The Joint National Assembly Committee on Works has hailed Governor Peter Mbah’s leadership for providing a conducive atmosphere that ensures federal projects in Enugu State are progressing without obstruction.
Speaking during an oversight visit to Government House, Enugu, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Works, Hon. Akin Alabi, said contractors handling federal road projects in the state expressed satisfaction with the governor’s support.
“Security-wise, they feel very safe, they feel very much at home, and they said you have approved their right of passage. We know that if a governor wants to frustrate a project of the federal government in his state, he is going to frustrate it. But as a governor that cares for his people, you are not frustrating these projects, you are making them go on smoothly,” he said.
Alabi further commended Mbah’s rising popularity, noting that the governor’s approval rating remains high among residents.
“We also did a little sampling at the hotel where we stayed and at other places. I am happy to tell you that your approval rating is high. Enugu State is going higher and looking better and better. And for the two years you have been the governor, Enugu has moved ahead and has moved forward,” he added, assuring that the Committee would hold contractors accountable to deliver quality work.
In his response, Governor Mbah underscored the central role of road infrastructure in his administration’s economic transformation agenda, which targets growing Enugu’s economy from $4.4 billion to $30 billion in six years.
“We cannot talk about growing our economy exponentially without providing road infrastructure because it is the roads that connect the market, the people, industry and provide people the means to live in comfort and dignity. Our target is to ensure that all our roads are paved,” the governor explained.
While appreciating federal government interventions, Mbah appealed for faster work on major highways.
“Without sounding ungrateful, we want to commend the federal government because they are doing some roads in our state, but we just want to ask that you get the contractors to increase their pace of work. The Makurdi–Enugu Expressway is slow, and we hope they can fast-track the Onitsha–Enugu Express Road too,” he said, pledging to resolve issues of right-of-way and compensation to enable contractors deliver on time.
Also present at the meeting were the Senate Minority Whip, Senator Osita Ngwu, and Hon. Dennis Agbo, representing Igbo-Eze North/Udenu Federal Constituency.
