Enugu State Governor His Excellency Dr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah made a broadcast from 7:00 am to 7:49 am on Wednesday 29th May 2024 to mark the celebration of his one year in office.
In his opening remark, he recalled how he was sworn in on the same date twelve months ago or a year ago at Okpara Square where he pledged wholesome service to the Enugu people. He noted that democracy exists because of the people and there is no democracy without the people which is in line with democracy as the government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
Governor Peter Mbah said that his government is anchored on transparency and his approach to transparent governance has initiated town hall meetings and other programs where he interacts with the Enugu people and gets their direct feedback.
According to the Governor, his campaign promises are sacred pronouncements and his vision was clear from day one to make Enugu the top three states in Gross Domestic Product (GDP). He stated his commitment to grow the economy of Enugu State from the current level to about 30 Billion Dollars in the next eight years.
Speaking on security, he noted that his government has been consistent in fighting crime in Enugu State starting from how he approached the sit-at-home menace which made it clear that it was not acceptable in Enugu. CCTV cameras are placed in strategic locations to capture the happenings. He mentioned his robust relationship with security bodies in the State and his government’s provision of needed security tools to bring crime to the minimum. He said a trust fund was signed into law to raise funds for better security support which demonstrates his government commitment to securing lives, investments, and properties in the State.
Mbah said that his government has made tremendous efforts in infrastructural projects which are all visible. He noted that he fulfilled his one hundred and eighty days water supply promise to the Enugu people after his swearing-in ceremony last year and he achieved it because he knew how to tackle the problem. The daily sight of children buying water from tanker drivers in buckets became his most depressing moment and he made a promise to solve the water problem the story is different today as water is running in many homes including water galleries. His government now supplies up to one hundred million liters of water daily which increased the volume of water supplied in the past. He said he is aware that some areas are yet to receive water due to vandalism but his government is working hard to bring water to every place in the State. Governor Mbah said his government’s effort in water supply has enabled the University of Nigeria Enugu Campus (UNEC) to record running water supply which the deputy vice-chancellor of the University said water has not run on the campus since the last decade.
While speaking on road projects, he noted that his government philosophy abhors anyone being left behind in development. Many neighborhoods now have a good look unlike before due to many road reconstructions and rehabilitation done in most neighborhoods in Enugu metropolis including certain places in rural communities that are not left behind.
In Education, he said that his government is building two hundred and sixty Smart Schools in Enugu State and the project will be fully completed in 2025. The smart school project is positioned to enable children in Enugu State to be equipped with 21st-century types of education that are modern, novel, and follow the trend instead of impacting the children’s obsolete knowledge and limiting them from competing globally with their mates in the world. The Smart School project will be built in the entire electoral wards in Enugu State and will have smart teachers, a well-equipped laboratory, a creative production studio, ICT, robotics, etc. There is an existing Smart School in Owo which was newly constructed to give a pointer to what the whole Smart School across the whole electoral wards in the State will look like. He said his budget allocation for education is above the UNESCO benchmark and makes his government the highest in prioritizing education as reflected in the budget of the State.
In the health sector, he said he is building type two health centers across the electoral wards in the State and there is improvement in the welfare packages of health workers. He said he newly signed a bill to upgrade SUMAS in Igbo Ano into a teaching hospital in the State. It will lead to an increase in the provision of well-trained health workers and make health care needs better.
Mbah said he is revamping the presidential hotel which was built by the former premier of the defunct Eastern region Late Dr Michael Iheonukara Okpara in 1963. He recently laid a block for the construction of a five-star hotel alongside the reconstruction of the International Conference Center that will be due to be opened in a few months.
Speaking on reviving moribund companies, he said that the presidential hotel was built in 1963 through resources from Agriculture under M.I. Okpara leadership as premier of the old Eastern region. He demonstrated his efforts in reviving moribund companies that have been left fallow for many years especially the move to grow the oil palm value chain through the one hundred billion naira signed deal in a public-private-partnership (PPP).
He said his government is making giant moves to open up more industrialization projects in Enugu like the recent visits of representatives from the Federal Ministry of Finance and hopeful that when the industrial projects come into the limelight, there will be massive employment opportunities for Enugu people.
The inclusion of electricity in residual list has enabled his government to sign electricity bill into law and regulatory commission to make electricity better, viable, sustainable and bankable for investors.
In the Judiciary, Governor Mbah said the disruptive and innovative nature of his government has touched the judiciary in the state too and there is a digital automated system like e-filing of cases which saves time, unlike ancient practices of doing everything manually. He said that there are several new courts created to serve specific cases. The newly created courts include a commercial court, probate and family court, and criminal court, there is also a court for land and real estate matters among others.
Furthermore, Governor Mbah said that the population of Enugu State has increased and about four million people are living in Enugu urban alone which posits that the existing infrastructure could no longer carry the population of yesterday in today’s case. He said his administration has moved to build an organized transport system to cater to the growing population through the initiation of a modern transport interchange to be built on Market Road (Holy Ghost), Gariki, Liberty Abakpa, and Nsukka. He said his government will deploy one hundred and fifty CNG buses which fifty of the buses are ready and there will be taxis too for smooth mobility in the state which will yield positive results in the transport sector.
Speaking on keeping Enugu clean, he has carried out reorganization of Enugu State Waste Management System leading to the cleanliness in Enugu through the partnership services of private companies.
On Climate Change, Mbah demonstrated that he is not ignorant of climate change matters and his government has secured a one hundred million grant from a partner bank to build green energy as the world seeks a cleaner energy that does not affect the climate. He said his administration is embarking on a tree planting project to enhance climate change and equally make Enugu beautiful too.
Drawing from the growing population in the urban area, he said that his government is building a new Enugu city which is just a fifteen minutes drive from the new city to Akanu Ibiam International Airport Enugu.
Before he ended his speech marking his one year in office as the Executive Governor of Enugu State, he said his government has invested in rehabilitating Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium which is encouraging sporting activities including how he brought good management to champion the affairs of Rangers International Football Club that currently sits as the top in the NPFL table.
Governor Mbah thanked Enugu people for their support in the last one year and called for them to continue to have faith in his government.