Senator Ngwu, Hon. Onwuegbu, Hon.Umeha move for development of Enugu West senatorial district

BY MAURICE OKAFOR.

Seemingly, Enugu West senatorial district will witness a consolidated socio-infrastructural development in its communities as the senator representing the district in the 10th National Assembly, Senator Engr. Osita Ngwu is working harmoniously with the two federal legislators at the green chambers from his district namely Hon.Engr.Anayo Onwuegbu and Hon.Barr.Sunday Umeha to attract federal projects in Enugu West senatorial district.

Senator Ngwu described the issue of attracting federal projects to senatorial zones as not a Tea Party but a very daunting task. However, He disclosed that one factor that has always leveraged Enugu West Senatorial district is the fact that the zone is always represented by men with proven integrity, sterling leadership qualities and experience at the National Assembly since 2003.

At a grand reception held in his honour by the Ngwo Progressives Assembly, a socio-cultural pressure group from his immediate community[Ngwo clan] on Saturday, February 3, Senator Ngwu extolled the pace of socio-infrastructural development embarked upon by the present administration in Enugu state led by Governor Peter Ndubusi Mbah, stating he is collaborating with Hon. Engr. Anayo Onwuegbu representing Aninri/Awgu/Oji River Federal Constituency and Hon Omeha, representing Udi/Ezeagu Federal Constituency to attract more federal projects to Enugu West district.

Senator Osita Ngwu disclosed that the projects are already included in the 2024 budget appropriation. He mentioned them to include the construction of 14 roads within the district. He said three of the roads will be constructed within the Oji River local government area of Enugu West Senatorial district.
He stressed that the National legislators of Enugu West district attach importance to the health care of their constituents. Towards this direction, they have resolved to build one primary health care in every ward of the district. In addition, Senator Ngwu said that the famous EkeOdudo Hospital Ngwo will be revitalized to live up to modern trends in healthcare delivery and services. He disclosed that with the consent of Hon. Anayo Onwuegbu, the dilapidated and almost abandoned Achi Joint Hospital Achi, in the Oji River local government area will be reconstructed and upgraded into an Ultra-Modern Hospital to live up to services obtained in a modern hospital complex.

As a measure of curtailing insecurity in Enugu West senatorial district, the Senate Minority whip said, they are working on a strategy of installing CCTV cameras in most nook and cranny of Enugu West senatorial district and the pilot project will commence with mounting the CCTV cameras along the roads leading to and from Ngwo community. He said the installation of CCTV cameras on the roads leading into and out of Ngwo will help to monitor people and vehicular movement on a 24-hour basis.

On his plans to tackle the Youth unemployment scourge in Enugu West senatorial district, Senator Ngwu lamented that his office is besieged with request for government-paid employment daily, but the truth of the matter remains the fact that such opportunities hardly exist in the country at the moment. He said that he has devised a strategy to engage willing unemployed youths in Enugu West district into skill acquisition programmes, after which they will be given funds to establish and own businesses relating to the skills they have acquired.

Senator Ngwu assured that the 2024 budget appropriation also made provision for the reactivation of water boreholes at Ngwo, Ezeagu and other areas to enhance water reticulation to nearby communities. He equally assured of the completion of Okpanku and Mpu water schemes from which water will be reticulated to other communities in the Aninri local government area and beyond. The Enugu West district senator also spoke of a Rice project at Mpu and the establishment of the Aninri Central market. as part of the grand design with his colleagues at the National Assembly from Enugu West senatorial district to grow the economy of the district.

Earlier in his speech, Hon. Engr. Anayo Onwuegbu, representing the Aninri/Awgu/Oji River federal constituency said Senator Osita Ngwu has done marvellously well in offering quality representation at the National Assembly, stating even though he is a first-timer, he is occupying the position of Senate Minority Whip, confers on him the Number six citizen of Nigeria.

Hon Onwuegbu assured that he will continue to work along with Hon Osita Ngwu in their resolve to better the lots of the people of Enugu West senatorial district and National development.

Hon.Umeha, who was elected on the platform of the Labour party, irrespective of party affiliation also declared his total support for Senator Ngwu, in the collective agenda of endearing social amenities to Enugu West district and empowering their constituents.

The organizers of the grand reception’ Ngwo Progressive Assembly, earlier in their address read by the chairman, Chief Augustine Agu, described the election of Senator Osita Ngwu as Senator representing Enugu West senatorial district in the 10th senate as a merit befitting to Ngwo clan, based on the contribution of many illustrious sons and daughters of Ngwo clan to the development of Enugu state politics and Nigeria in times past. They acknowledged his philanthropic contributions to human empowerment and community development before now and pleaded with him to use his good office as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to do more for the Ngwo community.

In the address read by Chairman, Chief Augustine Ani, Ngwo Progressive Assembly[NPA] pleaded for the construction of their internal roads to enhance interconnectivity among their communities, the urbanization of the 9th-mile axis of the community, the building of a flyover at Ekochin junction and instituting a High Court complex close to their community, to reduce the stress they encounter in attending to other high courts, located far away from their community. They also requested for a Specialist/General hospital to be sighted in the Ngwo community. Senator Ngwu responded appropriately to most of these requests in his speech while thanking his people for the grand reception.

Further, in appreciation of his several contributions to the development of the Ngwo community, the Ngwo traditional Institution used the opportunity of the grand reception to confer on Senator Osita Ngwu the traditional title of ‘DIKE EJI EJE MBA’ meaning ‘a worthy Ambassador of the people.

The Enugu state governor, Dr Peter Mbah was also commended by the people of Ngwo for the good works he is doing in Enugu state and was decorated with a traditional title of ‘Nwanne Di na Mba of Ngwo’.

The St Mary’s Catholic Church field Ishiokpoto, where the event was held was jam-packed by a crowd as Senator Ngwu also used the occasion to celebrate his 46th birthday. The mal-mixed crowd comprised political associates, his political appointees and relations, government officials, and constituents from the five local government areas of An inri, Awgu, Ezeagu, Oji River and Udi local government areas districts, among others who were more interested in the political colouration. The family members, relations, students who are on his scholarship list, the clergy and other members of the public who picked more interest in the birthday celebration and the Ngwo traditional institutional who turned up in large numbers to perform and witness the conferment of a traditional title on their illustrious son.

In all the grand reception ended peacefully late in the evening and continued at Senator Ngwu’s country home at Ishiokpoto Ngwo till dawn.