President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday commissioned the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu Gateway in Onitsha as part of his one-day official visit to Anambra.
At the occasion, Jonathan said the gateway stands as a symbol of unity in the South East and prayed that the cause for which the late warlord was known for would not die.
He said the strategic site of the statue would always bring to mind the memories of the warlord and urged the people not to allow his dream to die.
Governor Peter Obi of Anambra said the gateway was the first point of contact with the South East, hence its choice for the immortalisation of Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and prayed that the statue would always touch the minds of the Igbo to think and act as one.
Widow of Odumegwu Ojukwu, Bianca,now an ambassador, said she was delighted with the decision of the state government to honour her late husband in a special way.
Also speaking, Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo said the gateway would surely bind the Igbo together on sighting the statue.
Present at the commissioning were Senators Chris Ngige and Andy Uba, Representatives Uche Ekwunife, and Victor Ogene as well as former Minister of Information and Communication, Prof. Dora Akunyili, among others.
President Jonathan also inaugurated the Onitsha Inland Water Port in Anambra.
Jonathan said at the event that the port would further boost economic activities in the country.
According to him, there is the need to open up the country’s waterways to make trade and commerce easier as well as reduce the workload on the road ntework..
He reiterated his administration’s plan to give some fillip to rail and water transport, and urged the private sector to collaborate with the government to create jobs.
Jonathan lauded the government and people of Anambra for completing the port.
The Minister of Transport, Sen. Idris Umar, said that the port, which cost N4.6 billion, was one of the numerous ports the Federal Government was building.
Umar said that three inland water ports in Baro, Niger; Oguta, Imo, and Yamata, Kogi, would soon be completed and inaugurated.
He thanked the President and the Anambra governor,Peter Obi, for supporting his ministry in developing water transport.
Obi, who described Onitsha as the biggest commercial city in Africa, said that the inauguration of the port would make the movement of goods more efficient. (NAN)-pm news
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