under PPP include Efab Estate, Awka, Dubai Estate, Awka, Luxury Place Estate, and Nkwelle, CornerStone Estate, Awka.
Beyond estate development, the Housing Ministry has been involved in the design and construction of public facilities like the 10,000 capacity International Conference Centre, Awka.
“We also designed the terminal building of the Anambra State International Airport, Umueri, which promises to be a modern architectural masterpiece.
“It is being built on concrete base but with metal frames and glass finishes,’’ said Okonkwo.
“Interestingly, the Housing Ministry is also behind the outstanding and artistic monuments dotting the landscape of Anambra state.
“Positioned on landmark locations across communities in the state, the monuments represent the traditions, culture, totems of Ndi Anambra and dignified personalities from their rich history.’’
Mr. Okonkwo notes: “the remodeling of the Dennis Memorial Grammar School (DMGS) Roundabout, Onitsha, represents one of such monuments.
“There we represented the rich traditions of Onitsha Ado n’Idu, the elephant tusks of ancestral Igbo heritage and the image of the Great Zik of Africa gracefully elevated within its receptacles.
“The Amawbia ‘Beacon of Light’ and others around the state capture the import of our efforts at highlighting the significance of cultures and traditions of our people through these monuments,’’ he stressed.
The Ministry had also extended the development master plan to rural communities in rural-urban development models.
Okonkwo noted that this had been to ensure even and orderly development of the state.
“We work in synergy with the Anambra State Physical Planning Board and other relevant agencies of government to execute this plan in our rural communities,’’ he concluded.
