Enugu LGA & Community Leadership News

Enugu LGA & Community Leadership News Publication of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Chieftaincy Affairs, Enugu

*Gov Mbah Approves N80,000 Minimum Wage for Enugu Workers Effective Oct 2024*. _It’s unprecedented to earn above minimum...
26/10/2024

*Gov Mbah Approves N80,000 Minimum Wage for Enugu Workers Effective Oct 2024*
. _It’s unprecedented to earn above minimum wage in Enugu- Labour_
.. _We’ll commence implementation immediately- ALGON_

Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has approved N80,000 minimum wage for the state's work force, including local government workers, effective October 2024, noting a direct link between a motivated workforce and his administration’s vision of growing the state’s economy from $4.4bn to $30bn.

This was even as organised labour in state described the wage as unprecedented, as it was the first time that Enugu workers would be earning above the national minimum wage.

Mbah announced the new minimum wage on Thursday after a meeting with the Enugu State Minimum Wage Implementation Committee headed by the Head of Service, Kenneth Ugwu and labour leaders, including the state’s labour leaders.

Mbah said, “Few weeks ago, I inaugurated a committee with the responsibility to oversee the implementation of the New National Minimum Wage in Enugu State. Today, I’m happy to announce a new minimum wage for workers in Enugu State, reflecting our fidelity to their welfare, in regard of which we have been resolutely committed.

“We have approved the sum of N80,000 as the new minimum wage in Enugu State. This underscores our commitment to bequeathing lasting legacies of improved living conditions.

“Our commitment to improved workers’ welfare runs deep, and is rooted in the firm understanding of the inextricable link between an inspired workforce and the audacious economic targets we had set our sights on.

“We clearly understood that reducing poverty to the barest minimum and achieving an unprecedented economic growth target were contingent on the output of the workforce. Therefore, for us, the best way to acknowledge that labour creates wealth is by ensuring that the workforce, which creates the wealth that oils the wheel of government, is sufficiently motivated.

“We have similarly demonstrated our commitment to workers welfare through the consistent payment of the wage awards, a gesture we had pledged to sustain until a new wage structure took effect.”

Speaking, the Chairman of the Enugu State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Fabian Nwigbo, thanked governor Mbah for always prioritising the welfare of workers, describing the new minimum wage as “a great one for Enugu workers.”

“In the past, when minimum wage is announced, it takes up to one or two years for anything to happen; and when it did, we took anything they gave us as we saw it. But today, you have even given us something much higher than national minimum wage.

“But I am not totally surprised because when other governors were paying N12,000 wage award, you were paying us N25,000. When others paid for some months and stopped, you continued paying it until the new minium wage as you promised. So, we have enjoyed wage award for 11 months and today you announced the minimum wage which is the first of its kind since my 32 years in service,” said.

Speaking to Government House correspondents, the Chairman of the Enugu State chapter of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, Comrade Ben Asogwa, said, “We are so happy. The governor did not just announce ₦80,000 minium wage, but said that it cascades down to even local government workers. He said that he does not want disparity in salary implementation in Enugu State anymore because we all go to the same market.

“This is the first time in history we are seeing the implementation of minimum wage above the approved amount by the federal government. Actually, when we entered into the negotiation, we were afraid because we know quite well that we are not among the states that share in dividends of oil money. We know quite well that we are at the back when it comes to federal allocation, but His Excellency actually surprised us.

“One thing we have seen is that he understands the impact of motivation on productivity. The governor has set a pace and we know that any other person coming after him will have the challenge to meet up with the target set by His Excellency, Governor Peter Mbah.”

On his part, Chairman of the Association of Local Government Workers, ALGON, Enugu State, Hon. Okechukwu Edeh, pledged the commitment of council chairmen to implementing the new minimum wage.

“When you motivate workers, they become more productive. What I am promising on behalf of the Enugu ALGON family is that we are going to cascade the new minimum wage to the local government level. Implementation begins immediately,” he said.

*BREAKING: Enugu poised to make history on Tuesday, October 22, as FG's NERC transfers electricity regulatory powers to ...
22/10/2024

*BREAKING: Enugu poised to make history on Tuesday, October 22, as FG's NERC transfers electricity regulatory powers to the state’s EERC*

*... EEDC ceases to operate in Enugu State*

Tomorrow, 22nd October 2024 marks the making of history in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) in Enugu State as it marks the end of the transition period for the transfer of regulatory oversight from the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to the Enugu State Electricity Regulatory Commission (EERC).

This historical event is a strong affirmation of the States’ constitutional right to develop the electricity sector in their States, across the value chain of generation, transmission, distribution, or retailing services, including Mini-Grid and Off-Grid electrification solutions.

As the foremost State to initiate and drive this process under the leadership of Dr. Peter N. Mbah, Enugu State has again emerged the first State to commence the development of a sub-national electricity market in Africa as EERC not only assumes regulatory oversight but will also issue licenses.

A distribution license will be issued to the Distribution Company known as Mainpower Electricity Distribution Limited, incorporated to take over EEDC’s operations in the State.

The handover ceremony holds on Tuesday, October 22, 2024 at EERC Headquarters, No. 2 Forrest Close, off Forrest Crescent, GRA, Enugu, at 10 am.

It's a developing story. Watch out for updates.

Umunevo Community Town Union Election, Mr. Echezona Wilfred won the President General Election with 105 votes.
12/07/2024

Umunevo Community Town Union Election,
Mr. Echezona Wilfred won the President General Election with 105 votes.

I paid a courtesy visit to the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr. Aminu Maida, yeste...
28/06/2024

I paid a courtesy visit to the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr. Aminu Maida, yesterday in Abuja,

Our discussions focused on strategic initiatives to enhance collaboration for the advancement of Enugu State and the nation at large.

