Enugu State: Five years of Gov Ugwuanyi on the saddle

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Ifeanyi ugwuanyi

Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has been reelected the governor of Enugu state.

From Maurice Okafor

Though Enugu State is yet to become an ‘Eldorado’the dream of it’s founding fathers,but from all indications tremendous progress have been made by the various administrations that ruled the state,after Ebonyi state was finally detached as a separate state from old Enugu State in 1996.

Narratively, ,Since the return of the nation’s fourth Democratic process in 1999. the drive to endear socio political and economic development of the state, has been piloted by it’s own people interchangeably from the three senatorial districts of the state, in justification of the triangular zoning principle of the state.

The above arrangement which was in tandem with the vision and thought of the state founding fathers has guided the rotation of the governorship seat of the state among the three senatorial zones,with Senator Chimaroke Nnamani(Enugu East) ruling the state from 1999 to 2007,followed by Ex Governor Sullivan Chime(Enugu West) 2007 to 2015. Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi who currently is on the saddle is a product of the rotational initiative which favours the turn of Enugu North Senatorial district, from 2015 to 2023.a two term tenure just as his predecessors were favoured.

The track of development in Enugu State seem to be unabated since the uncracked present democratic dispension in Nigeria, as the two past elected civilian governors of Enugu State, namely Senator Chimaroke Nnamani and Barr Sullivan Chime put in their best in bringing the state to limelight economically and politically , just as Governor Ugwuanyi is doing currently.

Some Elder Statesmen are of the view that arguments on comparison of performance of the three civilian governors often raised at several quarters does not arise since Governor Ugwuanyi is still on his Fifth year, whereas his predecessors completed eight years before they disengaged as governor of the state. Secondly, there are no certified index on the amount of money that accrued into the state vouchers, either as IGR or from the federation account. Only time will tell.

But from all indications, the present state administration in the state led by Governor Ugwuanyi is making giant strides to take the state to the next level. Leveraging on the political harmony across all political strata, seemingly enthroned in the state by his administration, Governor Ugwuanyi is not facing any stumbling block as a human factor, derailing his performance.

Amidst, the dwindling funds accruing to the state from the federation account, based on shortfall of Oil prices in the international market, Governor Ugwuanyi administration has improved the scale of Internally Generated Revenue(IGR) of the state and through prudent management of resources,impacts positively on the economy of the state.

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The Education sector state in Enugu State under Governor Ugwuanyi is also getting a facelift. The Chairman of the state Post Primary Education Board(PPSM)Chief Edema, recently revealed that over two hundred Schools in the state has been refurbished and equipped with computers.The state owned polytechnics, Institution of Management and Technology(IMT) Enugu, is undergoing serious transformation under governor Ugwuanyi administration,as not less than four gigantic buildings, valued at over N800 million is presently under construction in the institution. It was gathered Governor Ugwuanyi released over two hundred million Maura for re accreditation and updating of several courses offered in IMT, in the quest to improve on the quality of products of the institution.

Equally, Governor Ugwuanyi administration in it’s commitment to expand the scope and spread of the state owned university, Enugu State University of Science and Technology(ESUT) has reverted to the original concept of a tripatrite campus across the three senatorial districts of the state. An initiative of the founding fathers meant to endear development across the rural communities of the three senatorial districts of the state.

THE AUTHORITY found out that Governor Ugwuanyi is already marching words with action in the policy to reinvent the three campuses of ESUT across the three senatorial districts, as the roads and buildings to enhance new ESUT teaching hospital, located at Indian, along Opinion Baulks to Obolloafor road is nearly completed by the state government. Understandably, the ESUT school of Engineering will relocate back to Uzo Uwani,also in Enugu North senatorial district while Enugu West senatorial district will also have it’s own fair deal. Still, the ESUT permanent site established at Agbani in Nkanu West local government, Enugu East senatorial district, by Senator Chimaroke administration will remain afloat with quite a number of faculties/courses.

