₦airaland Forum

0bjpmb:
Enugu state is cursed that’s why nothing works there

Peter Mbah is working massively

Please who has past questions for CISM.

OkpaNsukkaisBae:




Digitron, how is family?

PDP shld be trashed in SE.

Chill, nothing dey happen.

Mbah will be governor til 2027

FG, Enugu Govt. to Partner on Cargo, Int’l Airport Terminals

The Federal government and the Enugu State government are to partner to complete and operationalise the international wing of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, as well as build a cargo terminal to boost the state’s and nation’s economy and tourism capacity.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr. Kabir Yusuf Mohammed, and the Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, made this known after a tour of the ongoing international terminal building and the proposed site for the international cargo terminal at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, on Monday.

Speaking to newsmen after a courtesy visit to the Governor and tour of the facility with the Governor, Mr. Mohammed commended Mbah’s zeal and sense of urgency towards the actualisation and operationalisation of the two terminals, saying there was no better time to discuss partnership and collaboration than now.

“We met with the Governor here today with a view to collaborate with FAAN in order to make the international terminal functional. This is a time to look at things again and again before you will be able to get the right formula for it, and I believe His Excellency has that formula and within the shortest possible time, I can assure you that this terminal will be put to use.
“The first place we went to is supposed to be the cargo terminal. We have a cargo warehouse in that location as well as the cargo terminal.
“Enugu, as the capital of South-Eastern region, is where we know that there is a lot of traders, who trade in different kinds of things across the globe.
“So, having in place a cargo terminal here will go a long way in improving the economy of the South-East Zone and the nation,” the FAAN boss stated.

Also speaking to reporters, Dr. Mbah said the operationalisation of the international terminal and construction of the cargo terminal and warehouse at the airport were critical to Enugu’s drive for a $30 billion economy, describing them as enablers of investments and key economic activities in the state.

“For us, the cargo terminal is critical. You know that we are migrating agriculture to agro-allied industrialisation. That means agriculture will not just be for food, it will also be for export. And the cargo terminal is critical if we are going to engage in the exporrt of agricultural and agro-allied produce from the state. We need to be able to export from here. That is why we are looking at partnering with FAAN to ensure that we start and complete a cargo terminal and indeed operationalise it.

“As you can see, the international wing is almost complete. So, we need to have it operationalised. Until we get it functional, we will not be able to make money from it, and it will not impact anybody. We will not be able to create value for the people of Enugu or South East and indeed the entire country.

“Again, if you look at the huge economic development plan we have expressed to our people, tourism is core there. We are looking at attracting over three million visitors in Enugu yearly. That cannot happen just by road. It is going to occur by flying, getting people from all across the different parts of the world to come to Enugu; and that will mean having an international airport, this terminal, in operation. That is why we are looking at how we can work with FAAN to ensure the completion of this wing of the airport and indeed operationalise it”, Mbah stated.

On the challenge of funding, Mbah assured that FAAN and the state government would explore funding models to actualise the project.
He said: “Now, we believe that projects like these are bankable because they are also revenue-yielding projects. So, there is no reason why we cannot find a financing model that will work for us and ensure that this project is immediately realised. The ultimate thing is to get it operationalised immediately”.

Mbah also said the state government and the FAAN team also had fruitful discussions on timeline to ensure the speedy completion of both projects.
“So, we are going to be working out a strategic framework of action of where we are going to, in all the functional areas, spell out timelines that we need to complete this project. But this time, it will not just be words; we will go beyond that to putting those words into action”, the Governor assured.

UK to Partner Enugu Govt for Mutual Economic Benefits
...As Mbah makes case for restoration of visa centre to Enugu

The governments of the United Kingdom (UK) and Enugu State will partner for the mutual economic benefits of the UK and the state, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Richard Montgomery, and the Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, have stated.

This was even as Dr. Mbah has sought the technical assistance of the UK government as well as the restoration of UK visa facilitation center to Enugu to boost trade, business, and other relationships between the UK and Enugu State.

Both men made this known during a visit by the UK High Commissioner to Governor Mbah at the Government House, Enugu, on Tuesday.
Speaking during the visit, Dr. Montgomery, who expressed his support for the investment and economic growth drive of the new administration in the state, recalled that the UK had partnered with Enugu State for over 20 years on issues like public health sector reforms, education, power sector reforms, among others.