We deliberated on several key projects, including the completion of the Digital Industrial Park in Enugu State, which is poised to become the South-East’s innovation hub. We also discussed ensuring that the Digital Bridge Institute is finalized and commissioned, subsequently exploring plans on transitioning it to a digital skills university or institute of technology.

Additionally, we explored the adoption of zero right-of-way fees in Enugu to facilitate participation in the National Broadband Alliance for Nigeria (NBAN) programme, and collaboration on the NCC Emergency Communication Centre to support the Enugu State Government Command Centre.

The interactions were fruitful, and I sincerely appreciate the NCC’s efforts in strengthening the infrastructures that would unleash and drive tech innovations for the good of our nation as a whole.

Estate Surveyors Commend Gov Mbah’s Strides in Land Administration Reforms, Security and Infrastructure…Mbah assures on ...
26/06/2024

Estate Surveyors Commend Gov Mbah’s Strides in Land Administration Reforms, Security and Infrastructure

…Mbah assures on ease of doing business

A group of estate surveyors and valuers has commended Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State for the remarkable progress made in land administration reforms, security, and infrastructure in the state in the past one year, stating that no country in the world had ever developed without proper land policy and administration.

The group, Ubosi Eleh and Co, gave the commendation during a courtesy visit to Government House Enugu, Wednesday, to notify and invite the governor to a workshop for estate surveyors and valuers holding in Enugu city.

The group of professionals led by Emeka Eleh listed the enactment of the Enugu State Geographic Information Services law, legislation to fight land grabbers, and the effort to correct the illegalities committed in property development in the state as commendable steps towards repositioning the state for exponential socioeconomic development.

Eleh said that Mbah had repositioned Enugu as the right place to do business in Nigeria, expressing delight about the state’s 2024 budget, which consists of only 107.2 billion, 21 per cent recurrent expenditure and 414.3 billion, 79 per cent capital expenditure.

“ You coming from a very strong pedigree and from a very strong private sector background, we were very delighted when you were elected because we felt it would be a turning point in the affairs of this state. We are very delighted to say that we have been very correct, given the evidence of governance we see.

“We keep talking about the housing deficit without talking about infrastructural deficit, and we are glad you are addressing it frontally to add values to the lives of the people.

“We are also happy about what you are doing in terms of land administration and physical planning. We are aware, in the areas of physical planning, how you are cleaning up the town and ensuring that people follow rules and that the right things are done by people who are building to create a better liveable city. This is commendable because in the end, Enugu has to return to its old glory, and for it to be done, what you are doing must be done.

“We equally commend you for the efforts to fast-track the issuance of Certificate of Occupancy. Our Land Use Act empowers the governor to do a lot in that area, and we are glad that you have taken it upon yourself to pass that process.

“For us, who come from this part of the world, the issue of titling and Certificate of Occupancy is key because our people are mainly businessmen. We are happy you are equally dealing with the issue of land grabbing.

“You are just one year, and a lot has happened. So, we are imagining what will happen in the next three years. We are certain, and we believe that Enugu is in very good hands.”

Responding, Mbah assured of his administration’s commitment to make Enugu State the hub of investment, business, tourism, and living.

He listed the Enugu State Geographic Information Service, the New Enugu City, aggressive road construction, restoration of water supply to the capital city, radical reforms in land administration, the actualisation of the power to regulate and drive power generation, transmission, and distribution in the state, among others, as parts of the efforts to improve ease of doing business in the South East state.

“We are currently able to generate 120 million litres of water daily from the occasional 2 million litres we met. Now, we are dealing with all the challenges with reticulation to make sure that water gets to the last man.

“We have also committed to making sure that we have 24-hour power supply. We were the first state in this country that set up our Electricity Regulatory Commission and also have rights devolved from National Electricity Commission, NERC, to our own electricity regulatory commission. So, we are able to regulate the activities of all those that play in the electricity value chain in our state.

“So, we are doing everything to continue to improve ease of doing business here. Enugu is open for business, and we are looking forward to partnering with the private sector, particularly in our land sector,” Mbah stated.

*Traditional Ruler's Council Commended Gov. Mbah on a laudable Projects.* The Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council has...
21/06/2024

*Traditional Ruler's Council Commended Gov. Mbah on a laudable Projects.*

The Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council has commended Governor Peter Mbah, for the ongoing construction of Smart Green Schools in 260 wards in Enugu State.

The royal fathers also thanked him for the
ongoing construction of health facilities across the State, and commended his administration’s efforts to revamp the Niger gas, Niger steel and the N100 billon palm revitalization initiative which they said re-echoes the late Dr. M I Okpara era.

They lauded his administration for the ongoing monumental building at the International Conference Centre, and up grading the Conference Centre to a 5 Star Hotel coming up in Enugu.

The royal fathers, who were led by their chairman, HRM Igwe Samuel Ikechukwu Asadu, gave the commendation on Wednesday in Enugu in a communique signed by the Chairman at the end of their meeting held at the House of Chiefs, State House of Assembly Complex, Independence Layout Enugu.

"Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council
fully support the Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, for the ongoing reconstruction and rehabilitation of Presidential Hotel".

“The traditional rulers lauded the rehabilitation and asphalting of major streets across Enugu State, improved cleanliness of Enugu State environment occasioned by systematic Waste Management in Enugu State"

"The royal fathers said they anticipated Disruptive Innovation on the transport infrastructure in Enugu State and many more," the communique reads.

Enugu State Govt Slams EEDC - “Your Electric Bills, Disconnections Unlawful, Vexatious, Callous, Unacceptable’”* Demands...
11/06/2024

Enugu State Govt Slams EEDC -
“Your Electric Bills, Disconnections Unlawful, Vexatious, Callous, Unacceptable’”

* Demands immediate metering of all MDAs in line with NERC Order

* Insists on forensic audit of inherited bills

* Requests retraction of malicious publication, refunds

The Enugu State Government has slammed the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, EEDC, over its billing and disconnection of some of the state government’s offices, describing the actions as unlawful, malicious, callous, and vexatious.

