A solicitor and former Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Tourism, KGB Oguakwa, has extolled the virtues and leadership qualities of Enugu State Governor, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi as he marks his 57th birthday.
Oguakwa who hails from Inyi in Oji-River local government area of the state, In his birthday message to the governor, noted that Ugwuanyi is “God’s gift to Enugu State at a time when the rally of impassioned unity for peace, justice and development is most urgent.”
Speaking on the outstanding efforts of the Governor in containing the pandemic that ravaged the world as acknowledged even by the Director General of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, Oguakwa said: “With world-acknowledged humility, he(Ugwuanyi) led the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic from the front – the very first Governor to keep the face-mask always properly adorned and in permanent public view as he pushed forward both vigorous public enlightenment and timely and transparent delivery of palliatives into the homes of the most vulnerable ndi Enugu. Apart from an intensive public-spaces’ fumigation regimen, the Governor also quickly reconstructed, remodeled, refitted and outfitted the Colliery Hospital Enugu and designated it as an Infectious Disease Isolation and Treatment Centre amongst other interventions to control the spread of the virus in the State.
“Realizing the critical place of frontline workers to the overall success in combating the COVID-19 pandemic, the Governor approved Group Life/Group Personal Accident Assurance Policy for all medical doctors in the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) Teaching Hospital, Parklane, fire fighters, staff of Enugu State Emergency Management Agency and all those involved in associated essential services. The first State to secure the vaccine for our people, Governor Ugwuanyi’s proactiveness saved countless lives from the merciless pestilence of COVID-19
Oguakwa who represented Awgu/Aninri/Oji-River Federal Constituency at the Green Chamber went on to highlight some of the landmark achievements of the governor, particularly in areas of road construction, infrastructure development, employment creation, education, youth empowerment, security, health, agriculture, among others.
“Along with God’s peace across Enugu State, and spiced with massive investment in uplifting human infrastructure, has come one of the most ambitious and successful multi-sectoral developmental Programmes embarked upon since Premier Dr. Michael Iheonukara Okpara’s long defunct Eastern Nigeria Regional Government, – a predecessor’s worthy successor indeed.
“In a frenetic revitalization of infrastructure pace, he literally turned the State into a beehive of construction sites. Quite apart from his ongoing monumental flagship project – the “Nike-Lake-Axis” Flyover, at the last count, over 620 kilometers of roads, including Milliken Hill Road; Nike Lake Junction Road which links Harmony Estate to Amorji Nike and the popular Adoration Centre through Orie Emene; the Opi-Nsukka dual carriage road; and the 14-Bay Baily Bridge across Nyama River which connects Umuogo and Umuagba Amechi Uno/Obeagu communities in Enugu South LGA; the Neke-Mbu-Ogbodu Aba-Obollo Etiti Road; the Abor Road; Egede-Awhum road; St. Mary Ngwo-Nsude road; Ugwuoba-Nkwere Inyi road; UNTH-Enugu Agu-Ndiagu-Umuaniagu-Obe-Amuri road; Ukpabi-Nimbo-Ugbene Ajima-Eziani road; Ikwoka-Amagu-Ajuona-Akabusiyi Obimo road; Nkwo-Inyi -Akpugoeze-Nkwere-Ufuma-to Anambra State Border Road; and the Adani-Asaba-Igga-Ojjor road have been undertaken, to mention a few.
“In the Education Sector, mercurial Gburugburu established higher institutions, attracted the establishment of higher Institutions by the Federal Government and has constructed and reconstructed over 1200 classroom blocks, provided ICT materials for all secondary schools in the State and paid a historically critical N2bn in counterpart funding for Universal Basic Education with attendant salutary and multiplier effects to the sectoral economy of Enugu State.
“Governor Ugwuanyi’s robust multi-sectoral development action significantly impacted the Health Sector also. Apart from the establishment of Colleges of Medicine for the training of healthcare professionals, several hospitals including General Hospital, Ogrute, Poly Clinic, Asata, Enugu (now Poly General Hospital), General Hospital, Oji-River and most general Hospitals are being reconstructed, expanded, upgraded, outfitted and restocked.