“So, we are interested in continuing that partnership. I have been reading the press and the ways you have been seeking to already put your stamp on reforms and your ambitions for the state.
“I am here to listen, learn, and understand more about your priority and that of your new government to explore areas of further collaboration.
“I understand that very important reforms are currently being made in Nigeria, trying to put the economy back on track and on a higher growth path.
“We really hope that the South East and Enugu State will see more opportunities coming from the economy in the coming years.
“There might be some short-term pressures and volatility to manage, but we can see the prospects for a higher growth path for Nigeria.
“The UK is very interested in exploring partnerships on trade and investment and I have come to Enugu to understand your agenda and to explore those areas of potential partnership going forward”, he stated.

Speaking, Governor Mbah, who went down the memory lane on what he described as Enugu’s consequential roles and place in the history of Nigeria, said the state was eager to take back its preeminent place.
“We have also shared an ambitious vision to the people of Enugu State on where we could get to in terms of our economy. One of the things we said to them is our ambition to transform Enugu to become a premier destination for investment, business, living and tourism. And we also have plans to eradicate poverty in the state, which is currently higher than the national average.
“This is why your visit to us today is quite remarkable because we believe it is not a journey we can go alone. We need partnerships. We need collaborations in order to achieve that. Interestingly, we have a history of partnership with the UK, just as you have alluded to”.

On the need to restore the British Council and the UK visa facilitation centre to Enugu, Mbah emphasised: “I have told you some of the historic roles Enugu had played in the history of the South and there could be no better place to site a visa facilitation centre than Enugu. So, we are looking forward to that to boost trade, investment, and cooperation between the UK and our state”.

Mbah also explained that the state would host the Investment and Economic Growth Stakeholder Roundtable scheduled for September to herald the Enugu State Diaspora and Investment Forum planned for April 2024 to showcase the investment potentials of the state and therefore solicited support towards developing those potentials.

The governor equally sought the technical assistance of the UK government in the areas of power to develop and build the Enugu electricity market and the consequent regulatory commission, as power had been devolved to the Concurrent List in the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended).

He further solicited the support of the UK government in developing Enugu State as a special agro-allied processing zone in line with the administration’s manifesto and the state’s listing by the FG for the purpose

[/b][b]“We are also interested in the private-sector-led green economic transformation where we obviously believe that we can participate in renewable energy so that most of our catchment power requirements can actually be attended to. So, the emphasis is on technical assistance and support", Mbah stressed.

We’ll deliver water in 154 days, end water storage towers in Enugu homes, says Governor Mbah

Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has reiterated his administration’s commitment to end water scarcity in Enugu metropolis and other towns in the state, expressing the hope that the steady availability of water will end the construction of water storage towers in homes in the state.

The governor gave the assurance while receiving in audience a civil society organization, Network of Water Rights Initiative (NEWARI) during a courtesy call at the Government House, Enugu, on Monday.
Governor Mbah said there was no reason why in the 21st century, the people and residents of the state should not turn on their taps and get clean water, affirming that water will start running in Enugu homes in the next 154 days.

“We think that Enugu should not be one of the states having water challenges because the state has plenty of water sources. There is no reason why in the 21st century, we should not turn on our taps and get clean water.
"We have 154 days left for water to start flowing in our homes. We are mindful of what we say and we know what the problems are because we have done a diagnosis of the problems.

“Besides the Enugu metropolis, we are already liaising with the local government chairmen to see that those in Nsukka, those in other towns and those in the rural areas have their own water schemes from different sources, and can access water in no distant time because we want people to get water from a distance of not more than 5 minutes.

"We are building a resilient system that can supply water every day of the year and not intermittently. That is why we are not focusing on only the 9th Mile Water Scheme; we are also working on Orji River Water Scheme, we are dealing with other challenges in the downstream and we believe that over time, people will no longer need to build water storage towers in their various homes”, he said.

The governor commended the organisation for their interest in sanitation and hygiene, saying that with the provision of water to schools, hospitals and markets, they will have toilet facilities, thereby helping to end open defecation in the state.
"We are happy that your organisation as a watchdog will make us achieve everything we want to achieve as it concerns water", the governor stated.

Speaking earlier, the board chairman of the organization, Mr Temple Oraeki said that the Network of Water Rights Initiative (NEWARI), commonly known as WASH Rights Network, is a coalition of 23 civil society organisations in the South-East Nigeria; a task team member organisation of End Water Poverty Coalition, based in the United Kingdom, and a member of the Pan-African Network, Africa Water Justice Network, among others.

He said the NEWARI is to improve access to quality water, sanitation and hygiene services in South East through the instrumentality of evidence based advocacy, effective monitoring and accountability mechanism which is essentially tied to achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs) number 6, which places emphasis on universal access to water and sanitation.
"We are very elated to learn of your commitment to make water available to homes of ndi Enugu within your 180 days in office as well as to improve sanitation and hygiene in the state. This is a daunting task but we are optimistic that with the strong political will and capacity, which you have demonstrated with the few days in office, the task is achievable", he said.