It also faulted EEDC’s claim of government’s indebtedness to the company to the tune of N1.3bn, explaining that besides prompt payment of all electricity bills received from the EEDC since May 2023, the Governor Peter Mbah Administration had equally cleared two months backlog of debts in line with the governor’s commitment to offset all legitimate electricity debts inherited from his predecessors.

The government stated this in a letter to the EEDC Managing Director/CEO dated Tuesday, June 11, 2024 and signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia.

The letter entitled, “Re: Notice of Disconnections to Indebted Customers and Actual Disconnections of Enugu State Government Offices”, reads in part, “Enugu State Government received the disconnection notice published in national daily newspapers. We have also received the information that EEDC has disconnected some Enugu State government institutions.

“We note that both the publication of notice of disconnections and the actual disconnections on Saturday 8th June, 2024 were based on wrong premises and total disregard to NERC rules and standing Order on estimated billing of Maximum demand customers.

“Accordingly, the state government notes as follows: That EEDC letter dated 7 June 2024 addressed to His Excellency the Governor of Enugu State that the outstanding electricity bill is N1,319,571,131.21.

“That the said outstanding electricity bills are estimated billing of Maximum demand agencies and parastatals of the state government carried over from the last administration as the current administration has diligently and promptly paid all bills received from May 2023 to date including 2 months from the carried over bill which it has shown commitment in good faith to settle.

“That NERC Order NO/NERC/197/2020 paragraph 13 subsection (a) states: ‘Any Maximum demand agencies and parastatals customer not provided with meter by 1 March 2017 shall not pay any electricity bills presented by a DisCo on the basis of estimated billing methodology and these customers are advised to report to the Commission.

“Paragraph 13 subsection (b) states No DisCo shall disconnect any Maximum demand agencies and parastatals customers that were not metered by 1March 2024 on the basis of the customer's refusal to pay an invoice issued on the basis of estimated billing after the compliance deadline.”

Continuing, the government stated, “Considering the provisions of NERC Order, the recent disconnections of government offices, parastatals viz: College of Medicine ESUT Teaching hospital, Housing development corporation, State Secretariat, etc. is unlawful, callous and has inflicted malicious damages to the image and integrity of the state government. These acts are vexatious and completely unacceptable.”

“Therefore, the government demands detailed bills and the accounts statements/histories of the government agencies that make up the claimed state's indebtedness to EEDC for forensic audit investigations.

“The government further demands immediate and total metering of al its agencies in line with NERC Order.”

In furtherance of the rights of the state government agencies, the government additionally demanded a refund of its electricity infrastructure investment from which it said EEDC had made so much money as well as a retraction of false claim of the state’s indebtedness to it, which government insists was defamatory.

“Following the NERC Order NO/197/2020, the government hereby notifies EEDC management that it will no longer pay any electricity bills based on the estimated billing methodology.

“The government notes that it has carried out electricity infrastructure intervention projects investment totaling N2,979,334,305.19 from which EEDC collects revenue. The government demands payments for the investment costs and other debts owed by EEDC to the government.

“Finally, the government demands immediate retraction of the malicious publication and immediate reconnection of all disconnected government agencies as the basis for a truce,” the government concluded.

Cost of Governance: CSO Commends Mbah for Emerging Most Prudent Governor in Q1, 2024A civil society organisation, the En...
07/06/2024

Cost of Governance: CSO Commends Mbah for Emerging Most Prudent Governor in Q1, 2024

A civil society organisation, the Enugu Good Governance Group, E-3G, has congratulated the Governor Peter Mbah Administration in Enugu State on its emergence as the most prudent among the 36 states governments in the first quarter of 2024.

The group, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Odinaka Okechukwu, said the report published by the Open Nigerian State, a website supported by BudgIT, which showed that the Dr. Peter Mbah Administration recorded the least recurrent expenses among other states in the first three months of 2024, was yet another indication that the governor’s presence in government was inspired by selfless service.

It is recalled that data published by Open Nigeria States based on the budget implementation report of the states showed that whereas Benue, Imo, Niger, Rivers, Sokoto and Yobe States have no data to their names, the remaining 30 state governments spent N986.64bn on recurrent expenditures, which includes workers salaries, refreshments, sitting allowances, travelling, utilities, among others, in the first quarter of 2024.

Lagos State recorded the highest recurrent expenses nationally, being N189.62bn, followed by Delta State, which recorded N68.68bn.

Ebonyi State recorded the highest recurrent expenses in the South East with N14.95bn, followed by Abia State with N10.92bn and Anambra State with N9.91bn recurrent expenses.

Enugu State recorded only N7.51bn to emerge the least in recurrent expenditures in both the region and the entire country. Imo has no data.

Reacting to the development, the Enugu Good Governance Group said, “This is a clear testimony to the high level of fiscal discipline in the Governor Mbah Administration, and a demonstration that accountability, transparency, and traceability, which he mouthed as guiding principles in the administration of public funds were not mere campaign buzzwords.

“With a record 107.2bn recurrent expenditure, representing about 21 percent of Enugu’s N521.5bn 2024 budget and a whooping N414.3bn or 79 percent of the budget earmarked for capital projects, Governor Mbah has thus far left no one in doubt of his commitment to disrupting the status quo to transform the state in all ramifications.

“Also commendable is the governor’s disposition to citizen engagement. Besides several town hall meetings and media engagements, Mbah, on Thursday, 30th May, 2024 engaged the citizens on X (formerly Twitter) Space, devoting two full hours to interact with mostly the younger generation on the policies, programmes, and projects of his government, among others.”

The group enjoined Mbah to continue on the path of prudence and putting the people above self.

