₦airaland Forum

It would be recalled that Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi recently directed the State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure and its contractors to immediately commence remedial works on all emerging potholes on roads in the state, in line with his administration’s sustained zero tolerance for potholes and commitment to maintenance of existing infrastructure.

The governor also directed the Enugu State Rural Electrification Board (REB) “to as a matter of urgency resume work on the repair and rehabilitation of all traffic lights in Enugu metropolis to ensure full functionality”.

Both agencies of the state government have commenced work as directed by governor, accordingly.

Enugu State is in the hands of God!##

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, on Thursday, granted pardon to twenty-five (25) inmates in Enugu, Nsukka and Oji River Correctional Centres.

A statement by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Simon Uchenna Ortuanya, disclosed that the pardon was sequel to the recommendation of the Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy, and in exercise of the powers conferred on the governor by “Section 212 (I) (a-d) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended”.

According to the statement by the SSG, 19 affected inmates were from Enugu Correctional Centre, five from Nsukka and one from Oji-River.

The names of the inmates are as follows: Egwu Chukwuebuka, Anthony Ejiogu, Chibuzo Ugwu, Ikechukwu Elom, Ejike Anigbo, Ozioma Onuegbu, Chukwu Francis, Ifebuche Nwafor, Nnaji Uchenna, Sunday Michael, Kingsley Onyebuchi, Ikechukwu Ogbu, Chinonso Obinna, Godwin Nwafor, Onuh Emmanuel, Oluchukwu Nwobodo, Ebuka Ozoemena, Nwaokoro Ikechukwu and Bitrus Destiny, for Enugu Correctional Centre.

Others are Ejike Solomon Eke, Odo Sunday, Ede Ekene, Itodo Chiegonu and Ifeanyi Azegbe, for Nsukka Correctional Centre, and Obi Simon, for Oji River Correctional Centre.

Enugu State is in the hands of God! ##

…As govt decontaminates market

Enugu motor spare parts dealers have applauded the untiring efforts of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, in containing the spread of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in the state.

Speaking shortly after the state fire service, led by its Chief Fire Officer, Engr. Okwudiri Ohaa, decontaminated and fumigated the Enugu Motor Spare Parts Market, Coal Camp, popularly known as “Tinker”, the President of the association, Chief Crescent Ugwoke, said that the traders “don’t know how to thank His Excellency our governor, Rt. Hon. Dr. Ifeanyi Lawrence Ugwuanyi, for his efforts to eradicate Coronavirus Disease in Enugu State”.

Chief Ugwoke who stated that this is the second time the state government decontaminated the market since the outbreak of the virus, described the exercise by the state fire service as a “wonderful job”.

He expressed gratitude to God that “it is through the efforts of the governor, that Enugu is among the least states in the South East zone with records of positive cases of this disease, not minding that Enugu State has more boundaries with the Northern states”.

His words: “We are very happy with our dear governor. I am sure that whoever puts his trust in God, our Almighty God will never fail him. Enugu State is in the hands of God. This is true because you people can see that when this Coronavirus Disease came into this country, Enugu State was the first to record two cases in the South East zone.

“But as I am talking to you today, Enugu State is now the lowest in the South East. So, I thank God Almighty that it is through the efforts of the governor that we were able to achieve this feat as we pray harder for the end of the disease”.

Earlier in his speech, the Chief Fire Office, Engr. Ohaa, stated that the exercise was in compliance with the directives of Gov. Ugwuanyi that the market should be decontaminated and fumigated for a second time “probably before the market will re-open for business”.

He maintained that “Enugu is the most consistent state in disinfecting its areas” since the outbreak of COVID-19, saying: “After we decontaminated Ogbete Main Market, Enugu, on May 31, the next point of call was the INEC office which we did very well”.

Engr. Ohaa, therefore, reassured the people of the state that “this is not going to be the last until this Coronavirus Disease is totally eradicated in the country”.