He offered the organization’s support to the governor in his desire to end the perennial water challenges in the state and impact positively on the lives of the people of the state.

Gov Mbah Sets Devt. Targets for Council Chairmen, Inaugurates State Economic Planning Commission

Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has set development targets for the 17 local government areas of the state, reiterating the need for the state government’s structured partnership with the local government areas to deliver ambitious programmes in areas such as rural infrastructure, education, healthcare, electricity, water, and sanitation.

Mbah read out the targets during the inauguration of the Enugu State Economic Planning Commission at the Government House, Enugu, Friday, describing it as “a creation of the law designed to create a platform for the exchange of ideas, sharing of knowledge, and for a new partnership for the growth of Enugu State economy and for the benefit of our people”.

Inaugurating the Commission, which has himself as the Chairman, as well as the Deputy Governor, Chairmen of the 17 local government councils, Commissioners or Representatives of the Ministries of Health, Works and Transport, Finance, Commerce and Industry, Agriculture, and Works and Transport, and Permanent Secretaries responsible for State Budget and Planning, Rural Development and Water Resources, and the Primary School Management Board as members, the governor stressed that going forward, local government councils would be regularly appraised on good governance and rural infrastructure.

He said: “As the people closest to the rural dwellers, it is incumbent on us to partner with you if we must eradicate poverty, raise the state’s economy to one of the top three economies in the country, raise our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from $4.4 billion $30 billion, among other promises. This is why we have spared no time in setting up this economic planning commission.

“The idea of having a platform such as the Enugu State Economic Planning Commission is to have a partnership where we can identify projects that we would execute and pull funds together and ensure that we execute them.
“We must be very sensitive to the will of the people and the best way to do that is to take development to them. That is why we are excited that we are inaugurating this Commission today with a single purpose of making sure that we drive government down to the people.

“We want you to be concerned about how you can ensure that our rural dwellers have access to water. You are going to be trusted to make sure that none of our rural dwellers is beyond five minutes from running and potable water.
“Also, in the area of sanitation, it is not acceptable that in the 21st century, we still have communities that still practice open defecation. That must end, and that can only end through the provision of toilets.

“Recall also that we have promised to do a minimum of 10,000km of roads in the next eight years. That is about 1,250km each year. That again is another area we are going to be working closely with you at the local government to ensure that we execute”.
Speaking on behalf of other members, the Chairman of the Enugu State chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) and Council Chairman of Nkanu East LGA, Hon. Sydney Okechukwu Edeh, commended the setting up of the State Economic Planning Commission, describing it as a catalyst for synergy and transparency in the administration of local governments.

“Quite often, the activities of the local government in terms of development have been quite misunderstood and with this collaboration, I believe there will be greater transparency. The financial activities of the local government will be x-rayed and everybody will see what we are doing. And I can assure you that we will now do more to take the dividends of democracy to the people”.

Briefing newsmen, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, said the Commission would promote synergised development and shared accountability in a very short time.
“Eliminating poverty starts with well-structured plans and strategy and that is what we are going to be doing. There is going to be a strong monitoring and appraisal framework behind it. So we are sure that within the short term, there will be dividends of this collaboration to make sure that we reduce our poverty headcount”, Prof. Onyia stated.

SpaceTour:
What I saw in pictures aren’t different from what’s on site

Have you been there before?

Cooly100:
Maduka...should have had the masterplan of the university already..

He should engage international landscaping company even on a supervisory rule to beautify the uni...while buildings are also going on...like tree planting roads and parks.

This should not be just another local university.

I hope I am not asking for too much.

This is noted.

It is in the plan but will happen with him. A whopping $100 million has gone into that project

SpaceTour:
Useless fellow, you will come to Enugu thread to defend rubbish. Does that nonsense poultry farm built by Onyeishi look like a university in your eyes?

You are not even asking what’s the governor doing now until he waste another eight like ugwuanyi

Visit the school bro and see wonders.

Finally.....

More......

Dr Samuel Maduka Onyishi is building the biggest Private University in Nigeria at Ekwegbe, Igbo Etiti Local government.

