 |
| Rt. Hon. Chief Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Enugu State Governor |
The
gathering eventually yielded its desired result as the Governor, used the
opportunity to give a detailed account of his six months stewardship in the
saddle. The governor’s account of stewardship which was embedded in the
administrative enclave of selfless service, vision, innovation, probity,
accountability, transparency and good governance, was cherished by the
stakeholders, who listened with keen interest as he painstakingly reeled out
his achievements.
To the stakeholders,
it was indeed a job well done as they could not hide their expression of
satisfaction with the service rendered so far by the governor. The significance
of the event which had in attendance virtually all the major Stakeholders in
the state, including the Deputy President of the Senate, Chief Dr. Ike Ekweremadu, and other members of the National
Assembly, among others, was in keeping faith with the governor’s promise to be
giving them regular updates on the activities of government as they affect the
lives and the aspirations of the people of the state.
It was also
a veritable platform designed in the spirit of the new ethos of leadership in
the state to seek the mandate of the people on some sensitive decisions the
government was bound to take to move the state forward.
In an
ambiance of cheerfulness laced with songs and praises to the God of Abraham,
God of Isaac, God of Jacob and awesome God of David, Gov. Ugwuanyi started by
expressing his sincere gratitude to the people for the wonderful support and
solidarity they have continued to accord his administration since its inception
six months ago.
He assured
them that his administration was not taking their support for granted and will
continue to cherish and appreciate it as the government strives to fulfill its
promises to the people of Enugu state. Gov. Ugwuanyi first announced that the
state government has received a part of the bailout fund meant for offsetting
outstanding emoluments of workers and retirees. He added that the state was
looking forward to receiving the main part of the fund for infrastructural
development in no distant time.
On workers’
welfare, the governor noted that in its sensitivity to the welfare of workers,
his administration continued with the tradition of prompt payment of salaries. He
stated also that the state government has provided electricity, water, and
other ancillary services at the New Secretariat Complex to boost workers’
morale and enhance efficient service delivery.
He equally
informed the stakeholders of the housing scheme project for workers’ at the
Workers’ Estate at Ogbeke and the government’s 30 percent Equity Contribution
to enable interested Enugu State civil servants from Grade Levels 01 to 10, to
acquire 100 units of one bedroom flats at Elim Estate, Ibagwa, Nike, Enugu. He
noted that the beneficiaries of this scheme have since been selected through an
open lottery system held recently at the Michael Okpara Square, Enugu.
On his
administration’s reform agenda aimed at instilling fiscal discipline, probity,
accountability and transparency in governance, the governor also told the
august gathering of the 11-man Committee on Local Government Audit and
Biometric Data Capturing, which he constituted to among other things, determine
the true staff strength of each of the 17 Local Government Areas, the financial
implications of the staff in respect of monthly remunerations, etc.
Expressing
his vision for an efficient, effective and corruption-free administration in
the state, the governor who announced that the exercise was already yielding
the desired result and will soon be extended to the school system, reiterated
his administration’s commitment to arrest the perennial problem of profligacy,
corruption, and other sharp practices and also eliminate the ghost worker
syndrome.
In the area
of education, Gov. Ugwuanyi disclosed the premium his administration places on
education and informed the stakeholders that the state government has
nonetheless undertaken the renovation and re-equipment of secondary and primary
schools across the state to ensure that children enjoy a conducive environment
for learning.
He pointed
out that a 12-man administrative committee headed by the Deputy Governor, Hon. Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo was
constituted and was already looking into the issue of ENSUBEB projects in the
primary schools and related matters. He equally added that as required by law,
the state will soon apply for a loan to enable it assess the state’s
counterpart funds for ENSUBEB which will add value to educational sector in the
State.
On the need
to return the State’s Institute of Management and Technology (IMT) to its
original formation, the governor informed the stakeholders that government has
decided to make the IMT a degree awarding institution, promising to put in place
the necessary machinery to enable the state realize the objective.
Shedding
more light on his administration’s vision for IMT and other state owned
tertiary institutions, the governor said that his administration has also made
fruitful efforts to provide and improve necessary infrastructure in the State’s
Tertiary institutions, such as the Enugu State Polytechnic, Iwollo and the
Enugu State College of Education (Technical), through various interventions
aimed at repositioning and revamping them to be able to award certificates.
In
fulfillment of his campaign promise to catalyze urban and rural development and
develop new cities in the state to boost economic activities, Ugwuanyi stated
that his administration apart from continuous rehabilitation and maintenance of
roads in Enugu, has embarked on the massive development of roads across the
state through the recent flag-off of the construction of eight major roads
across the state.
On the rural
and agricultural development initiatives, the governor told the gathering that
the government initiated the construction of a 15-kilometre Inter-Town
Connection (ITC) 2.5MVA Injection Sub-Station at Ezi-Nze, Udi Local Government
Area just a few days after his assumption of office. He stated that the project
will supply electricity to communities in Udi, Igbo-Etiti, and Uzo-Uwani Local
Government Areas and will also activate businesses in these rural communities
and power the Adada Dam Project as well as the Greater Nsukka Water Scheme.
He added the
present administration procured 20 tractors to be hired to genuine farmers at
very low rates and directed the release of counterpart funds for the robust
participation of the State in the implementation of the N2 billion Staple Crops
Processing Zone (SCPZ) programme by the African Development Bank in conjunction
with the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The fund,
according to him, will be channeled to the revival and expansion of the Adani
Irrigation Scheme as well as the construction of feeder roads and other
critical infrastructure that will catalyze agriculture in the State.