*UN Body Recommends Enugu Education Devt. Model to Member States* Global education stakeholders under the auspices of th...
05/06/2024

*UN Body Recommends Enugu Education Devt. Model to Member States*


Global education stakeholders under the auspices of the NGEducators International Model United Nations, NGIMUN, an initiative of the International Human Rights Commission, IHRC, have recommended Enugu State’s education development model to other Nigerian subnational governments and countries as a veritable framework to eradicate poverty, contain insecurity, and improve living standard.

The recommendation was made on Wednesday at the opening of the maiden NGIMUN conference, themed “The Development of Education in Developing Countries” and holding in Enugu, South Eas Nigeria, citing the innovative approaches and huge investments by current government to leapfrog education in the state.

Speaking at the event, which drew participants from 14 nations as well as several UN bodies, the Coordinator of NGMUN and Director and Ambassador, African Regional Headquarters of IHRC, Dr. Tivlumun Ahure, said Enugu was consciously chosen to host the maiden conference due to its leading role in education development.

“Enugu State has done unbelievable things with education. Our central theme has to do with the development of education in developing countries, and that is why we are in Enugu.

“The evaluation and assessment exercise that was carried out in every region of the world regarded as the developing world, across Central America, Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, especially Oceania, Asia and so on, all the regions of the world known as the Third World countries, our concern is about the poor countries and the developing countries.

“What decided the choice of Enugu State is that it is confirmed and authenticated in the global south, it is Enugu State that is pioneering and leading in educational development.

“We have toured Enugu for the period of six whole months, beginning from September, 2023, and that same tour held in several regions of the world in order to determine the exact destination to hold this Conference, "The Development of Education in the Developing Countries.

“The decision is to celebrate that particular area that is doing well in the developing countries on the issue of developing education and then we narrowed down to Cameroon first, and for very clear indices, we came down to Nigeria. The report was delivered in Nairobi, Kenya that we should come down to Nigeria, Enugu State in particular, and host this event,” he stated.

Speaking, the Chief Host and governor of Enugu State, said the state took a radical approach to education development because education remained the strongest weapon with which to fight poverty, and would continue to do so in terms of policies and funding for the same reason.

“My first reaction is that I'm humbled. We didn't even know that our modest efforts in our education sector were already gaining such international attention and acclaim.

“We are indeed honoured and humbled. The generous statements and words being made by the diplomats and the UN Human Rights Commission and those who are focusing on education in developing countries.

“As we always said, we are obsessed with education. We know that education is the surest weapon and the strongest way to fight poverty. If we are going to give a deadly blow to poverty, we must get our young people equipped with the right skill set to deal with tomorrow's workplace. And that's what the Green Smart School initiative is all about.

“But we are not just advocating for zero tolerance for out of school children, but we are also saying that these children deserve to have access to quality education. And that quality learning starts from early childhood, age three. This is essentially what we are doing, making sure they are exposed to future skills. To artificial intelligence, to robotics, to augmented realities, to mechatronics. All these skills we need to be able to compete favourably with their peers across the globe. That's essentially what we are imbuing them with,” Governor Mbah said.

TAKE TIME AND GO THROUGH IT, MAKE YOUR CONTRIBUTION THROUGH THE COMMENT SECTION*FIRST ANNIVERSARY BROADCAST BY DR. PETER...
29/05/2024

TAKE TIME AND GO THROUGH IT, MAKE YOUR CONTRIBUTION THROUGH THE COMMENT SECTION

*FIRST ANNIVERSARY BROADCAST BY DR. PETER MBAH*

Ndi Enugu,

Exactly 12 months ago, I was inaugurated as your governor. In that solemn moment, I felt the weight of history as I looked around the sea of heads that swarmed the Michael Okpara Square that morning, and became even more determined to surpass the expectations that I glimpsed on your faces. I pledged wholesome service to you – the people – in my oaths of office and allegiance.

This ceremony is significant because it also celebrates 25 years of unbroken democratic rule in Nigeria. I congratulate Ndi Enugu and every Nigerian for this milestone. While this long run is testament to our resilience as a people, it yet serves as a reminder that democracy should never be construed as an exclusive preserve; societies thrive when governments nurture a sense of inclusion and banish feelings of alienation.

Let’s think about it: what really is democracy without the people? Without the people, democracy loses its defining ethos.

You would thus recall that the first action I took barely one hour after I was sworn in as governor was the signing of three Executive Orders.

The first such Order was in regard to the Citizens’ Charter, which essentially outlined our commitment to the provision of jobs, as well as quality amenities and services that substantially improve citizens’ living condition; transparent and inclusive governance; and the convening of consultative town hall meetings to present government’s plans and receive citizens’ feedback.

That action was beyond symbolisms and in no way driven by any quest for validation. It boldly reaffirmed my conviction to make the people the centre-piece of our government’s policies. The commitment I made on my first day in office, and indeed every single pledge I made on the campaign trail, are sacred pronouncements against which all my actions as governor should expectedly be benchmarked.

From the outset, there was absolute clarity about our vision for Enugu State, which could be summed up thus: To make Enugu one of the top three states in Nigeria in terms of Gross Domestic Product and achieve a zero percent rate in the poverty headcount index. This also includes our resolute goal to grow Enugu State’s GDP from $4.4bn to at least $30b in the next four to eight years.

*SECURITY*

We realized as well that nothing poses as much threat to the spirit of enterprise and, indeed, drains life out of a city as does criminality – or any hint of it. That explained why freeing the state from the stranglehold of an illegal sit-at-home order was among the earliest actions I took as governor.

Crime may be an ever-present fixture in the society. Nonetheless, we have a zero-tolerance for crime in Enugu State. And we continue to demonstrate this through our consistent fight against crime, strengthening the capacity of the Distress Response Squad and providing logistical support to the various security arms in Enugu State. We have seen a significant drop in crime in our communities. Despite that, we stayed proactive and vigilant. This is evident in our Security Command Centre, a technology-enabled platform offering a real-time, round-the-clock surveillance of our major streets and neighbourhoods via CCTV cameras placed at strategic locations.

