Charlie Agbo, lawyer and Peoples Democratic Party stalwart recently fielded questions from Thisday on the achievements of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has clocked six years in office. What is your impression of his stewardship?
It will be fair to say that Governor Ugwuanyi has lived up to the expectation of the people of Enugu State who found him worthy to be entrusted with leadership. Six years down the road I would say that he has done well for the people of Enugu State.
When he assumed the mantle of leadership, it was clear to him that revenue generation is the bedrock of any government. It was obvious to him that to fire at the pace he desired, he was not going to rely only on receipt from the Federation Account. So what did he do? He did a quick rejig of the revenue generating mechanism of the state. This move saw the state’s internally generated revenue soar from a humble N14 Billion upon assuming office over the last six years to N31 Billion today.
Having put a smart revenue platform in place, he set out to work. Road infrastructure was an area he gave immediate attention. This initiative has yielded several road projects across the state. Some of them are, the Opi- Nsukka Road which is a dual carriageway delivered to perfection and precision by one of the best engineering companies in the industry, Obechara Road Junction,Umuakashi Mechanic Village,Ikenga Hotels Junction,Enugu Road Nsukka Junction, Umuezebi-Nru Junction, extension of Agbani-Afor Amuri Road, the extention of Ituku Road, construction of Ogonogoeji –Ndiakpugo Road, construction of 42 metre span Bailey Bridge over River Nyama to Amichi, linking Umuogo and Umuagba Amaechi Uno/ Obinagu community in Nkanu West Local Government Area.
Its important to point out that the Ogonogoeji-Ndiagu-Akpugo Road from Atavu Bailey Bridge to Afor Onovo is the first state government road in the entire Akpugo since the creation of Enugu State.
Within Enugu metropolis, there are Holy Trinity Street, Bishop Michael Eneje Street, Nawfia Street, Ibuza Street,Isi-Uzo Street , Mount Crescent , GRA Enugu, Dental School-Tipper Garage Road, Trans Ekulu,Loma Linda-Timber Shed Road, etc.
Now, there is also Miliken Hill, that historical road which over the decades has portended very grave risk to road users has been given the best engineering lift.
Look at the Nike-Emene road. That road tore through Enugu from the Northern axis of Nike to the Eastern side of Emene. Most indigenes of the state are astounded by the scenery as they drive through the road, practically rediscovering Enugu. The impact of that road is far-reaching. Not only does it open up hitherto hidden crevices to modernity, but gives practical access to the metropolis. It is the power of foresight because without that road, the new initiative of the governor to decongest Nike would have been impossible.
That brings us to the flyover. This flyover is in the right direction since the new gateway to and from Enugu northwards is now Nike. A flyover has therefore become not only desirable but inevitable.
Look at Nike-Isi- Uzo road.It is a showcase of the power of road infrastructure. Most commuters now use the road en route the North because it bypasses Opi Junction. And the access it gives to road users to the Northern axis of the state is unbelievable. Thanks to Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. Let us just say that he has delivered beyond expectation. It should simply suffice to say that he has excelled in road infrastructure because I don’t know how much time you will allot to this interview that can allow me mention all the road projects he has across all the local government areas.
The phenomenon of unknown gunmen lately entered our lexicon with South-east experiencing their share of insecurity in the country. How does Enugu State fare in the area of security?
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has made strides in the fight against insecurity that have seen Enugu in comparatively better station than other South-eastern states. His creation of Forest Guards has enabled him checkmate the upsurge of insurgency. He has donated hundreds of operational vehicles to all the security agencies in the state thereby enabling them complement his crime fighting initiates. I will score him high in this area and most unbiased observers in the state agree with this assessment.
How would you rate the governor in education?
The government is doing a lot in all the levels of education in the state. At the tertiary level, all the institutions under the care of the government are receiving proper attention in terms of physical and infrastructural development. The Institute of Management and Technology is receiving attention by way of physical development. The same goes for Enugu State University of Technology and other higher institutions in the state. Almost all the courses of study have received full accreditation from the relevant regulatory bodies due to prompt release of funds by the government. IMT for one prior to the coming of this administration never had convocation ceremony for so many years due to several logistical difficulties. All of that now belong to the past.
At the primary education level, schools in Enugu are doing well. Teachers are recruited, trained and retrained. ENSUBEB has built and/or renovated over 480 classrooms over the last six years. Educational equipment, computers and other instructional material are provided. Schools are being given very serious face lift, making them conducive for our children to study in. The government is also augmenting with the collaboration between ENSUBEB and UBEC to fund educational development. This it does by prompt payment of counterpart funding to access needed funds.
One global index of development is shelter, or housing in our context. Do you think that Governor Ugwuanyi is living up to expectations in this critical area?
If you remember, in 2016, the governor handed over one-bedroom apartment each to 100 civil servants who were successful in a ballot for houses in Elim Estate. That was no mean feat so soon after inauguration and at a time the country was neck-deep in recession
In just one year in office, his administration had developed six new housing estates. They are Heritage Estate, WTC Estate, Transparency Estate, Rangers Estate 1&2, Citadel Estate and Valley Estate. Since then we have had Diamond Estate, Golf 2. Nsukka Palm Beach Estate, Obukpa, Network Estate Nike, Heliu Residences and now Coal City View Satellite Estate for 750 civil servants. Enugu State Housing Development Corporation is in partnership with private developers for this purpose. The list is endless.
How has he fared in sports development?
COVID-19 impacted very negatively on sports development across the globe. Enugu State was not an exception. But even at that, in football particularly, Governor Ugwuanyi has done very well. What he did with Rangers International Football Club is exceptional. For instance, while the fans of the legendary club were still basking in the euphoria of winning the Nigeria Professional League trophy for the 2015/2016 football season, the club added another feather to its cap with the 2019 AITEO/Federation Cup which had eluded the club for 35 years!
Given the dwindling fortunes of fossil fuel and its impact on revenue to all tiers of government, many believe that agriculture is a quick and sure resort. How is the Enugu State Government under Governor Ugwuanyi fairing in this sector?
The agricultural initiatives of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi are diverse and expansive. From articulating areas of cooperation with the World Bank and engagement with the Central Bank of Nigeria on their Anchor Borrowers Programme, farmers are being assisted to attain optimum productivity.
Right now, the government is promoting livestock, vegetable and agro-processing activities and these are very important aspects of the value chain. This is adding value to produce processing and marketing. The state government is also involved in cassava production and processing, and similarly developing other crops in which it had comparative advantages.
Adarice is slated for commercialization. A whole lot is going on in this sector.