The University will kick off this September and the school fees are very affordable (Between 400k to 700k depending on the course)

See more at https://nsukkaherald..com/2023/06/maduka-university-ekwegbe-kicks-off-as.html

TEXT OF A PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE GOVERNOR OF ENUGU STATE, HIS EXCELLENCY, DR PETER NDUBUISI MBAH, AT THE EXECUTIVE CHAMBER, GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, ENUGU, ON MONDAY, JUNE 26, 2023

Gentlemen of the Press,
Launch of the Enugu State Diaspora and Investment Forum (ES-DIF):

I am pleased to announce today, that my government will host an Investment and Economic Growth Stakeholder Roundtable in September 2023, which is the precursor to the launch of the first edition of the Enugu State Diaspora and Investment Forum (ES-DIF) scheduled for April 2024. The Enugu State Diaspora and Investment Forum will be a multi-stakeholder, fully transactional platform championed by the Enugu State Government to accelerate the identification, preparation, curation, and financial closure of investment projects to achieve the State’s Private Sector-Led Economic Transformation Agenda. In its first year, the Enugu State Diaspora and Investment Forum aims to attract at least US$2.0 billion in investment interests.

In September 2023, the Investment and Economic Growth Stakeholder Roundtable will bring together bilateral and multilateral development partners, as well as senior-level executives from commercial banks, public and corporate pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, private equity funds, infrastructure funds, and other domestic financial institutions for a systematic discussion on advancing viable investment opportunities in the state as my administration steers Enugu State on a path of private sector-led economic growth.

The Enugu State Diaspora and Investment Forum (ES-DIF) and the series of preliminary business and investment roundtables will be implemented by a Diaspora and Investment Unit established within my office, which will be tasked with the responsibility of working with relevant government agencies, project sponsors, domestic and international financial institutions, private investors including the diaspora investing community, and development partners to crowd in capital for critical development programmes and projects in priority sectors that can improve Enugu State’s global competitiveness and drive suitable development outcomes.

The Enugu State Diaspora and Investment Forum will have five key functions:
1. To identify and curate projects to bankability.
2. To work with relevant government agencies to facilitate policy reforms, technical assistance support and innovative partnerships.
3. To mobilize capital for bankable projects, including net-zero aligned projects that can unlock the economic potential of Enugu State and South-Eastern Nigeria.
4. To implement an annual investment marketplace with special boardrooms for government agencies, potential investors, and project sponsors to match and mutually de-risk projects.
5. To accelerate the financial closure of investment deals brought to the ES-DIF platform by public and private investors.
The Enugu State Diaspora and Investment Forum will include six (6) interdependent activity areas:
1. An Enugu State Diaspora and Investment (ESDI) Platform – for investment deal origination and structuring, due diligence, and deal advisory services. The digital platform will host a live database of deal pipelines at different stages of preparation.
2. An ESDI Market Place – designed to engage project sponsors, the government, financial institutions and development partners in roundtables and physical/virtual board rooms for project consideration and dealmaking.
3. ESDI Forum Investors’ Day – for investment matchmaking and accelerating deals to financial close.
This includes public sessions, closed boardrooms, business-to-business meetings, entrepreneurship incubation events for start-ups, deal or no-deal type pitching sessions, and a deal gallery open to potential Investors.
4. A Deal Tracker – to regularly review and provide updates on boardroom outcomes and hold periodic update meetings with project sponsors, engage investors and enhance portfolio management and reporting.
5. Policy Environment Reforms – to consistently monitor investment opportunities and risks, and implement policy reforms needed to enhance project bankability, build knowledge partnerships with development partners and the private sector, and develop knowledge products to inform investments in the State.
6. A Diaspora Engagement Program – aimed at engaging Diasporans to increase their participation and contributions to the state’s transformation agenda, including (i) Ndi-Enugu who live outside the State's borders but in Nigeria (ii) Nigerians and other Africans who live abroad and (iii) people of African descent around the world. Building on the work of the African Development Bank Group and Partners, the Diaspora and Investment Unit will work with diasporans on securitization of their remittances, diaspora bonds, trade and investment promotion, and knowledge sharing.

*ENUGU STATE IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS* and welcomes all project sponsors, domestic and international financial institutions, and development partners. I invite the diaspora community to invest in Enugu State to deliver transformative development outcomes for our people.

*Implementation Roadmap:*
This announcement will kick off the work of the Enugu State Diaspora and Investment Unit, which will work with you to identify, prepare, and curate projects for the inaugural Enugu State Diaspora and Investment Forum (ES-DIF). The state government will host a series of business and investment roundtables in preparation for the Forum, including:
1. Investment Roadshows from August 2023 to meet potential investors and project sponsors.
2. A Stakeholder Roundtable in September 2023 to inform key stakeholders about upcoming investors’ days.
3. A Diaspora Forum in December 2023, which will bring together the diaspora investing community.
4. Closed Boardrooms in March 2023 to close deals and mobilise institutional partners with investment interests in curated projects.
Thank you all.