Our establishing of the Security Trust Fund yet underscores our determination to keep the entire state safe and enthrone a sustainable platform to pool resources to fund our security needs. This Trust Fund, which has been signed into law and also constituted, has helped in fostering citizens’ engagement and a sense of civic responsibility.

In the past 12 months and across all the sectors, our fidelity to the Citizens’ Charter and courage to bring that vision to fruition has remained unbroken. Our efforts are vindicated by visible turnaround we see in public infrastructure, and sustained increase in annual IGR. We are not reinventing the wheel, but we have certainly created a suitable environment for the wheel to spin faster and unencumbered, in a way that meets the exigencies of our time.

Indeed, the exigencies of our time demand that we attain the socio-economic minimum, where the provision of basic amenities is taken for granted by citizens. That’s because there can never be any plausible excuse for ineffectual leadership. People generally don’t expect to hear why a problem cannot be solved by their government. They expect to hear from them how – and when – problems that have blighted their living condition will be solved. That, in simple terms, is my motivating philosophy.

*WATER SUPPLY*

So, when I gave a 180-day timeframe within which Enugu’s water problem would be solved, it wasn’t because I considered it a “low-hanging fruit” that could be easily notched. It was because I knew where the provision of potable water ranked on every resident’s wish list – and how urgently they wanted it to be ticked off.

I reckoned that the problem of acute shortage of potable water that Enugu residents had experienced for decades should by no means become a situation that simply has to be endured. The mere fact that an anomaly had persisted for so long is not an excuse for it to be normalized, as it were. That is why daily sights of children standing in long queues, with buckets and cans, to buy water from tankers was one of my most depressing encounters during the campaign for last year’s general elections.

Today we have transitioned from that utterly unacceptable narrative to a situation where potable water is accessed simply by turning on taps in homes and in public galleries. Nonetheless, context is still important. To give us a sense of the scale of this accomplishment, let’s understand that daily water supply to Enugu municipal was an average of two million litres before our intervention. But we upped that paltry figure to 120 million litres of daily water supply. And we did so within the projected timeframe.

I know that some would say the flow has not been consistent in their neighbourhood. That may be correct; but it’s in part due to the challenge of vandalism and largely because we are in the process of changing old asbestos pipes, which were laid in the 1950s, to modern ductile pipes. Those pipes had become brittle and corroded and could barely contain the intense water pressure. Once that process is complete, a city-wide reticulation would be achieved.

Again, like I noted earlier, the “hows” and “whys” of municipal problems are usually not subjects the public is easily inclined to contemplate. Solutions are what its ears are primed to listen to. And that’s natural. But context remains vital, for it helps lend perspectives and shed light on presumptions and misconceptions.

The fact is that only about 45 percent of what constitutes Enugu metropolis was reticulated, comprising mostly the older residential neighbourhoods. Much of the outlying – and fairly recent – districts were never connected to the supply grid. We have successfully delivered water to those areas originally on the distribution line, mostly including neighbourhoods where public water had not run in decades.

A good example is the Enugu Campus of the University of Nigeria (UNEC). It was gratifying seeing the excitement on the face of the deputy vice-chancellor as water gushed out from the institution’s main supply line two days ago. According to him, it was the first time in over a decade that they would be getting public water supply. The excitement for the students will be just as sky-high. And why shouldn’t it be? The sanitary conditions in hostels generally improve when there is regular water supply. Indeed, this is why governments exist!

Coal Camp is other such neighbourhood where the taps had been dry for longer than most residents could recall. So, the excitement was understandably palpable. On a general note, we have achieved this level of coverage across the Enugu municipal:

· GRA I & II – 80%

· Abakpa – 55%

· Ogui – 80%

· Independence Layout (including parts of Nza Street) – 60%

· Uwani – 85%

· Trans Ekulu – 30%

· New Haven – 85%

· Idaw River – 55%

· Emene – 60%

The public water supply experience in most of these neighbourhoods and their surrounding areas was at best unreliable – and at worst non-existent. And it had been that way for years. Once the issues of replacement of pipes, and water line obstruction we are seeing in several locations arising from physical planning infraction are resolved, a total coverage of reticulated areas would be achieved. At the moment, it seems – more or less – like getting to the last man. Happily, our governance philosophy abhors anyone being left behind in the development march.

When the availability of basic amenities is taken for granted, municipal challenges of old tend to be recounted merely as tales from a distant age. As a matter of fact, people often quickly forget how bad things had been not long after vast improvement in living conditions.

*ROADS*

We are, for instance, increasingly seeing roads that were, for many years, bywords for neglect and municipal dysfunction wearing new looks. I’m sure nearly everyone in Enugu wouldn’t have to think hard to cite few such neighborhoods. They abound – from the once port-holed and dusty roads of Odudukoko and its environs in Gariki; the gullies that for years left Trans Ekulu a shell of its once glorious past; to the literally impassable Premier Layout and College Road, in Abakpa, which was a nightmare stretch for motorists and residents.

There can never be any excuse for such roads in their previous conditions. So I wouldn’t begrudge anyone who has forgotten what their condition had been like. The primary responsibility of governments, after all, is the security and welfare of the people.

I can say confidently that there is hardly anyone who hasn’t encountered some major road construction around their locality. It hardly matters where you live; our rehabilitation and reconstruction of 71 roads in Enugu urban areas has ensured that virtually every neighbourhood in the city is experiencing an impressive road infrastructure makeover.

Our rural communities are not left out. The ongoing construction of the 40-kilometre Owo-Ubahu-Amankanu-Neke-Ikem Dual Carriageway that will practically open a new gateway to the North-Central region is indicative of our determination to bring a new lease of life to rural communities.