“Agriculture-friendly Governor Ugwuanyi, through a multifaceted strategy including the payment of the counterpart funds for Agro Processing Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Support (APPEALS), the same for International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and heavy investments in Ada Rice, Uzouwani agricultural project, with the attendant provision of seed inputs, fertilizers, herbicides and agric extension services, has deployed his tireless energy towards directly impacting the breakfast, lunch and dinner tables of every home in Enugu State through his ambitious and continuing investment in food sufficiency, food supply, cheaper staples and overall food security with their salutary effect not only on youth unemployment, but also in rolling back rural to urban migration and in dramatically increasing the real incomes of our rural majority.
“Rather than bemoan the categorization of Enugu State as a Civil Service State, Governor Ugwuanyi positively focused on how to tap into the sector and maximize productivity, applying the simple economics of deploying training, motivation and reward as integral components to achieve public sector output targets. The initiation and sustained payment of the 13th month salary to every civil servant; the heartwarming dedication towards offsetting the inherited backlog of gratuity to state pensioners by setting aside N100 million monthly for batch payments since May 2018; the provision of funds to gradually liquidate the 12-years backlogged arrears of emoluments to Staff of the Enugu State Broadcasting Service (ESBS), the Enugu Sports Council and the Enugu Agriculture Development Programme (ENADEP); added to Governor Ugwuanyi’s engenderment of smooth Government and Labour Unions relationship; and the restoration, Service-wide, of the system of regular promotions and prompt release of leave allowances, have all acted in a deliberately-focused combination, to virtually revamp and bring renewed sustainability to this critical sector.
“As if all these were not enough, Ugwuanyi, with a single stroke of his compassionate gubernatorial pen, swept away the previously seemingly intractable decade-long labour struggle by the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) as he approved the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) bringing relief and joy into many homes in Enugu State.
“A man, constantly seeking the face of the Almighty through targeting government programs towards doing the greatest good for the greatest number, especially amongst the most vulnerable, Governor Ugwuanyi also offset over 50% of the cost to the civil-servant beneficiaries of Elim Estate.
“For those who may not be aware, although Elim Estate was an Housing Estate built for and sold mainly to civil servants under a previous administration, the civil servant beneficiaries were struggling to pay the cost of the houses, in installments, through their salaries and this was a source of pain and suffering due to the depletion of real incomes. Governor Ugwuanyi, being himself a champion of continuity in Government, decided to remove this yoke of mortgage from the necks of those beneficiaries. He paid off the debt balance of 59% for those civil servants affected and each of them now fully owns a home for their families, forever. This is but one of several examples of his transparent humanity at its best.
“His giant strides in the area of security have gained, for Enugu State, the coveted classification as one of the safest States in Nigeria. The implication vis-a-vis Enugu State’s attractiveness as a destination of choice for both commercial and foreign- direct-investment opportunities, need no emphasis.
“Governor Ugwuanyi set up the Forest Guards Commission and beyond its dramatic impact on lowering unemployment and providing skills-development, debilitating strife is gradually becoming absent in the targeted rural communities.
“To give more bite to his other efforts and enhance robust provisions in and for the security sector, the Governor, in February 2020, signed the State’s Security Trust Fund Bill into law. He also renovated and furnished the office complex for the newly created Force CID Annex for the South East geo-political zone located at the Detective College, Enugu. He has provided 94 operational vehicles (the highest in one tranche by any State Government) to all the security agencies including the Enugu State Police Command, the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), the Nigerian Air Force, the Nigerian Immigration Services, the Nigerian Customs Service, the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency, the Nigerian Correctional Services, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the Federal Road Safety Corps, and the Department of State Security (DSS).
“Imbued with the gentle tolerant mien of the accomplished and legendary sage Nnamdi Azikiwe, with the populist uncomplicated puritanic heart of Mallam Aminu Kano and with the disarming unassuming candour of the immortal Mahatma Gandhi, you have protected lives here whether they be Igbo, Yoruba, Fulani or Efik. With equal vigour, your Excellency has defended Mosques and Churches here from the destructive pillage of temporary darkening emotions. All through your tenure, regardless of sphere, subject or sector, you have always urged a progressive calm which pierces through the din of even the loudest drums of avoidable discontent. Nigeria needs to learn your amazing art of stamping firm, decisive, effective, fair and compassionate pro-development authority, without the ruffling of even the littlest feather.
“A passionate crusader for Youth Mobilization & Empowerment; a tireless investor in the ICT development of our population as a catalyst for repositioning Enugu State for the globalized future; an ardent adherent to gender equality and providing opportunities for the girl-child; he is a reliable benefactor of market traders, commercial enterprise development, committed also to uplifting all components of our Tourism and Sports Sector.”