We have started work.

Peter Mbah first 10 days in office

Anyi44:
Hope people come out today

Yes, many did

Cooly100:
Ok...I hope this will be fruitful.

The median on the Enugu-Portharcourt express needs to be cleaned out and also the side bushes need to be trimmed.

The city needs to be cleaned to attract investors.

It is in the plan.

We are doing 10km of road in 8 years.

ENSG Engages Dr. Andreas Gebauer to rearchitect Enugu Water Board and Waste Disposal.

The Austrian national will be in charge of both agencies for now

Governor Peter Mbah bans illegal mining activities across the state.

Illegal miners have wreaked untold havoc on our environment and denied the government of lawful revenues, of course with the insider connivance of government officials.
Governor Mbah, while inspecting water pipelines recently met an illegal coal mining site in Ngwo.
Mbah vowed to step on toes when need be and we should expect many more of it, all for the overall good of Ndi Enugu.

okeysoninv:
with a magic wand , that man will be worst than ugwuanyi

I will be here to watch all of you lick your words

Governor Mbah names Prof. Chidiebere Onyia new SSG

The governor of Enugu State, Dr Peter Mbah has appointed Professor Chidiebere Onyia as the new Secretary to the State Government (SSG).
The appointment was announced in a statement personally signed by the governor on Monday and released to the press by his media office.

Until his appointment, Prof. Onyia was the Managing Director of the United Kingdom Nigeria Infrastructure Facility. He was also the Lead strategy advisor for the Federal Government of Nigeria, World Bank Group Power Sector Recovery Programme, and has over the years rendered services to different international organizations and countries, among them the United Nations, Germany and Russia.

Prof. Onyia is a visiting Professor of Education at the Godfrey Okoye University, Enugu, a former visiting Professor at the University of Nigeria Nsukka, and serves on the Governing Council of two private Nigerian universities.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences, a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction, Masters of Business Administration degree and a Doctorate degree in Educational Leadership. He also had a post-doctoral scholarship in Education Policy from the Ivy League Peabody College, Vanderbilt University.

Prof. Onyia, with over 25 years of experiences in leadership, innovation, strategy, institutional reforms and research, has received numerous international and national awards and accolades for leadership excellence and for his outstanding contributions to the education sector. He is well published and a certified educational consultant, researcher, presenter, mentor and author of many books.

Prof. Onyia was a member of the Transition Committee, the technical committee that developed an actionable plan for the Peter Mbah administration, based on his manifesto and social contract with the people of Enugu State.

BEING TEXT OF THE INAUGURAL ADDRESS OF THE GOVERNOR OF ENUGU STATE, HIS EXCELLENCY, DR. PETER NDUBUISI MBAH, ON MAY 29, 2023, AT OKPARA SQUARE, ENUGU.*

Protocols

1. Permit me to begin this address by expressing my immense gratitude to God. I am also most grateful to the great people of Enugu State for the opportunity they have given me to serve them as their governor. I will forever be grateful to you for this honour.

2. Let me also thank all those who contributed to the success of this governorship struggle. It began as a tiny conception, as small as the mustard seed. Today, it has acquired a life of its own. Time constrains me from naming all of you, one by one, who contributed to the maturation of this idea. However, let me be quick to put on record the invaluable contributions of the immediate past governor of Enugu State, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyichukwu Ugwuanyi, Gburugburu The Great, to what we are celebrating today. Posterity will certainly be kind to you for your deep sense of patriotism. To you all, I remain forever grateful.

3. Today is a historic day in the life of Ndi Enugu. Again, providence is placing Enugu State at the threshold of history. As offspring and heirs of a great historical heritage, we are aware of our proud and lofty past. Right on this soil, our forebears worked relentlessly for the greatness of Nigeria. We are inheritors of centuries of pedigree of a hardworking, industrious and brave Igbo race. Our forebears toiled to produce the coal that powered Europe and grew her economy, extracting the black gold locked inside the bowels of the earth.

4. We thus cannot be repositories of this great history and yet be laden with poverty and want. It will be unacceptable for us to be heritages of those massive resources that are still buried in the bowels of our soil and yet be trapped in underdevelopment. It is a contradiction of immense proportion which we are poised to unravel.

