The Leadership of Enugu West General Assembly (EWGA) led by Hon. Prince Humphrey Onyima (EBUBE MGBOWO) has recently passed vote of confidence on Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah’s administration in Enugu State.
Simply stating the facts, Mbah’s leadership excellence in Enugu State comes with indisputable legacy projects in the history of the state. Hence, EWGA is ready to endorse Governor Peter Mbah for a second tenure come 2027.
It is two years already since the current set of governors were sworn into power in their various states in 2023.
On May 29, 2025, drums would be rolled out to celebrate the achievements of their administrations in their respective states.
In some states, there would be nothing much on their Scorecards to celebrate, whereas in Enugu State,the Governor would be showcasing his rich Scorecard, the great works he has done in terms of infrastructural developments for posterity’s sake.
Governor Mbah’s giants strides in office in the areas of urban renewal can never be over emphasized.
The revolutions he has brought about in the Enugu State Transport System, Healthcare, Education, Tourism, Road network Infrastructure, to mention but a few, is quite commendable.
The Leadership of EWGA going further is urging Gov. Mbah to urgently rejig Enugu State’s Security Strategy, to address the burning issue of Food Security in the state and to as well strive to fulfill those popular Campaign promises on providing Water for Ndi Enugu as he promised within his first 180 days in office.
INSECURITY:
Your Excellency, on the issue of security, we write to urgently bring your attention to the rising trend of insecurity, though a global phenomenon, the patterns in the state borders on kidnapping incidents, and other similar security threats within the neighborhoods once known for its safety and seren atmosphere.
The very sense of security associated with your administration from the surgical interventions carried out from inception is fast disappearing.
Many residents have alleged a significant decline in public safety in recent time.
Enugu State security management needs some deep understanding of our local terrain, cultural contents and community dynamics. The kind of leadership that will inspire a sustainable visible improvements and a sense of confidence to boost the morale of our people.
These concerns is not born out of the lure for patronage but rather of empirical experience and deep sense of craving for adequate security.
Security being a macro socio political challenge stems from local microsm settings that requires local insight. Culture and language in which community trust plays a huge role in effective policing.
Sadly, at this stage of the current leadership of your noble administration, these connections and understandings appear to be lacking.
Your Excellency, the Leadership of Enugu West General Assembly (EWGA) dutifully and respectfully urge you to take this matter seriously.
Enugu people deserve to feel safe again. The current trends in insecurity cannot be ignored, and it calls for urgent review of the security measures in the state.
FOOD SECURITY:
Enugu State Government should provide direct grants to boost farming activities in the rural areas. There should be deliberate efforts by the State Government to enhance food security by supporting smallholder farmers while creating opportunities for large-scale agribusinesses in the state.
During elections, you see party faithfuls working very hard across the lengths and breaths of each political ward, polling units and to some extent door-to-door to harvest votes for the various political parties concerned, that very same energy should be applied in reaching out to the rural farmers, empowering them with all the necessary tools to boost food production in the state.
Your Excellency, secondly, lack of substantial involvement in Storage Facilities contributes to Food Insecurity in Enugu State. Many farmers suffer post-harvest losses in Enugu State due to low investments in food storage facilities by both governments and private individuals. And our findings report has explored how farmers and farm produce traders in the state lose fortunes from this neglect.
Farmers tales of woes continued year-in and Year-out in Enugu State.
According to eyewitness in Nkanu East and Nkanu West in recent past. Many peasant farmers have embarked on massive cassava plantation in Enugu State. “I have a fertile sizeable land, and it encouraged me to embark on farming two years ago,” he told THE WHISTLER. “I harvested the cassava using labourers, and moved them in bags to the market to sell. I had expected to make fortunes. Unfortunately, the day I went to the market, many cassava farmers brought the commodity to sell. The two persons I mobilised to sell mine called me around 3pm, that they couldn’t sell them. They said the price that buyers were offering was poor. When I asked them to sell at whatever rate, the buyers had become reluctant.”
The cassava tubers were left inside the bags pending another market day, which was in four days. “When we returned,” he said, “The cassava tubers had rotten, and that was all my reward for my labour. I abandoned cassava plantation since then. I then concentrated on palm tree plantation.”
The same thing happened at Obollo-Afor market in Udenu LGA of Enugu State. A yam dealer narrated his losses due to lack of food storage facilities in the market.
According to him, “We brought many tubers of yam to this market last month. We offloaded them, and due to ‘bad’ market, the yams overstayed. On the fourth day, a majority of them decayed. It was a big loss to us. We buy these tubers on credit. Till today, we are still paying the money for the lost tubers.”
Another complaint from one Cyprian Ajah, a farmer cum journalist based in Aninri LGA of Enugu State. He said, “Lack of food preservation facilities discourages farming. I have a barn where I preserve my yam after harvest. At times, they rot, especially when they are exposed to heat. Where we incur more losses is on perishable crops, such as okro, pepper and vegetables. Because they are frail, farmers are forced to sell them at cheaper prices to avoid losing everything. We are at the mercy of the buyers.”
The Leadership of EWGA hereby enjoined the Enugu State Government under Governor Mbah’s administration to partner with individual investors to embark on building silos and cold rooms for food storage. “Investing in food preservation facilities is a sector that will make huge profits. Of course, governments always seem not serious with essential things like silos and cold rooms. If we have such at various markets and community levels, farmers will be assured of the safety of their products, and they will work harder. Many people are afraid to farm because of lack of storage facilities.”
“Preservation and storage of farm produce have been a major challenge for farmers. Modern storage facilities for agricultural produce are seriously lacking in Enugu State which has led to huge post-harvest losses.”
“The State Government should encourage Individuals and firms to seize the opportunity and establish private storage and preservation facilities, such as cold rooms, modern barns and silos for storing grains. The establishment of these storage and preservation facilities by private firms and individuals will not only make these investors make a profit but create jobs, increase welfare and ultimately reduce hunger and poverty of a good number of Enugu citizens.”
WATER:
According to a former Federal Commissioner, Representing South East in Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, Dr. Ben Nwoye, who has criticised Governor Peter Mbah over his failure to fulfill his promise of providing water to Enugu residents within 180 days of taking office.
Two years into Mbah’s administration, the Leadership of EWGA led by Hon. Prince Humphrey Onyima has joined voices with Dr. Nwoye to say that Governor Mbah’s promise remains unmet, with many residents still struggling to access clean water without even any explanation as to regards the failure.
“The promises was made and bet that if he doesn’t give water in everybody’s home, at least within Enugu as expected within 180 days of taking off, that he will resign,” Nwoye said, highlighting the governor’s commitment. Your Excellency, “… There’s no water in Enugu. The only place you get water is where water was running before; there has been no progress and there’s no explanation.”
Currently in Enugu Metropolis, reports has it from credible sources that 500 gallons of tanker water is now supplied in Enugu metropolis by water vendors on the average of N16,000; for 750gallons N22,000 while 1000gallons is supplied and sold for N30,000. The price of tanker water supply rise was reportedly occasioned by high taxes the state imposed on water vendors. This is too harsh and not acceptable.
The Leadership of EWGA hereby call on Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State, as a matter of urgency to declare state of emergency in the Enugu state’s water sector.
Hon. Prince Humphrey Onyima (EBUBE MGBOWO) is the Director General of Enugu West General Assembly (EWGA)
