OF PROMISES MADE AND PROMISES KEPT: UGWUANYI's ENDURING LEGACY.
It was Lee Kuan yew the renowned Singaporean prime minister who said that the ultimate test the value of a political system is whether it helps that society establish conditions which improve the standard of living for the majority of its people. At the joyous celebration which heralded the swearing in ceremony of Rt Hon Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi as the fifth democratically elected Governor of Enugu state, the erstwhile legislator made a couple of promises to his teeming supporters and his beloved Ndi Enugu as he fondly addresses them, among these promises were, employment generation, enhanced social services, good governance, rural development ,security and justice as focal points of his administration.
Over three years on the saddle it would be in order to re evaluate his score card, in line with promises made on that 29th May 2015, historic event.
It would be pertinent to note that no state in Nigeria has had it rosy lately owing to the unfortunate slump in the prices of crude oil in the international market, as well as the low revenue profile of the state as well as a not so impressive internally generated revenue.
Despite these daunting challenges staring his young administration in the face, Governor Ugwuanyi never lost hope for his beloved state, like the one time American president rightly opined, In leadership the first quality that is needed is Audacity......his administration boldly set out in its audacious resolve to achieve its rural development plans especially while taking into cognizance that a vast population of the state population reside in rural communities, hence his administrations resolve to create more urban areas out of rural communities to boost economic growth, while noting that Nsukka, a University town founded over half a century ago and the second largest town in the State, will be fully equipped and modernized to compete with other University towns in attracting technology and knowledge-based businesses and other industrial support ventures.
Within the first one year of the Governors tenure he completed the New Lion Building ,which is the administrative office complex of the Governor, his deputy and cabinet, which he inherited from his predecessor at 70% completion stage. Three weeks after his swearing in ceremony he personally went to the ever traffic girdlocked Ogbete main market road which has been in a total state of disrepair for several years, thereby constituting a major nightmare to both commuters and traders, and wasted no time in commissioning a reputable road construction company to undertake the project with an ultimatum to complete same before the full arrival of the rains, within the same few weeks after his swearing in ceremony the ebullient Governor Gburu Gburu as he's fondly called, stormed the filthy and disorganized Abakpa nike market in Enugu East local government area, to see first hand for himself the level of decay and disorganization in the area, he also commissioned a competent construction company to undertake the road project immediately in a bid to bring respite to the inhabitants of Abakpa nike, it would also be an error to forget that the ever busy and bottle neck tight Nike lake road, which commences at the junction of Penoks filling station and Bontus filling station on one end traversing through the popular Nowas filling station junction, accessing Nsukka and the Northern axis of the country through Nike community has been long over due for upgrade to a dual carriage way, this feat His Excellency completed in record time, today over 70% of road travellers to Abuja from Enugu to other northern states preferably ply the Nike lake -Nsukka acess road thereby reducing both the peranial carnage and the frustrating traffic girdlock for which the 9th mile corner had been known for, other major road construction projects that the Ugwuanyi led Administration commenced and have completed, while others are at various stages of completion among others include the Airport Roundabout/ Orie Emene/ St. Patrick’s College/Eke-Obinagu Road, the Holy Trinity Street and Bishop Michael Eneje Street, Independence Layout, Enugu among others.
The Opi-Nsukka dual carriage road in Nsukka Local Government Area has been completed, so also is the the Ohom-Orba Junction-Imilike Ani- Ezimo Uno- Ezimo Agu-Imilike –Ogbodu Aba-Obollo Etiti-Amalla-Obollo Afor Orie Emene–Adoration Ministry Ground Road in Enugu East Local Government Area, Enugu Road (Nsukka) Junction-Umuezebi-Nru Junction-University Gate in Nsukka Local Government Area, Post Office Round About- Odenigbo Round About- Ogurugu Road-Ikenga road in the University town of Nsukka among many other road projects.
The Ogbaku community in Awgu local government area is currently wearing a new look with the asphalting of the intractable road, constructed on the undulating hills of Ogbaku, to alleviate the sufferings of the people and open up the community for socio-economic growth.
Notable among this feat in infrastructural development by His Excellency is the monumental 12km, mile winding hilly , Millken Hill Ngwo built over a century ago which was recently revamped with concrete retailing walls, jersey kerbs and street lights to ensure lifespan enhancement of the historic road as well as the optimum safety of the road users .
With his Excellency's impressive and undeniable success in a little over three years on the saddle, it would be perfectly in order to say that indeed like his Excellency never ceases to reiterate that......ENUGU IS IN THE HANDS OF GOD.
This is no doubt a very unfortunate and trying time in the history of the acclaimed giant of Africa, hence it is a wise man who truly understands and appreciates the need to anchor ones all on the master of the universe, who knows the end from the beginning and the beginning from the end.
As we look into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others....Bill Gates. In the exact words of the worlds wealthiest man, Enugu state despite the grueling economic crunch has continued to empower its teeming and willing enterprenaural population, No fewer than 25,000 entrepreneurs in Enugu State have received support services on entrepreneurship and enterprise development in the last two years from the state enterprise center. Funds were also provided to additional 3000 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) same period by the Enugu State Small Medium Enterprises Center in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Bank of Industry.
Not oblivious of the fact that no government drives a successfull economy alone, His Excellency's administration has provided the enabling environment for other private investors to thrive in the state as well as consciously made the ease of doing business in the state a commendable one.
Within a time frame of of one month, three reputable media organizations appreciated and honoured the ebullient Governor,with the awards of the Sun Governor of the Year Award 2018, the Vanguard Personality of the Year 2018 Award and the Daily Independent Governor of Year 2018 Award for Grassroots Development.
It is pertinent to state that there are other accolades Enugu state has won since Governor Ugwuanyi was saddled with the leadership of the state, like the Safest and Most Peaceful State in Nigeria (The Nigeria Police); Best State in Efficient Utilization and Accounting for FG Bailout Funds (Senate Committee on States and Local Governments); Best State on the Use of ICT (National Council on Communication Technology, 2018); Second Most Improved State in Nigeria on Implementation of Ease of Doing Business Programme (The World Bank); Second Most Improved State on IGR Collection, exceeding the 15% tax revenue to GDP benchmark set by the United Nations (JOINT Tax Board), and the 8th Most Solvent State in Nigeria in 2017 (BudgIT).
In the face of these Promises made and Promises kept, coupled with His Excellencys resolve to take Enugu state to the next level before the end of his tenure despite all the challenges and distractions it would be apt to say that indeed Eagles rise highest against the wind not with it.
As the nation returns to the polls on the 9th of March to elect its representatives for Gubernatorial slots across the country it will only be fair and proper for Ndi Enugu to once more return the mandate it gave our beloved Gburu Gburu in 2015 to lead us to the promised Land.
#copied... Kikky Chukwurah