5. We cannot afford to delink from our glorious past. The soil of Enugu boasted of a retinue of great leaders and committed followers. The legendary Dr. Michael Okpara, whose astounding leadership qualities later got celebrated, decades after, in Ivy League universities like Stanford, demonstrated the component of his leadership ability right here on the soil of Enugu. The soil of Enugu has always been a fertile ground for the growth of leadership. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Akanu Ibiam, and others who administered Igboland, right from this soil of Enugu, exhibited memorable leadership, aided by the great support offered them by our people. They administered a great people who gave their leadership abilities ample and fertile soil to flourish and flower. These are the testaments that point to the fact that greatness runs in our DNA. This is the sort of greatness that the soil of Enugu breeds.

6. For six months, I traversed the length and breadth of Enugu State visiting the 68 development centres that make up this land of history. During this time, I listened to you, saw your challenges in the midst of considerable resources and felt your pains, but I saw that you remained hopeful of a better tomorrow.

7. Two very instructive anecdotes explain the future that is here today for Ndi Enugu. One is the narrative of an imaginary youth, whom I shall call Emeka, who plies his craft right here on the soil of Enugu State. Like many young men who struggle with existential survival issues in Nigeria, life was becoming an excruciating and lost battle to Emeka. He had gone through the unease of struggling to study and here he was, with a certificate that looked worthless. So Emeka decided to join the now popular Japa movement. Life must be blooming on the other side of Europe, he thought. So he was enfolded into a ship that travels on the Mediterranean. Hope was beginning to build in him. As the ship taking him to a new life he had conjured, that hope suddenly evaporated. The ship sunk and the Mediterranean Sea swallowed Emeka and his lofty dream.

8. Conversely is the other youth whom I shall call Ikechukwu. Like Emeka, life was troubling for him too. He scarcely could make ends meet. He also struggled to go through school. Life was tough. However, he suddenly woke up to the creative genie in him. Ikechukwu, with friends on Ogui Road, was able to develop an app and before he knew it, entered his creative genius products in a global contest. All of a sudden, he won a prize in Dubai and the World stood still for that hitherto hopeless boy previously roaming the streets of Enugu.

9. The above anecdotes spoke to the power of ideas, as against the escapist belief in the redemptive power of Japa. The two of them – Emeka and Ikechukwu – lived in this same city. The question that our administration is asking is, how many of Ikechukwus do we want to produce? How do we stem the tide of the Emekas? How do we address the ‘hopelessness’ among Enugu youths?

10. Beyond anecdotes, what qualifies me to stand before you today is the conquest of the can-do spirit, the type manifested by Ikechukwu. I am an Enugu boy whose creative energy saw him through all his existential life battles and brought him to where he is today. Like Ikechukwu, while growing up, I struggled against the tides of adversities that made the future look bleak. Failures and frustrations dogged my way. I worked as a shop attendant at Alaba Market in Lagos, struggling to stave off all kinds of negative manifestations of an inclement environment. Like a determined swimmer, I swam against the tides of these adversities to embark on my scholarly journey. In 2008 when we began operations at Pinnacle Oil and Gas Limited, I came into that industry as a backbencher. The DNA of exploits and creativity that is innate in every nwa Enugu was my driving force. It pushed me to go beyond the limits of expectations in the industry. A few days ago, I resigned as the CEO of Pinnacle. By the time I was leaving, Pinnacle Oil and Gas had conquered all odds, displacing the incumbent in the petroleum industry within a short time. We succeeded in driving the upstart of yesterday into reaching the Pinnacle of the downstream oil sector.

11. The youths of Enugu State will be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the tomorrow that is now here today. We want to expose our youths to the skills required to grasp the emerging future and create opportunities for the genius in them to flourish. We also want to invoke and instill in them the can-do spirit that is innate in the Igbo man. Enugu will rubbish Japa, not by legislation but by creatively addressing the challenges to the future of our youths.

12. We will equip our youths with e-commerce, fintech and cyber-security skills, such that they will become globally interconnected, and can indeed ‘Japa’ all over the world by providing services online through their e-commerce skills. They will be champions of the globe without necessarily having to leave Enugu.

13. I am standing before you today pregnant with ideas on how to rescue our youths and indeed the whole of Enugu State from the threats against our existence. You can trust me. I will be operating from the vantage of transcendental values and not narrow interests. That is what we are driven by. I will not let you down. We believe that the only purpose of leadership is to bring the best out of every one of us. You are why all these are possible.

14. As we enter the threshold of history with this signing of a social contract with Ndi Enugu, we are immensely aware that the contract also has the spirits of our ancestors as witnesses. They hear us as we proclaim our resolve to transform the lives of our people. God’s supervening eyes are also watching us. My prayer is that every citizen of Enugu State will remember today and be glad that we took a bold step forward for the benefit of our children unborn.

