…. EWGA lauds Ugwuanyi for making Enugu State Safe Haven for Investment.
Enugu West General Assembly (EWGA) has applauded Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s peace and security initiative in Enugu, saying that his feat in securing the state from crimes and general insecurity has positioned the state as a safe haven for investment and human safety.
In a statement issued by the group’s Publicity Secretary – Comrade Collins Nebo, who expressed delight with Gov. Ugwuanyi’s proactive measures so far in tackling the sudden security challenges in the state.
The group went further to applaud Gov. Ugwuanyi for being the first among the governors of the South East zone to commence the operation of Forest Guards as security measure, emphasizing that it was an indication that “our governor is highly determined and committed in tackling the atrocious activities of some hoodlums who were terrorizing our people in the recent past, especially in communities in Enugu West.
Similar to what he did in other senatorial zones, “if you drive through Opi-Nsukka to Enugu town, applying the road that linked through Opi junction descending down, you will think you are in a countryside in Europe. We know the past stories attached to that road. Enugu residents are very conversant with the high level of kidnapping that happened on that road in the past.”
Furthermore, security is one of the most fundamental needs required by investors before they can invest in a state or region. We are very glad that Governor Ugwuanyi was able to achieve it within the shortest time after his second term inauguration as the Executive Governor of Enugu state.
It is on this regards that the Director-General of Enugu West General Assembly (EWGA), Hon. Humphrey Onyima (Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Enugu State), the Secretary General of EWGA, Hon. Comr. Chidi Ilogebe (Special Assistant to the Governor of Enugu State) and the entire members of EWGA commend the massive infrastructural development in Enugu State, adding that they are impressed with the strategy adopted by Gov. Ugwuanyi, which has transformed the state, including other numerous projects, befitting of a premier city which made Enugu stand out today as the capital of South Eastern Nigeria.
The group went further saying that if there is anyone or group who fails to recognize that Enugu has gone up many notches in the area of safety of lives and property, are not interested in the truth and reality.
The group recognized prominent Nigerians, including the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Mr Musiliu Smith, who singled out Enugu State as the most peaceful in the country”.
According to Brig. Gen. Lasisi Adegboye, the acting General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division Nigerian Army in Enugu “Gov. Ugwuanyi has invested heavily in security”, in his words “…Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has invested heavily in the security architecture of the state”. “Like I said, I thank God for a day like this. Your support, when I was the Garrison Commander, while I left and now that I am back as the acting General Officer Commanding, has been very tremendous.”
“I will not say much but only implore you to please continue with the love you have for your people and Nigeria as a nation. It takes somebody with human feelings, somebody who loves his people to invest so much in security like you have been doing. We will put all those facilities into good use and make sure that we deliver so that while we are happy, the entire citizens in our areas of responsibility will sleep with their two eyes closed”.
The acting GOC gave the commendations when he paid a courtesy call to Gov. Ugwuanyi at the Government House Enugu, to formally inform him of his new appointment and resumption of duty in the state. He describes his posting to Enugu as homecoming, Brig. Gen. Adegboye disclosed that the visit to the Government House was also in compliance with the directive of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai for the new Army GOCs to meet and interact with state governors under their jurisdiction. He lauded Gov. Ugwuanyi for his hospitality and commitment to security of lives and property, stressing that the recent donation of patrol vans to the Army and other security agencies by his administration to aid their operations was “highly applauded”, promising to make good use of the vehicles.
Brig. Gen. Adegboye, who described Gov. Ugwuanyi as “a statesman and God-sent to Enugu State”, noted with delight the decisive measures being put in place by his administration to ensure adequate security to sustain the state’s enviable status as one of the most peaceful and safest in the country.
EWGA stated that Gov. Ugwuanyi donated security vehicles to Civil Defence Corps, the Department of State Services, Nigerian Airforce, Nigerian Immigration Service, Nigerian Customs Service, Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Federal Road Safety Corps and National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to assist them in their operations in the state.