Indeed, with our recent acquisition of an asphalt production plant, which has a capacity to produce over 1000-ton eco-friendly asphalt daily, we are looking set to fix more roads even beyond our projection.

Every intervention in the last one year has further reinforced the need to radically retool our socio-economic paradigm to make the hopes and aspirations of Ndi Enugu not to perennially seem like a dream deferred.

*EDUCATION*

This realization strikes a particularly resonant tone in our education sector, where the learning imparted to our children over the years had failed to keep pace with the rapidly-changing world of knowledge. This evolving order is rendering obsolete our children’s supposed knowledge, causing them to be left behind as the rest of the world continues to take giants strides. Our Smart Green School initiative is a bold response to the shortcomings of our public education system.

The Smart Schools, which we are building in each of the state’s 260 electoral wards, are clearly at the cutting-edge of innovation. These schools are reflective of our steely resolve to bequeath to our children an experiential education that can help them navigate our evolving knowledge-driven world, and imbue them with a skillset that ensures they can practicalize what they have learnt, and are literally at ease with the tools of tomorrow’s workplace. Our Smart School project is not an abstract dream; its prototype stands out elegantly in Owo as a pointer to what the 259 others will look like on completion by 2025. Construction works are ongoing at 135 schools, with contract for the rest due for award in the second phase.

Each Smart School features an interactive digital whiteboard, an internet system, robotics and artificial intelligence centre, modern ICT centre, two science laboratories, hybrid multimedia library, creative production studio, 25 inclusive classrooms and 700 Android tablets.

Through these schools, we are nurturing a silent technological revolution.

So, our disruptive innovation mantra is by no means a catchphrase merely intended to captivate. It is rooted in the conviction that innovation is the handmaiden of development. The famous saying credited to Saudi Arabia’s former oil minister Ahmed Zaki Yamani that “the Stone Age didn’t end for lack of stone,” easily comes to mind here.

The wealth of nations may be measured in terms of material resources, oil reserves, and the like. But true wealth lies in the quality of a state’s human resources – shaped to a great degree by the attention paid to public education, for no nation can truly rise above its education standards.

Against this backdrop, imagine a situation where 50 percent of children are unable to read despite having spent four years in primary school. Imagine also a scenario where 50 percent lacked simple numeracy skill like subtraction and addition after five years of primary school education. These were the shocking revelations of a baseline study we conducted in the early days of my administration. Nothing underlines our strong commitment to improve the quality of education in our dear state like the sum allocated to the sector in our budget.

My administration’s N158.78bn education budget is both the highest per capita in the country, and in regard to the percentage of total budget sum – at 33 percent. It is also higher than UNESCO’s recommended benchmark of 15% - 20% of total annual budget. I dare say it’s perhaps highest in the world. The significance will be more profound if we paused for a moment to break down this figure: It implies that for every 100 Naira spent, 33 Naira goes to the education budget. Think about that.

We continue to demonstrate that there is no room for half measures where education is concerned.

*HEALTH*

Our investment in the health sector is no less remarkable. We’re also building new Type 2 healthcare facilities across the 260 electoral wards in the state. For us though, it’s not just about the physical structures. We’re just as enthused by those features that truly make hospitals worth their name. This reflects in the 30 PHCs currently being built. Each centre is well-equipped and boasts the requisite manpower, comprising doctors, nurses, and other relevant health workers. To curb the notorious practice of workers’ absence in hospitals, there are living quarters with constant and alternative power supply for doctors and nurses.

We have also paid due attention to the welfare of our healthcare workers, and have ensured that every obligation in relation to allowances as well as agreements are fulfilled. This includes employment of medical practitioners, as may be necessary, to bring our doctor-to-patient ratio to acceptable standards. This would be impacted, no less, by the presence of the Enugu State University of Medical and Applied Sciences, which received further boost when I signed the bill upgrading the institution to a teaching hospital.

Another area of success has been in the digitizing of patients’ records at our various healthcare facilities, which has created a seamless access to patients’ health history at state-owned facilities.

Development experts often say that the test of a policy is always evident in its outcome and impact on general wellbeing. This is especially true with our inputs in the health sector, where there has been vast reduction in infant and maternal mortality rate.

*REVIVING MORIBUND ASSETS…RECOVERING STATE’S ASSETS*

Indeed, we are paving our roads, including in areas that had never experienced a coat of asphalt, and our schools are experiencing unprecedented makeover. These feats are proofs of how much change we can bring to bear if we muster the will to refuse to be content with measures that barely shift the needle of progress. But there are always new grounds to break.

Few weeks ago, we signed a contract for the revamp of the iconic Presidential Hotel, and works have actually begun in that regard. I also performed the groundbreaking for the 345-room International Conference Centre Hotel, Enugu, a few days ago, which would be the first 5-Star category hotel in the South East.

The absence of a truly 5-star hotel has long deprived Enugu State the opportunity of tapping into the immense benefits inherent in the expansive service industry such as conferences, meetings and events. This is despite the long illustrious history of our capital city. But with its completion schedule of 11 months, this hotel, alongside the 5,000-seating capacity International Conference Centre due for opening in a few months, will take us a step closer to our aim to make Enugu the Conferencing Capital of Africa. Both facilities represent key enablers of our target of three million annual tourist visits to Enugu.

It is instructive that Presidential Hotel was built in 1963 with income earned largely from agriculture, by the premier of the defunct Eastern Region, Dr. Michael Okpara. The same could be said of the several once thriving but now moribund industries such as Nigergas Company Limited, Niger Steel Limited, Sunrise Flour Mills, etc. We’re already taking steps towards reviving these industries.

We are as committed to reviving long abandoned corporations as we are in the recovery of Enugu State’s assets, which had in a sense been in limbo for years. This commitment earned huge dividends recently with the return of 14 such assets to my government. The motivation is the common good – improving the lives of Ndi Enugu.

