The Executive Governor of Enugu State His Excellency Barr. Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah on Saturday 23rd March 2024 kick started a town hall meeting less than one year after his swearing in to office as the Executive Governor of Enugu State.
In the town hall meeting that took place at the banquet hall of old government Lodge GRA Enugu, Peter Mbah used the platform to engage Enugu People for direct feedbacks on the impacts of his government and the expectations of Enugu State residents accros the seventeen Local Government Areas that makes up Enugu State.
In the town hall meeting, the Governor revealed the achievements of his administration and how he is positioning Enugu State economy to attain the growth of above $30 billion dollars in Gross Domestic Product ( GDP).
Mbah said that his government is building a new Enugu city which will be a new city that will lessen the burden of urban concentration in the capital city. He said that Enugu city will attract big developments after completion.
The Governor also intimated the public about the progress of Enugu Smart Schools that his government embarked to prepare Children in Enugu State for the future which entails equipping them with 21st century tech skills. A question was raised by an attendee during the town hall meeting to ask the governor how he is putting modalities on ground for smart teachers that will run the teachings in the smart schools. The Governor in a reply admitted that smart teachers are one of the risk factors that was noted before embarking on the project and provisions have been made for training and engagement of smart teachers to ensure that the smart schools become a successful investment that will impact directly to the lives of Children/ young people in Enugu State.
During the question time, the governor demanded to hear from the youths representative in the town hall meeting and the Chairman of National Youth Council of Nigeria ( NYCN) Enugu Chapter Comrade Ebuka Bathlomew Oko started by appreciating the Governor for his efforts in trying to make sure that “Tomorrow is here ” becomes a reality in Enugu State. He thanked the Governor for appointing youths into the Executive cabinet members as commissioners in the State. He equally told the Governor to extend such goodwill in appointing the Youths into transition committees for Local Government Areas in the State. Speaking further, he drew the attention of the Governor on transport burden that those seeking to learn a skill faces and pleaded for the government to provide transport means to convey people learning a skill for a better tomorrow.
The Chairperson of NANS Joint Council and leader of all SUG Presidents in Enugu State also spoke during the town hall meeting to draw the attention of the Governor on salient issues facing Nigerian students in Enugu State. She told the Governor to look into the issue of school fees cost across the State government owned institutions and also demanded for students to have provisions on palliatives without been excluded.
A former Executive member of inter party advisory Council (IPAC) who was nominated to speak for IPAC thanked the Governor on his approach to governance since after his election and called the attention of the Governor on the need to conduct elections in the seventeen Local Government Areas in the State in line with 1999 constitution as amended which recognized the need to have elected members of the Local Councils. The Governor made a quick response by making it clear that his government is deep rooted in democracy and made a move in the past to conduct LGA elections until someone went to court to obtain court order barring ENSIEC from conducting LGA elections in the earlier proposed date in February 2024. He assured the public that LGA elections will be conducted soon in line with the time the court gave for the exercise to take place.
In the town hall meeting attended by Traditional rulers, busines people, investors, government officials, youth organization, students, Hausa community, religious leaders etc the Governor answered questions posed to him and noted areas that his team will work on for delivery of all his campaign promises.
The Commisoner of Information Mr Aka Eze Aka in a closing remark acknowledged those that made the town hall meeting to be a successful outing.