May 29, 2019, it will be four years since Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi was sworn in as the governor of Enugu State.
In May 29, 2015, he unveiled a four-point agenda for his administration namely, employment generation, social services and good governance, rural development, security and social justice.
He also promised that his agenda would run concurrently with that of his predecessor, Sullivan Chime.
He said, “I renew the message of peace, hope and development of our dear state and the principles of seamless continuity and consolidation.
“I reaffirm my commitment to seeing through the legacy of the present four-point agenda and once again commit to all our campaign promises in the 17 local government areas of the state.
“From the 17 local government areas, the people spoke eloquently with their votes and entrusted on me the responsibility of rendering selfless service to our dear state.
“I am deeply humbled by that mandate reposed in me and I hereby accept it with all sense of humility and gratitude.”
He told the Ndi Enugu that had gathered (and those watching on national television home and abroad) to see their governor-elect sworn in as governor.
But then, how much of these promises has the man who was nick-named Gburugburu kept up with? Did he keep them or has he played politics with the people and the mandate handed to him? Is the news that the people have continued to applaud the governor for his works true or fake news?
They are all true.
Ugwuanyi’s visionary approach, no doubt, has gone a long way to underscore the dexterity, potency and ingenuity of the present administration in prudent management of the state’s lean resources and its economic indices.
Education:
In May 2018, in line with the Enugu State government’s policy in education and the need to discover and assist intellectuals in the rural areas, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi granted scholarships to 340 indigent students of the Enugu State Polytechnic, Iwollo, Ezeagu Local Government Area of the state.
The governor explained that 20 indigent students in each of the 17 local government areas will benefit from the scholarship scheme which will, in turn, cover their tuition fees for four years of study at a total cost of N41.6 million.
Speaking during the maiden engineering day commemoration at the institution, where he inaugurated the newly constructed School of Engineering Complex sponsored by Prince Arthur Eze and laid foundation for the construction of Prof. Julius Onah School of Management Technology, the governor disclosed that the cardinal principle of the educational policy of his administration was the provision of access to qualitative education at all levels to all classes and strata of the society.
In April 2018, the Enugu State Executive Council (EXCO) said it approved N2,572,686,367 for the immediate construction of new class room blocks and renovation of dilapidated structures in primary and junior secondary schools under the state’s Universal Basic Education Board (ENSUBEB), totalling 208.
Also, the council, in keeping with the four-point agenda of Governor Ugwuanyi’s administration on quality education and workers’ welfare, approved N271 million as bail-out fund to Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) to enable the institution offset the remaining seven months monetization arrears owed its workers.
The council further approved and directed the speedy relocation of the Enugu State College of Education Technical from its temporary site in Enugu urban to the permanent site in Ihe, Awgu Local Government Area. It further approved N14.6 million for the clearing of the site, erection of perimeter fence and creation of access road in the new site.
In December 2017, the State government released the sum of N184 million for the upgrade of the Mpu Youth Centre in Aninri Local Government Area, earlier approved by the Chief of Army Staff for the establishment of Army Command Technical College.
Ugwuanyi’s administration has recruited over 2000 primary school teachers under the Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board (ENSUBEB) to improve the learning standard. It is also recruiting 2000 secondary school teachers through the Post Primary Schools Management Board (PPSMB), in addition to the 857 volunteer teachers (engaged during the past administration) who were recently regularized as permanent staff of the state government under the PPSMB.
Internally generated revenue:
On the modest achievements of the government in economic development, one is impressed to note that the far reaching reforms initiated by Governor Ugwuanyi’s administration in the state’s Internal Revenue Service saw to the significant increase in the internally generated revenue (IGR), from N14 billion in 2016 to N18.4 billion in the first ten months of 2017. It is the significant boast in the internal generated revenue that enables the State to pay June, July 2018 salaries without monthly allocation and payment of 13th month salaries without challenges.
Infrastructure & Empowerment:
Infrastructure, which is the focal point of the government, it is pertinent to note that notwithstanding the bleak economic realities in the country, the administration has been able to execute verifiable massive road projects both in the urban and rural areas across the state in just two years, covering over 141 kilometers of intra and inter-state roads – an unbeatable feat in the annals of the state. It has also recorded tremendous feat in the maintenance of infrastructure built by past administrations, such as failed portions of roads, street and traffic lights, notwithstanding different cannibalisation suffered in the hands of vandals.
For more effective operation of street lights in Enugu, the present administration recently procured 25-unit 60 KVA generating sets, which are being installed to replace the aged ones in Enugu metropolis as well as fresh installation in the University town of Nsukka. This was in addition to the 10 units of 200 KVA generators earlier procured to replace the ones that had been in use for over seven years.
The state government has equally continued with some uncompleted projects, such as the Enugu State Medical Diagnostic Centre, which is completed for equipping of facilities, among others. Between 2017 and 2018 Ugwuanyi’s administration awarded multiple contracts for road projects worth over N4.6 billion in continuation of its massive infrastructure rehabilitation campaign across the nooks and crannies of Enugu State. Also worthy of commendation is the breakthrough recorded by the government in ridding Enugu metropolis of waste, especially at dump sites to ensure a clean environment, through the taskforce constituted to complement the efforts of the Enugu State Waste Management Authority (ESWAMA).
