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| Rt. Hon. Chief Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Enugu State Governor |
Challenges
One thing that manifested during the last
governorship election in Enugu State was the clear support that Governor
Ugwuanyi received from the people of the state. This massive support from all
the senatorial zones is one challenge that the state governor is faced with
today. What it means is that the present administration must work hard to
develop the state in line with the expectations of the people. The people
are full of expectations. With his performance in the National
Assembly, Governor Ugwuanyi won the heart of the people who believe that he
will make the state proud if given the chance. It was in consideration of
this that the state government has lined up development projects for the state
notwithstanding the hard economic times. The governor had promised
a holistic and inclusive development for the state during his
campaign for the office, and as his aides say, he has hit the ground running to
keep his promise.
Development Focus
There is so much to do to develop the
state but for the lean resources at a time like this. But Ugwuanyi
has moved in the direction of urban development as well as a touch on
rural areas as the resources could permit. Setting out with a Committee on
urban development, the state government is currently carrying out one
development effort or the other in various urban areas in the state. The idea
is to develop the entire state in line with the governor’s campaign promises.
The Committee had sought views from the people of the senatorial zones on
how their areas could be developed. At one of such consultations, Mr. Chris
Offor, a Chairman of the Enugu Urban Renewal Committee had sought the
views of the people on how to develop Nsukka for the socio-economic benefits of
the state. Offor had during the event assured that the present
administration is determined to touch lives in terms of distribution of basic
amenities for the development of the state. He said, “The
second largest urban area in Enugu State and a university town founded over 50
years ago, Nsukka, deserved a face-lift to enable it compete with its
contemporaries in attracting technology and knowledge-based businesses for the
socio-economic growth of the state”. Offor’s committee has reach
out to other senatorial zones.
Massive Road
Construction
Apparently realising the importance of good
roads to development, Governor Ugwuanyi has made strong moves to open up new
roads or rehabilitate dilapidating ones in the state. Such roads could be
found in all the senatorial zones. He recently flagged off construction
of five additional roads in the state. Some of the projects include the
9th Mile Corner, Ngwo through Abor and Umulumgbe in Udi local government area
and Ukehe in Igbo-Etiti local government area. The State Commissioner for
Information, Dr. Godwin Udeuhele,
recently said that Governor Uguwanyi, during a visit to the areas,
directed that the roads be reconstructed without further delay. He added
that the roads in Udi and Ukehe would be financed between the state
government and the local government areas. It will be in the ratio of 70
percent for the state government and 30 percent for local governments affected.
Housing
Programmes for Workers
Apart from road reconstruction, the state
government has also said that it is determined to touch the lives of
workers by improving on their condition of service. As part
of this, the state government recently promised to
introduce housing scheme for workers in local governments in
the state. To achieve this, the state government has opened up discussions
with the Federal Mortgage Bank in a strategic partnership to provide
houses to the state’s workers. The state governor explained that the extension
of his housing scheme programme for workers to local government council level
is to enhance their living standard. In a speech when
the management of the bank paid him a courtesy call at the Government House, he
assured that the strategic partnership with the bank would take the state to
the next level in the housing sector. Under the project, about 100 housing
units would be provided for junior workers. During the
visit, the leader of the bank team, Mr. Gimba Ya’ukuma, disclosed that the bank had developed
affordable and accessible housing estates in Enugu worth billions of naira to
ease accommodation challenges of the people of the state. He added that the
bank has more housing programmes to help workers own their houses.
IGR to the
Rescue
With poor revenue from the oil sector, many
states have had to strengthen their internal revenue generation mechanism.
Enugu is one of them. On assuming office, Ugwuanyi rolled out plans
to have an efficient tax administration as the way to improve the
revenue generation from the state. But beyond just collection more taxes
is equally the resolve of the Enugu State Economic Planning
Commission to harmonise the issue of taxation in the state. This in
effect has addressed the allegation of multiple taxation in the state. The
Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mr. Sam Ogbu Nwobodo, however, shed more light on the issue
of multiple taxation allegation. He said that when different agencies try to
collect their revenues statutorily, it will appear as if it is multiple taxation.
He explained that this was the reason harmonise taxation. Experts believe
that with the efforts of the state government on improvement in IGR, the
finances of the state will improve to add to what may come from the monthly
allocation. This will enable the state government handle various
development projects that have been initiated for the well-being of the
people. (Thisday)
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