ACTDA Explains Why Govt Suspended Sports Activities At Ekwueme Square
By Raymond Ozoji
AWKA. – The Awka Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTDA) has given reasons for suspending sporting activities at the newly rebranded Dr. Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka, contradicting rumours on social media about walkouts in the government-reserved area.
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of ACTDA, Hon. Chief Osita David Onuko, who announced the closure during a visit to Ekwueme Square Road, explained that the suspension of sports activities was due to ongoing work and regeneration in the government-reserved area.
Onuko explained that the Government Reserved Area is known as the three arms zone, which houses the new Government House, Governor’s Lodge, House of Assembly Complex, and the Judiciary, respectively.
He emphasised that it is a critical area in Awka’s capital city, and that the functionality of governance is heavily reliant on it.
He went on to note that Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo has broken the 33-year jinx by providing Anambra State with a fitting Government House and Lodge, which he described as the first of its kind.
Onuko further informed that the governor would be living on the new Dr. Alex Ekwueme Square Boulevard, along with other government officials who would have offices in the new complex, pointing out that such sporting activities were no longer appropriate in the new government reserved area in terms of security.
The ACTDA boss also revealed that the government’s sudden decision to temporarily suspend exercises and walkouts on Dr. Alex Ekwueme Boulevard was to allow ongoing construction work in the area to proceed without distractions and hitches.
He stated that they observed that people were distracting workers on-site while performing exercises in the area. Although he stated that it was not their fault, the government had to make a temporary decision to suspend such activities until it could make a permanent decision, ensuring that the government is committed to making the entire state liveable, loveable, and prosperous for all and sundry.
Onuko stated that, contrary to social media speculation, there are no illegal activities taking place in the three arms zone as a result of sporting activities.
That if anything of the sort had ever existed in the area, the government would have responded immediately and dealt with it completely, emphasising that people come to Dr. Alex Ekwueme Square Awka to exercise with friends and family members and nothing else.