Public analysts rates Governor Ugwuanyi’s administration in the past five years high in the area of road infrastructure, based on the fact that it has developed and linked many rural roads in the state to enhance interconnectivity.In view of the fact that over Seventy percent of the indigent Enugu people population lives in the rural areas, the road interconnectivity being championed by the state administration led by Governor Ugwuanyi provides roadmap for development of the rural areas.

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According to analysts, the most exceptional achievement of Governor Ugwuanyi in the road sector at the moment remains the construction and dualisation of Opi Nsukka tarmac, linking several towns in Enugu North senatorial district, otherwise known as Baulks cultural zone, up to Uzo Uwani local government to end at it’s boundary with Algebra state. The road has also been provided with street lights within Opi to Nsukka axis, converting the university town another dream township in Enugu State to behold.

The Governor Ugwuanyi administration in it’s determination to make input in the social development of Enugu State, in the past five years, have also initiated the concept of establishing another state secretariat to ease delays in running government business at Baulks cultural zone of the state. The ultra modern facilities to accommodate the new state secretariat, that will complement services rendered at Enugu State secretariat is being executed fairly. Giving hopes that it would be completed and commissioned before the end of Governor Ugwuanyi administration..

Public analysts also stressed the project as a very laudable project, stating it’s economies of scale will endear private sector oriented development strides in the zone, in addition to government business.

THE AUTHORITy checks revealed that the coming of the dreaded disease of Corona virus pandemic,within the first year of second term serving Governors in the country, has not drifted away the quest for development of Enugu State from Governor Ugwuanyi administration. In as much as the state government is applying every measure to contain the spread of the disease in conjunction with Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) and directives of the federal government on safety rules, Governor Ugwuanyi remains steadfast in the execution of developmental projects.

As regards to to the global battle against COVID-19 pandemic, It is on record that Enugu State government was the second state after Lagos state, to adopt the strategy of decontamination and fumigation of it’s environment against Corona virus and pest borne diseases. The State Fire Service which is handling this aspect of containment exercise, which was flagged off at Ogbete main market, on April 1,boasts to have fumigated over Fifty markets, motor parks and other public places within the first phase of the exercise. The agency under the leadership of the state Chief Fire officer, Engr.Okwudili Ohaa under the directive of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, has since commenced the second phase of decontamination and fumigation of various parts of the state.

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IWithin the period of the lock down, the Abakpa Nike to Harmony Estate road linking Adoration ministry prayer ground and Orie Elene was completed and commissioned by the state government. The Founder cut spiritual director of the Adoration ministry, Rev Father Ejike Mbaka extolled Governor Ugwuanyi for the execution of the project.

About a week ago, Governor Ugwuanyi proved that he is still dedicated to the task of consolidating on structural rehabilitation of dilapidated public institutions in the state, as he authorized the reconstruction of Enugu Ezike General hospital in Igbo Eze North local government, originally established in 1958 by the British colonial administration.

The reconstruction of the Enugu Ezike General hospital brightens hope that Governor Ugwuanyi in his determination to improve on health facilities in Enugu State, will reinvent Oji River General hospital and some others, also founded by the British colonial masters but presently on a sordid state due to neglect by previous administrations in the state.

Governor Ugwuanyi from all indications is the verge of making history and putting his name in sands of times among leaders that gingered the development of the cultured ‘Wawa ” landscape by it’s founding fathers, which eventually inherited the name of Enugu, the ever consistent capital of defunct Eastern region to the present Enugu State.

A political scientis who talked to THE AUTHORITY on condition of anonmty said Governor Ugwuanyi by the time he rounds up his tenure will be specifically remembered for redressing the ageing narrative of acclaimed sociology political marginalisation of Baulks cultural zone, since his emergence has balanced the political equilibrium of the natural tripod stand of clans that make up Enugu State. Also for the fact that he is initiating and putting structures on ground within Enugu North senatorial district, the people of the zone will no longer feel cheated with claims of structural imbalance, their clamour for creation of their own separate state of “Agada state” has been assauged.

He gave Kudos to Governor Ugwuanyi for initiating several developmental projects amidst the dwindling revenue accruing to the state from the federation account, due to fluctuating price of oil in the international market.

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