15. There is no doubting Enugu’s capacity to recreate the iconic wonderment of economic prosperity and phenomenal growth witnessed in Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. Our will is strong and unshakeable. We are also acutely aware that where there is a will, there is always a way. When their forebears conceived the models of Dubai and Singapore some few decades ago, they too began to sow their tomorrow like a tiny seed as we are doing today. At that moment, the conceivers of the dreams appeared like some theatre jesters. Today, those countries have become models of the wondrous depth of human capacity.

16. Today, we too are announcing the conception of same humongous dream, right here on the soil of Enugu State. All the ingredients needed to actualize this dream are present in us. Today, God is bestowing upon us a leadership that keys into those yearnings and aspirations.

17. Take notice that this administration will be business unusual. Tough decisions will be taken. Those decisions will however be taken in the best interest of Ndi Enugu and Enugu State in general. You will constitute the driving force of every action we take as your representatives.
18. We will serve you with every fiber of our being and devote all our energy and your resources to working for you and your interests. Our driving force and governance philosophy will be always based on transcendental values.

19. We will invoke the spirit of enterprise, the creative energy of our people and the remarkable industry on the streets of Enugu State to create the difference in governance. We will pursue an economic growth that is unrivalled in this part of the country. We will tap into the limitless resources of the private sector to provide world-class infrastructure and productive sector growth.

20. We will retool and re-energize our agriculture/agro-allied sector. We will unlock our rural economy through the implementation of Special Economic Zones and Special Agro-allied Processing Zones. The commerce and industry sector will help us to kick-start this drive. We also plan to provide a N100 billion revolving fund for our SMEs in partnership with the Private Sector and other Development Financial Institutions.

21. In the area of Information and Communication Technology, (ICT), we will provide a Tier 4 Hyper Scale Data Centre to attract hyper-scale businesses like Amazon, Google, Netflix, Tik Tok and Microsoft.

22. Our creative industry will be lifted from its old glory and be positioned as driver of our developmental dream. We will set up a film village and, working with stakeholders in the industry, ensure that our state becomes the destination of choice for tourists, attracting not less than 3 million visitors each year.

23. The sporting sector will transmute under us from a solely recreation sector into a revenue earner. We will invest highly in it with an eye on returns into the Enugu economy.

24. We also have robust, cross-cutting programmes in the social services sector. Education, for us, is a key driver of our developmental effort. Our intervention will boost the access to and understanding of ICT in our early child learning and schools. We will increase the focus on vocational education in our secondary schools, while reemphasizing civic and moral values.

25. In the healthcare sector, our aim is to ensure that rural, semi-rural and urban Ndi Enugu have access to primary healthcare facilities, without any hindrance. We will partner with private investors in building specialist hospitals, so as to attract Nigerians who fly outside the country on health tourism. Our objective here would be to make Enugu a medical tourism destination.

26. In the area of water, Ndi Enugu are aware of our promise to ensure availability of water in our homes in the Enugu metropolis in 180 days time. We reiterate this promise here. Furthermore, we will waste no time in replicating same feat in Nsukka, Udi and Awgu axis.

27. Sanitation and hygiene are also areas where this administration wants to pluck its low-hanging fruits. In the next 100 days, our administration will ensure that our streets are cleared of refuse. We will also ensure that existing landfill sites are relocated and further ensure that they are harnessed for wealth creation. Urban renewal is key to us as an administration.

28. We will pursue an infrastructural revolution in Enugu State by turning our state into one huge construction site. We will prioritize road construction and infrastructural renewal ensuring that our roads are well paved. Where necessary we shall construct flyovers and dualise roads as a remedy to any gridlocks.

29. We shall run an inclusive government designed to accommodate all citizens of Enugu State.

30. Our transportation blueprint is comprehensive and holistic. We will have a multi-modal transportation system, a monorail to connect cities in Enugu and even go a step further by partnering with other governments in the Southeast in connecting us with our sister states.

31. We are committed to the strengthening of our institutions. The judiciary, legislature and public services will receive the needed propellers as lifters of our dream. We will provide the right enablement to ensure justice is dispensed as speedily as possible. In this regard, we will digitize and digitalize the judiciary, so as to make the management and procedures in our courts more efficient.

32. Our approach to tackling insecurity in Enugu State will be by adopting the kinetic and non-kinetic models and approaches. We will strengthen community policing architecture; neighbourhood watch and forest guards. In this mode, we will deploy modern technology such as CCTV cameras and others, as well as establishing a command-and-control centre in Enugu State, so as to track perpetrators of crime who we will pursue and bring to justice.