*AGRICULTURE*

Oil palm was at the heart of Eastern Region’s agro-based economy. The presence of hectares of palm plantations across the region best illustrates this. Two such plantations from that era exist in Enugu State. Unfortunately, they have for years been in the throes of death – to put it mildly. But with the signing of a N100bn partnership deal with Pragmatic Palms Ltd, a private investor, there is now a clear path to recovery for the moribund United Palm Products Ltd.

So, we are scaling up agricultural production in Enugu State. Never again will investment in agriculture seem like a mere token gesture – or an afterthought.

And I can boldly say we are on the verge of an agricultural renaissance, given how we are steadily creating the inputs that would enable us to reap abundantly from the potential it offers. For instance, we have created 100,000 hectares of land in each of Enugu’s three senatorial zones for the cultivation of export-focused cash crops, and building the infrastructure that opens up opportunities in the entire value chain from storage to processing of agricultural produce.

From this vast tract of arable farmland, we have established a land bank through which we can forge partnerships with local or foreign businesses desirous of investing in agriculture. A few months ago, as a matter of fact, we sealed a Public-Private Partnership deal with Ugwuanama Farms Limited for the industrial cultivation of cassava, rice, maize, banana, oil palm, yams, and sundry crops at a 15,000-hectare farmland in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area. Our investment in agriculture reflects a strong emphasis on value addition and agro-processing, hence the attention we have devoted to growing the cassava-to-ethanol value chain.

Also, few weeks ago, we received a delegation from the African Development Bank and the federal government through its ministries of finance as well as agriculture and food security. The visit was a preparatory step towards formalizing an investment partnership for our Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone, which, besides boosting the state’s earnings when operational, would create massive job opportunities.

The bottomline is that our income has to keep pace with the scale of our ambition. Of course, it goes without saying that to achieve the growth we crave, it is imperative we grow our state’s economy to never-before-experienced level.

Our push towards that goal is rooted in our firm recognition of the power of private investment as the key driver of enduring economic growth and prosperity. We have thus implemented robust measures and reforms to de-risk the operating environment for private investments, and to promote the ease of doing business.

As someone with an economic outlook extensively honed in the private sector, I fully understand the importance of creating a governance framework that enables businesses to flourish. This is the import of the “Enugu State is open for business” refrain.

*ELECTRICITY REFORMS*

In signing the Enugu State Electricity Bill into law and establishing the Enugu Electricity Regulatory Commission, we took concrete steps towards becoming a major player in the power sector. This is critical to our planned industrial expansion, and our projection to attain regular power supply in no distant time, working with the private sector.

Indeed, the ceding of regulatory oversight of the local electricity market to the Enugu State government is a strong validation for our quest to develop a commercially viable electricity market that is both reliable and sustainable. It is especially so, given that Enugu State was the first sub-national conferred with such rights. This development is a precursor to the ultimate goal of attracting investors desirous of setting up power generation plants in Enugu State, a move that will guarantee stable power supply and launch our bid to become an industrial base.

*JUDICIARY*

Reforms in the judiciary have yielded many benefits. Much progress has been achieved towards an end-to-end digitalization and automation of court processes. So, it’s only a matter of time before cases are filed virtually. The deliverables of the ongoing project include:

· Establishment and equipping of virtual hearing centres for the State High Court, the Correctional Centre, and the Enugu State Multi-Door Courthouse;

· E-filing for lawyers;

· Automation and digitalization of Enugu State laws, amongst others.

Sufficient progress has also been made towards attaining Verbatim Reporting for the courts. This would eliminate the strain of longhand recording on judges, shave off the time lost doing so manually and, ultimately, improve productivity.

Voicing a commitment to create an enabling environment for businesses tends to come easily. The difficulty usually lies in bridging the void between commitment and action. Not so for us.

We have, in our first year, created Specialized Courts to optimize justice delivery. This is crucial because access to justice, ease of enforcing contracts and obtaining documents are critical business enablers and useful indicators for gauging the ease of doing business in any given state.

But our justice reforms are by no means tailored only towards creating an improved operating environment for businesses. It is all encompassing. We have, for instance, created Small Claims Court with specialized focus covering all matters in which the amount claimed is One Million Naira or less. This is fully operational. Other categories of Special Courts created include:

· Commercial Court (which deals with Commercial, Contracts, Revenue and Fast-track matters)

· Probate and Family Court (dealing with Probate, Matrimonial Causes and Family Matters)

· Criminal Court (responsible for Criminal cases involving sentences above 14 years, including life and death sentences)

· Originating Applications.

· Lands (or Real Estate) Court – which handles Land matters.

The goal is creating unimpeded access to justice for all. Also in line with this, over 15 executive bills were sent to the House of Assembly and have since been signed and assented to.

*TRANSPORTATION*

As we strive to re-position Enugu as a major hub for business, sports, tourism and leisure, giving the city a new lease of life conducive to those lofty dreams has become a compelling necessity. Since the discovery of coal in 1909, Enugu has grown from a modest colonial outpost with a handful of encampments for workers of the various coal mines to the bustling megapolis that it is today. Of course, the population too has grown from 62,000 that it was in 1952 to over four million in just the Enugu metropolis.

So, Enugu metropolis now grapples with overcrowding and the resulting strain on basic amenities and infrastructure. Roads that once sufficed for the prevailing traffic at the time they were built have literally become too small for the sheer volume of traffic, which could be seen in the perennial gridlock experienced across the city.

Across the world, cities’ livability drops if they lack a functional transport system with organized bus terminals that confer dignity on users and enhance seamless commuting – both at intra – and inter-state levels. Through the Central Terminal we are set to construct in Ogbete/Holy Ghost, Gariki, Abakpa and Nsukka, we’re creating a modern transportation interchange that literally opens up our beloved city and eliminates the enormous manhour that is lost to traffic on a daily basis.