In the area
of health, he said that his administration has among other things, continued to
sustain the well acclaimed Free Maternal Health and Child Care programme and
ensured proper equipment and staffing of existing health institutions in the
state. He disclosed that the state was also on the verge of completing the
ultra-modern medical diagnostic centre in Enugu and has initiated the
construction of three new Specialists Hospitals in the three Senatorial Zones
of the State with the flag off of the scheme at Orba, Udenu Local Government
Area of Enugu State.
On the issue
of persistent complaints of the people over the untoward activities of some
people purporting to be working as traffic wardens cum revenue collectors for
the state, Gov. Ugwuanyi informed them that his administration has taken
concrete steps to end touting, illegal collection of fees and undue harassment
and intimidation of citizens by unscrupulous persons and others purporting to
be working for government agencies in Enugu State. He disclosed that that
informed the recent suspension of the collection of fines for traffic offences
and the reinforcement of the ban on cash payment of rates or fees to government
agencies including ESWAMA and the Local Government Councils. The governor added
that he has also directed the State Ministry of Environment to stop the
collection of levies for sand excavation in the State till further notice.
To
standardize, streamline and shore up our Internally Generated Revenue, the
governor disclosed that the state government has set up a team to design a
blueprint for the collection of revenue to help eliminate corruption and
illegal collections. He equally briefed the house of some innovative approaches
his administration had embarked upon to revive the state economy in response to
negative development in the nation’s economy, such as the constitution of the
Economic Advisory Committee to advise government on the best economic practices
to engender sustainable growth, among others.
Importantly,
apart from the update on some of the things his administration has achieved and
intends to achieve to justify the mandate that the people of the state
graciously gave to it, through their votes, the governor also raised a salient
issue that has generated debate in political gamut of the state.
The governor
told the stakeholders that he also summoned the meeting to reason with them, on
some very critical issues affecting the third tier of government- the Local Governments.
He sought
the mandate of the people to constitute Caretaker Committees to run the affairs
of the 17 Local Government Areas from January 4, 2016 and disclosed that the
two major reasons for opting for the committees were the on-going local government
staff audit and others reforms and the inadequate budgetary provision for the
exercise in the current budget.
While
assuring the people of his commitment to the conduct of the Local Government
elections in the state, the governor promised to address the deficiency in the
2016 budget, to enable the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission
(ENSIEC) conduct the elections next year.
The governor
maintained that the decision to constitute caretaker committees in order to
avoid vacuum on January 4, 2016 was “in keeping with the extant laws of Enugu
State” and “in consonance with the Local Government Laws of the state”
It was at
this juncture that the governor, as a true democrat called for the mandate of
the people to decide on the next and appropriate line of action that his
administration must take in view of the issues raised above.
The
Stakeholders after due consideration of the issues raised by the governor,
unanimously approved the setting up of caretaker committees to run the affairs
of the 17 Local Government councils in the state from January 4, 2016 when the
tenure of the current council chairmen will expire.
It is on
record that the Stakeholders’ approval which coincided with a similar
resolution by the Enugu State Chapter of the Inter-Party Advisory Council
(IPAC) – the umbrella organization of all the political parties in the country,
was granted by the three senatorial districts whose decisions on the matter
were presented by the Deputy President of the Senate, Chief Ike Ekweremadu
(Enugu West), Prof. Bart Nnaji (Enugu East) and Chief Nnia Nwodo (Enugu North).
Responding
to the governor’s account of stewardship and mandate to appoint caretaker
committees, Chief Ekweremadu in his speech, described the outcome of meeting as
a reflection of the peoples’ commitment to support the government to move the
state forward.
He said: “On behalf of the good people of Enugu West Senatorial
District, we say big congratulations to our governor for his accomplishments
within the last six months. We have just heard what he has done and what he
plans to do, in spite of the very tight economy we have. So, for the governor
to have done that much and promised to do more, it means he is a visionary
leader. So we must thank and encourage him. Let us assure you our governor that
just as we have supported you in the past, we support you now and even
tomorrow.”
Prof. Barth Nnaji, while speaking on behalf of the people of
Enugu East Senatorial District also applauded the governor’s developmental
strides in six months and the method of caretaker committees in view of the
lean resources of the state.
He said: “The fact that Governor Ugwuanyi was doing literally just to
squeeze money out of the very lean resources available to the state in order to
pay workers and still achieve all these he just mentioned, which are
verifiable, without receiving any intervention fund yet, is a powerful
statement that he is a just leader, that deserves our commendations. I will
like to conclude by saying that we applaud your method of caretaker committee.
It is a very good approach giving the resources of the state. We also commend
your method of consulting with stakeholders. We appreciate your inclusive
approach in decision making.”
Chief Nnia Nwodo who spoke on behalf of Enugu North
Senatorial District, described the governor as a futuristic leader and
commended his peace and development initiatives.
In his own
words: “I have listened to the speech of Governor Ugwuanyi concerning his
performances in the state since he assumed office six months ago and noticed no
loopholes in what he has said. Our governor started his speech with the workers
of Enugu State. He has energized the civil servants of the state. His first
priority is that at the end of every month workers should have their salaries.
He has also embarked on several measures aimed at saving the cost of governance
both at the state and Local Government levels.
“Our problem
with the Local Government elections is that the money appropriated for it
cannot conduct it in one senatorial zone not to talk of the whole state. You
told us that under this circumstance, you will run afoul of the law by spending
money that is not appropriated in the finance law. Consequently, that you will
make provision in the next year’s budget for the conduct of local government
elections and in the circumstance, something that Senator Ekweremadu called the
Doctrine of Necessity, that you have no choice but to constitute caretaker
committees. And luckily your predecessor had laid the legacy law, so we have no
choice but to have caretaker committees.”
In all,
Enugu State is experiencing a fresh breath of good governance. Let’s motivate
the governor to do more in the overall interest of the state. (NAN)
No comments:
Post a Comment