33. The most logical question that must be playing in corners of your lips as you listen to me is, how do we source the funds to jumpstart this massive governmental ambition?

34. We have critically studied different financing models, a number of which we will deploy. The first, as I have earlier itemized, is that we will open Enugu State up for the influx of investments and investors. Our ambition is to have our state as the corridor where the private sector migrates and plays. We will strengthen internally generated revenue, not by increasing tax rate arbitrarily but by expanding the tax net, plugging loopholes of leakages, as well as by operating a lean and agile government.

35. We will also, within our first 100 days in office, convene a Diaspora and Investors Forum where we will market all the productivity sectors in the state through showcasing our huge investment potentials.

36. Our government will also organize what is called the Diaspora Bond where we will securitize remittances from abroad. In this regard, remittances will no longer be for consumption alone but for production. Government will create a platform for securing those remittances so the investors have security for their funds.

37. The governance philosophy of our administration will be based on transparency, accountability and fund traceability. Part of this philosophy is collaboration and partnership with CSOs and the private sector.

38. To demonstrate how persuaded we are about doing this, as I leave here now, I will head for the office to perform my first executive task as your governor. That task will be to sign Executive Order 001. It is called the Citizens’ Charter. It demands that we manage your money, the people’s money, in the people’s interest. This Charter holds me and members of my team to account on your funds. The Citizens’ Charter mandates us to provide detailed information on our public financial management system, report our revenue to you in detail and ensure that we adequately capture our expenditure. The Charter demands, in the same vein, that our expenditure is consistent with government priorities.

39. In line with the Public Financial Management (PFM) system, we will also ensure implementation of programmes and projects that deliver value for our money, factoring due process and public procurement laws into them.

40. In closing, let me invite the people of Enugu State to accompany our administration on this journey into prosperity. This is not time for politics. It is not time for passion as well. It is time for the sowing of the seed for the Enugu of our dream. Each Enugu son and daughter should ask themselves the question: what sort of future do we desire for our children? In answering the question, we must begin to work together to forge that future of our dream. Posterity will not forgive us if we fail.

41. The tomorrow we professed is here. It is a signpost of what the tomorrow of our children and their children’s children will be. Like Martin Luther King Jr., I have a dream of an Enugu State that is second to none for development in Nigeria and Africa.

42. Here on the soil of Enugu are hidden innumerable potentials for future greatness. They may look as tiny as the mustard seed but they carry within their pods energies that can move mountains. All we need do is tap the soil and out of it will sprout the seeds for the activation of the Enugu of our dream, the driver of a greater Nigeria.

43. My charge to all of us today is that Enugu must take back what it has always represented. What carves us out for this role is an acute sense of industry, as well as the pride of our people which will enable us wax stronger as the future decades roll by. So, let us commit to our sense of enterprise, joined together in brotherhood and sisterhood, to form that filial bond that has been known to be the raw materials for building great nations, a cohesive people and society. This is what ties us.

44. Like King said, I have a dream that one day, beginning from today, every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight. Ultimately, the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

45. It is our hope. It is the summary of our pact with Ndi Enugu. It is the faith that will propel developmental actions in every minute of our tenancy at the Lion Building. Again, to parody King, it is with this faith that we will transform the jangling discords of our state into a beautiful symphony of development.

It is our creed. It is our pact. May God help us. God bless Enugu State.
Tomorrow is indeed here!

A new era.

Enugu Is about to blossom

nenergy:
Please do you still have this phone?

No

0bjpmb:
You have save it all

I dont agree with this.

Ebonyi is one of the fastest-growing state in the south east. They are building world-class infrastructure and have also invested in human capital development

OkpaNsukkaisBae:
Digitron


Give us update na.

Update for wetin?

Who pushed a fake news online

garfield1:
Once obi loses,you will disappear just like Digitron.

Lol, I no disappear ooo.

I dey here met guy.

Since Una don turn Nairaland to tribal warehouse, I just say make I leave political section for now.

I wish Asiwaju well, may he led us right as we await Supreme court decision on the case.

Hope you are fine boss

Mbah is going to shock a lot of people.

It is not going to be business as usual.

Please who uses Wealth.ng to trade here?

oilykid:
What's with the kidnapping going on in enugu of recent

It is a challenge and it is been attended t

OkpaNsukkaisBae:
Them plenty. These types of people don't have what it takes to move the state 4ward. What they know is 2 deliver their ward, community & local govt 2 PDP.

The politicians on the list are not up to 10.

Name them