To create a comfortable commute for the public and ensure sanity on our roads, we are procuring 150 CNG buses – of which 50 had already been procured – and these would be deployed across various routes. We’re also bringing in over 2,000 taxis in conjunction with a private desirous of setting up an assembly plan in Enugu.

*WASTE MANAGEMENT*

Few things blight cities like heaps of refuse. Across the world, as a matter of fact, waste management is a potent marker of municipal efficiency and government’s responsiveness. For us, rising population cannot be an excuse for overflowing waste bins anywhere in the state – let alone in the heart of the capital.

We have since matched word with action. It was simply a question of doing things differently – or having the will to fix an evidently broken system that had failed for years to solve a problem for which it was primarily set up. So, we have carried out an extensive re-organization of Enugu’s Waste Management system that has paved for the participation of private companies, which have brought in several waste compactors trucks, in place of open trucks. This has vastly improved efficiency and resulted in a cleaner environment.

But we intend to take our waste management a notch higher, using the tool of technology to explore the possibilities in waste-to-wealth or waste-to-energy.

*ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE*

Just like our pledge to ensure a proper waste disposal in Enugu State, our commitment to enthroning effective remedial actions on climate change is not mere lip service. We are acutely aware of the catastrophic impact of climate change on economic growth and livelihoods, and recognize the urgent need for a robust climate policy that will pave the way for a clean energy transition, spark green innovation, enhance climate resilience, and drive sustainable economic growth for the state, ensuring a brighter, greener future for all.

To this end, I’m delighted to announce that Enugu State is on the verge of securing a remarkable N100m grant from the African Climate Foundation, which will be instrumental in developing a groundbreaking and innovative science-based climate change policy and action plan for the state. This pioneering initiative will be the first of its kind across the 36 states of the federation, positioning Enugu as a trailblazer in climate action and sustainable development.

The climate policy and action plan will be our roadmap to an exciting array of initiatives, including a major climate education and awareness programme, climate finance mobililization, and a transformative clean cooking programme to protect our women from the health risks of open firewood cooking. Moreover, a grand tree-planting exercise will rejuvenate our degraded ecosystems, sequester carbon, and beautify Enugu State, setting the stage for a vibrant and sustainable future.

It is ironic that we often recall the good old days with nostalgia and indeed gush over the mind-blowing aesthetics of Western cities, but yet do little to aid orderly urban planning and imbibe the high sense of civic duty that prevailed in the good old days – or that exist in Western cities. The beauty and orderliness we see in western capitals and cities were not wished into existence. Behind those qualities lie diligent planning, respect for laws and sacrifice.

Suffice it to say that development is sometimes akin to the early stages of road construction. There might be some slight discomfort; but the end is often redeeming.

The Central Terminal and the Enugu New City might both seem like a long, painful walk for some. But they will ultimately result in painless, graceful strides crucial to Enugu’s rise to take its rightful pride of place among the world’s best cities.

The Enugu New City was envisioned to be the premier investment destination in Nigeria. Sitting on a corridor that connects the South-East, South-South and North-Central regions, plus the fact it is a mere 15-minute drive from the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, the Enugu New City signals the birth of a new world of opportunities. This vibrant, integrated metropolis driven by manufacturing, commerce and tourism would boast facilities comparable to the standards in globally-renowned cities, from theme park to industrial park.

During the campaigns, I lamented the fact that Enugu had all but lost its enviable reputation as the preferred location for Nollywood movie productions. I had, of course, expressed a desire to change that narrative. Aside from securing a multi-million dollar deal to construct an entertainment and sports park in Enugu, we have made substantial investments in rehabilitating the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, numerous tourist sites, and in organizing major events where young up-and-coming artistes happily showcased their talent.

We have invested much in our darling Rangers International FC, improving their welfare, and bringing in the right management team. Of course, this reflects in the fact the club is currently top of the NPFL table.

*HUMAN CAPITAL/WORKERS’ WELFARE*

We’re also implementing an e-governance technology, and digitalization in Enugu State with significant positive impacts on both the people and the economy. The key benefits include Increased Accessibility and Convenience. It will also improve Service Delivery, Transparency, and enhanced communication and feedback from the public. This would be launched in three weeks’ time.

We have, in addition, paid considerable attention to the twin-issues of pensions and gratuities. Our senior citizens deserve their due reward when they retire, having devoted a great percentage of their lives in service to the state. Doing so, however, requires some verification exercise to digitalize the process and make the payments seamless, going forward. We have, in fact, cleared the verified backlog.

Few years from now, we can all look back with pride on the role we played. But it won’t be because we want to be heralded as changemakers. We would look back and say we did what we did because it was the right thing to do.

So, when we say “Tomorrow is Here”, it speaks to the immediacy of the tasks at hand and reminds us that the future we envision is within our grasp – but only to the extent that we innovate.

Just like work began for me minutes after being sworn in 12 months ago, today the work ahead is no less urgent. The work ahead may be daunting, but our determination is unwavering.

Ndi Enugu, I thank you all for your support in this past year. The depth of my gratitude equates only to my zeal to make Enugu an inspiring tale of success. I enjoin you to continue to have faith in this journey, because democracy is a collective walk.

Let our commitment be renewed by the much we have achieved so far. As we have seen, it’s not a leap of faith; it is faith that stems from conviction. We have crossed many watermarks of success. So, on this momentous day, these words by the iconic Chinua Achebe best capture our optimism regarding Enugu’s future: IT’S MORNING YET ON CREATION DAY! Indeed, tomorrow is here!!

God bless Enugu State. And God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Address

Enugu State Ministry Of Local Government, Rural Development And Chieftaincy Affairs
Enugu

Telephone

+2348038807709

Website

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