Soludo Moves To Revamp, Revamp Abandoned Nnewi Shopping Mall
Gov. Chukwuma Soludo has indicated his intention to complete the Nnewi Shopping Mall which has been abandoned for about 17 years.
Soludo said during a turn of strategic public assets within the industrial town of Nnewi.
He said it of the urban renewal agenda of his administration for Nnewi which was aimed at reclaiming dormant public assets and injecting new life into the industrial heartbeat.
The tour covered several critical sectors of the city, and served as a diagnostic mission to identify infrastructure bottlenecks that have long stifled Nnewi’s commercial potential.
A major stop was at the Nkwo Nnewi Triangle where the Nnewi shopping mall project which has been a symbol of unfulfilled promise for 17 years.
Soludo expressed frustration at the protracted stagnation of the shopping mall project.
“It is unacceptable that public assets intended to drive commerce have been left to rot for nearly two decades.
“We are here to draw a line in the sand.
“This facility will no longer be a monument to neglect; we are moving swiftly to restore it to productive use to serve the people of Nnewi,’ he said.
Soludo also inspected the Post Office vicinity and high court premises while scouting possible locations for strategic housing development.
He articulated a broader vision for the city, adding that his administration was aggressively mapping out underutilised open spaces.
“The goal is to repurpose it for public parks, recreational areas, and new commercial ventures.
“Our strategy is simple: we are unlocking the hidden value of Nnewi,” the Governor explained during a brief interaction with local stakeholders.
“By converting dormant open spaces into vibrant public parks and productive facilities, we are not just fixing buildings, we are stimulating local commerce and reclaiming Nnewi’s rightful place as the premier industrial nerve center of the region,” he said.
The inspection concluded with the Soludo signaling that tangible construction and redevelopment efforts are slated to begin in the coming weeks.
The Commissioner for Works, Mr Okey Ezeobi, Commissioner for Housing, Mr Henry Arinze, Commissioner for Environment, Dr Clem Aguiyi, Chairmen of Nnewi South, Nnewi North and Ekwusigo Local Government Councils were among those who accompanied Soludo on the visit.
