By Samson Ezea
As people of Enugu State take stock and roll out drums today to celebrate with and celebrate Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah’s one year in office, the only challenge they may encounter is how to do such without leaving any of the numerous milestones or giant strides of his administration out.
Yes, that is the obvious and daunting challenge. Even my very good self who has been keeping a tab on the administration’s numerous people-oriented policies, programmes, and projects may not escape this pitfall in this write-up.
This is considering the fact that there are too many milestones and giant strides of Governor Mbah’s administration in the last one year that will require high retentive memory, carefulness, accurate record keeping and circumspection to dissect them without omitting or leaving any behind or out.
They are multidimensional, interwoven, multisectoral, interdependent, pacesetting, unparalleled, complementary, multifaceted, and integrated.
This is because Governor Mbah didn’t commence or anchor his administration’s policies, programmes and projects on specific agenda points, rather he aggressively and hurriedly embarked on multisectoral and pragmatic approach to governance with clear ambitious and achievable targets and specifics that are designed to propel his administration’s set objectives.
That is why virtually all the sectors of the state economy have been activated and being worked on simultaneously, methodically, innovatively and continuously for rapid development and economic growth that will enable his administration to realize the targeted exponential economic growth of moving the state economy from 4.4bn dollars to 30billion dollars in the next four years.
As can be seen and observed across the state in the last one year of Governor Mbah’s administration, the security, tourism, water, housing, road, sports, power, agriculture, trade and investment, works, health, civil service, transport and other sectors have been active, developmental, and up and doing.
It would be recalled that Governor Mbah had on assumption of office, placed premium on security and peace of the state, knowing full well that it is the primary constitutional responsibility of government and that nothing meaningful could be achieved in atmosphere of insecurity.
That was why Governor Mbah banned the IPOB induced Monday sit-at-home, which has become a norm and ritual in the state since it was declared by the non state actors.
Mbah didn’t only pronounce the ban, he matched it with security actions and strategies that has put the non state actors and their collaborators and sponsors in perpetual check since then till date and to the surprise of the people who have been observing the order out of fear. Not even the rantings, empty threats, and antics of the non state actors daunted or discouraged him in this direction.
Today, Monday sit-at-home is not only a thing of the past, the non state actors have never attacked or operated anywhere in the state, with ease, especially in the metropolis. Also revived, repositioned, rejigged and equipped for optimal performance is the moribund Rapid Response Squad, which is now Distress Response Squad.
There are other numerous security efforts, measures and strategies Governor Mbah’s administration in collaboration with the security agencies have put in place that include Security Command Centre, Security Trust Fund and surveillance cameras, across major locations in the state.
Understanding the need for ease of transportation, Governor Mbah has in October last year awarded contracts for the construction of 71 roads across especially in the suburbs of Gariki, Abakpa, Camp, Premier Layout, and others that have suffered neglect. Today, most of them have been completed, while others are nearing completion.
Also, recently, the Mbah administration’s acquired an asphalt production plant with a capacity to produce over a 1000 ton eco- friendly asphalt daily that will assist his government in fixing more roads across the state.
The commencement of the construction of new transport terminals in Holyghost, Nsukka, Garki and Abakpa is Governor Mbah administration’s great moves towards improving transportation in the state, creating jobs, boosting the economy and beautifying the state for global reckoning and investment drive.
In a bid to bring back the lost glory of the state and change its status of being tagged a civil service state, Governor has awarded contracts for the completion of International Conference Centre, construction of 345 rooms five star hotel and immediate rehabilitation of the moribund hotel Presidential Hotel and others. Also contracted to be revived by Governor Mbah’s administration are United Palm Products Ltd, NigerGas Limited Emene, and other abandoned state owned industries.
Understanding and knowing the need, urgency and importance of power in reviving the economy as a great entrepreneur, Governor Mbah was quick to sign the Enugu State Electricity Bill into Law and subsequently established Enugu Electricity Regulatory Commission. This made it possible for the Enugu State Electricity Commission to be the first state in the country to benefit from the National Electricity Regulatory Commission’s ceding of oversight of the local electricity market to the States’ Energy Commission. This development will usher new investors and investments in the energy sector of the state that will leapfrog the state economy to greater height.
The management of waste in the state has improved tremendously with the procurement of new modern Compactor vehicles, which have been used in disposing wastes as at when due. Also procured were new waste bins, which were mounted at strategic and approved waste locations across the state.
Mbah administration’s quest and speed to improve the quality and standard of education in the state is obvious and gladdening.
Apart from giving education unprecedented and huge budget allocation of N158.78bn which is both the highest per capital in the country and in regard to the percentage of total budget sum at 33 per cent, it also higher than UNESCO recommended benchmark of 15% to 20% of total annual budget.
His administration’s Smart Green School initiative, which is first of its kind in the country, has seen to his awarding of contracts for the construction and equipping 260 Smart Schools in 260 electoral wards in the state Presently, construction works are ongoing in 135 of them, and finishing touches are being put for work to commence in the remaining ones soon.
Also, witnessing transformation and repositioning in the last one year of Governor Mbah’s administration is the health sector.
His government is already constructing Type 2 Healthcare facilities across the 260 electoral wards and 30 Primary Healthcare Centres across the state that will be equipped with the best of state of art hospital equipment and the needed manpower.
When Governor Mbah during the campaign promised of giving Enugu people water within 180 days of administration, not many believed him especially considering that fact that water problem in Enugu has been perennial and recurring for decades without permanent solution.
But proving the doubting Thomases and bookmakers wrong, Governor Mbah has before the promised 180 days provided water with improved volume for Enugu residents.
Today, the volume of water production in Enugu State per day has moved from paltry 2 million litres to 120 million litres courtesy of Governor Mbah’s disruptive innovations in the sector. Also ongoing to ensure that water gets to all nooks and crannies of the state are water pipe reticulation and establishment of public water galleries across some strategic locations in the state.
It has been indeed one year of business unusual and disruptive innovations in Enugu State in the area of governance by Governor Mbah’s administration with too many developmental strides and people-oriented policies and programmes to her credit.
The approach, which is unprecedented has disrupted the status quo for the long-term and enduring benefits of the people of the state.
There is no doubt that in the last one year of his administration, Governor Mbah has lived up to some of his campaign promises and people’s expectations, while not resting on his oars and working assiduously and innovatively to ensure that Enugu State will be positioned in the global economic and human developments map before the end of his administration.
It is only the narcissists, cynics, skeptics, and armchair critics that can be dismissive or cynical of Governor Mbah’s sterling performance, quality leadership and good governance in office in the last one year.
Tomorrow is indeed and truly here, and there is obvious light at the end of the tunnel and better days ahead for Ndi Enugu.