In keeping with his inaugural address to pay a special attention to rural development, in recognition of the fact that majority of the people of the state live in the rural areas, the state government in October 2017, introduced the Choose-Your-Project policy, where stakeholders of every local government area in the state identified their priority project worth not less than N100 million for the government to execute for them. This unprecedented policy saw to the successful simultaneous execution of phase one of the 35 development projects across the 17 councils in the state.
In addition to this was the N10 million worth of project for every community in the state under the Visit Every Community (VEC) programme, which the first tranche of N5 million has been released by the government, accordingly. The uniqueness of this people-oriented programme, which was duly approved by the State Executive Council, is that it is a special development policy that has never featured in the state as each community will decide the project it would want to execute with the money for the overall interest of the people of the area. It ensured that so many communities that had never experienced any development project in their areas benefited, guarantying government presence in all the over 400 autonomous communities in the state. One appreciates the fact that while all these capital intensive projects were ongoing, the governor pay workers’ salaries and retirees’ pensions on the 23rd of every month and still went further to pay the 13th month salary to civil servants of the state as Christmas bonus.
On investment drive, Ugwuanyi’s administration since after the first ever Enugu State Economic Summit tagged “Oganiru” has witnessed inflow of investors who are showing interest to do business with the state. The impact of this vision is evident in the just completed HELIU Estate project in Enugu and the Lion Business Park driven by a Chinese Investment Company in partnership with the state government under a Public Private Partnership (PPA) initiative to build an industrial market on a 2000 hectares of land located in the proximity of the Enugu Industrial Park – FTZ (ENPOWER Free Trade Zone) at the 9th Mile Corner, modelled after the Dragon Market in Dubai.
Ugwuanyi’s administration awarded contracts for the construction of six major roads across the state at the sum of N2.4 billion, covering the Eha-Amufu-Nkalagu federal road at Isi-Uzo Local Government Area, which has been in a deplorable condition.
Other roads include the extension of the Agbani-Afor Amurri road; the extension of Ituku road; the construction of Ogonogoeji Ndi Agu Akpugo road (Atavu Bailey Bridge –Afor Onovo); the construction of 42-metre span Bailey bridge and road works across river Nyama to Amechi-Linking Umuogo and Umuagba Amechi Uno/ Obinagu community, all in Nkanu West L.G.A.
It would be recalled the governor recently inspected most of the road projects, where he promised the immediate intervention of his administration and reiterated his commitment to the development of the rural areas to give the dwellers a sense of belonging and make life more meaningful for them.
In April 2018, 536 trainees of the second batch of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Skill Acquisition Programme of the Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi administration instantly received alert of N100,000 seed money each from the state government.
The money is to assist them start off their various businesses after attending a one-year free vocational training.
In November 2015, during his first year in office, his administration flagged off the mass construction of five roads in Enugu North senatorial zone.
The roads are Opi-Nsukka dual carriage way, Obechara road junction – Umuakashi Mechanic Village – Ikenga Hotels Junction and the Post Office roundabout – Odenigbo round about – Ogurugu road – Ikenga Hotels junction and the Enugu road Nsukka junction – Umezebi – Nru junction – University gate, all within the university town of Nsukka. The others include Ohom Orba junction – Imilike Ani – Ezimo Uno – Ezimo Agu – Imilike Ogbodu Aba – Obollo Afor Roads, all designated as Udenu ring roads as they are located within Udenu council area and are linked one to the other.
In 2017, in keeping with his administration’s drive to open up more rural areas to enhance the well-being of the people of the state, Ugwuanyi flagged off construction of four rural roads in the state, measuring over 10km at the cost of almost N1 billion.
In February 2018, the Enugu State Executive Council (EXCO) awarded contracts for the construction of another set of urban and rural roads worth over N1billion, in keeping with the state government’s infrastructural development initiatives and its resolve to continue to touch the lives of the people positively.
This was a week after contracts were awarded for the construction of six major roads across the state at the sum of N2.4 billion, covering the Eha-Amufu-Nkalagu federal road at Isi-Uzo Local Government Area, which has been in a deplorable condition.
Health:
In February 2018, The World Health Organisation (WHO) congratulated Governor Ugwuanyi for the remarkable growth and success attained by the Primary Healthcare system in the state, in providing affordable and qualitative healthcare delivery at the grassroots.
Speaking during the flag-off of the rescheduled second round of 2017 Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week (MNCHW) in Enugu, the representative of the organisation in charge of Measles prevention, Mrs. Eunice Ajayi, expressed delight at Gov. Ugwuanyi’s commitment to quality healthcare delivery.
The completion of Enugu State Diagnostic Centre Enugu by Ugwuanyi’s administration which was initiated by Ex-Governor Sullivan Chime is in fulfilment of the promise of continuity. Other development partners also commended the governor for his presence at the programme since the inception of his administration as well as contributions to quality healthcare delivery, especially with regard to the release of N12.4 million for the forthcoming measles campaign.
Consequently, one is delighted to note that Gov. Ugwuanyi in his 2019 budget proposal has made adequate provision to sustain and improve on these landmark achievements, which are only the tip of the iceberg of the numerous feats so far recorded in the state. It is therefore, expected of the citizens of the state to continue to pray, support and protect the solid foundations being laid by the people’s governor to improve on their living standard and fully realise the dreams of the state’s founding fathers.