Gov. Ugwuanyi, also handed over 65 out of the 100 units of the Innoson vehicles procured and installed with ultra-modern security and communication gadgets by his administration to the Nigeria Police Force, to aid her operations in the state. He promised continuous logistic support to security agencies in Enugu State.
Handing over the vehicles to the security operatives during a brief ceremony at the Government House in Enugu, Gov. Ugwuanyi said that the gesture was to ensure that the security agencies in the state are well-equipped and well-motivated to effectively and professionally discharge their duties.
The governor added that the vehicles and the newly-created Forest Guards were in line with the retooling strategy of the state’s security architecture to meet up with the desired standard and tackle the emerging dimensions of insecurity and criminality in the country.
Gov. Ugwuanyi, who promised continuous logistic support for the security agencies, disclosed that the 100 patrol vans were installed with state-of-the-art security systems, adding that 260 motorcycles, 300 bicycles were procured with 18 automated drones for surveillance underway.
Gov. Ugwuanyi explained that the items procured for the security agencies were different from the 260 vehicles and associated equipment being procured for the Forest Guards and Vigilante/Neighbourhood Watch groups, which he said will soon be distributed to them alongside the motorcycles and bicycles for community policing. “I salute the security agencies in our state for all they have done to maintain our state’s internal security. Our administration will continue to provide you the logistic support to deliver on your mandate. I also enjoin you to fully deploy these pickup trucks to the intended use to enable the realization of the benefits for Ndi Enugu. As a government, we will continue to dedicate our energy to optimal delivery of security services to Ndi Enugu.”
The State Commandant, NSCDC, Everestus Obiyo, the State Director, DSS, Abinbola Linkinyo, the State Comptroller of Immigration Service, Ayodele Arogundade, among others applauded Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s peace and security measures in Enugu State.”
Report from the National Bureau of Statistics rated Enugu State as one of the most crime-free states in Nigeria. NBS also ranked Enugu as most peaceful in terms of crime per capita. Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory led, followed by Enugu State and the rest of the states.
Enugu state has progressed from the security challenges witnessed by the previous administrations and in the recent past to the mid-table among peers, which came as a result of the agenda of Gov. Ugwuanyi’s administration and level investment made so far in ensuring that Enugu is a very secured state.
How this achievement is a “peace gimmick” in the eyes of the wailers still beats our collective imagination.
Governor Ugwuanyi has been able to build bridges of brotherhood across the various political divides in the State, anyone denying him such uncommon accomplishment, only has intention to sow seeds of discord among the people and it is quite uncharitable.
‘Where good men are scarce, strife and disorder rule’. You cannot have peace without at least one person placing his personal time, resources and comfort on the ground as burnt offering just to enshrine peace and unity. Gov. Ugwaunyi keeps awake for ‘Ndi Enugu’, especially our people in Enugu West to sleep with both eyes closed.
Governor Ugwuanyi has been able to unite the people of Enugu around the common need to develop the entire State through rural access roads, revamping the infrastructure and providing relief to the poor, those who experienced natural disaster, and most especially to those who have shown commitment to entrepreneurship for enhanced job creation. This, by every metric, is a masterstroke and rare, if not totally absent, in other parts of the country.
Moreover, we are not sure if there is any state in the country where there is no political conflict of attrition between godfather-political leaders and their godson, especially between incumbent successors and their immediate predecessors, but Enugu State is the only State where the incumbent is not fighting with his predecessor, because of the level of political maturity exhibited by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
Lastly, the Director General of EWGA, Humphrey Onyima, said, “…it is also important to remind the gainsayers that the Enugu Capital city has been receiving every attention it needs, contrary to the insinuations from certain quarters. It is also very important that fellow compatriots and political leaders should teach their supporters how to run campaigns of decorum and minimize hate speeches that can heat up the polity unnecessarily. Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is peace loving and caring father of Enugu state and it is in favour of our collective interest if everyone can emulate him.”
Enugu State is truly in the hands of God.