Enugu State is in the hands of God!##

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi's administration in Enugu State delivers a complex of eight Magistrate Court Halls and another complex of two High Court Halls with one Open Registry at Nsukka Judicial Division, located at GRA, Nsukka, as part of its unprecedented interventions in the State Judiciary.

The two complexes of eight Court Halls, each with one Open Registry for Enugu East, Enugu North and Enugu South Magisterial Districts, all located at Enugu North Local Government Area, have also been completed and presently at the stage of landscaping and furnishing.

Similar Court Buildings are located at Agbani, Awgu, Obollo Afor, Udi, Enugu-Ezike, Oji-River, Ikem, etc.

Enugu State is in the hands of God!##

Oji River LGA, Enugu State, gets a special link road built by Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s administration

This is the new look of the popular Agbalenyi/Enugu-Onitsha Expressway link road in Oji River Local Government Area of Enugu State.

Any road user, who plied this link road, prior to the intervention by the administration of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, will testify how deplorable the road was.

Today, this all-important road has been reconstructed to standard by the Ugwuanyi administration, with sizeable drainage on both sides to ensure its durability, to serve the public better.

Enugu State is in the hands of God!##

Gov. Ugwuanyi @ Work Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

This is the new face of General Hospital, Agbani, in Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State, being completed by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s administration in furtherance of its efforts in upgrading health facilities in the urban and rural areas for quality and affordable healthcare delivery.

The Ugwuanyi administration recently rehabilitated the former Udi District Hospital and Polly Clinic, Asata with new structures and upgraded them to General Hospitals.

The General Hospital Nsukka has also been upgraded and fully equipped awaiting inauguration.

Enugu State is in the hands of God.##

Enugu COVID-19 Update:

The Enugu State Ministry of Health has confirmed 3 new cases of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in the state. They all have travel history.

Two of the new cases are male patients admitted for other severe underlying conditions. They are being treated at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Enugu, and who on a high index of suspicion were transferred to the hospital's holding area while the State’s rapid response team was contacted for sample collection.

The other case is also a male patient who developed symptoms and contacted the COVID-19 emergency number. He was assessed and subsequently invited for sample collection.

The results came out positive today. On a sad note, one of the patients in UNTH with severe underlying conditions had died before the results returned.

Two of these cases hail from Nkanu West LGA of Enugu State and the other from Enugu North LGA.

Two of them came into Enugu State from Lagos while the other person came in from Rivers State.

On a positive note, 3 more cases have tested negative and consequently discharged from the isolation and treatment centres.

Thus, the current state of COVID-19 cases in Enugu State is as follows: 30 reported cases, 13 active, 16 discharged and 1 death.

To avoid COVID-19, do not forget to;

Stay home when it is not absolutely necessary to go out
Wear a facemask/covering whenever you must go out
Keep a safe distance from other people at all times, which is social/physical distancing and avoid crowded places
Practice good respiratory hygiene (when coughing or sneezing)
Clean surfaces with a 1 in 6 concentration of bleach and water
Wash your hands with soap for 20 seconds under running water as often as possible
And when facilities for handwashing are unavailable, sanitize your hands as often as possible using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer

When You do these, you protect me, and when I do these, I protect you.

If despite your efforts, however, you develop symptoms or know anyone who may have developed symptoms, please call the following numbers;

08182555550 or 0902233383 or the NCDC number 080097000010

Someone will speak with you and get your details.

Stay Safe!

Signed
Dr. Obi Emmanuel Ikechukwu
Commissioner for Health, Enugu State.

Enugu State is in the hands of God! ##

slimfit1:
Stop posting pictures, please nothing is working it's pointless.

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Designed to hunt and destroy tanks, the MI-35M can operate in all weathers day or night, classify and priortise up to 200 targets in a matter of seconds and is currently the most heavily armed aircraft in the NAF

#COVID-19 Update:

... As govt gives details of one new case

The Enugu State Ministry of Health announces that five (5) COVID-19 confirmed positive cases in the state have tested negative and consequently discharged from the isolation and treatment centres.

However, one more positive case has been confirmed in the state.

Total number of cases for Enugu State is now 19, with 6 active cases and 13 discharged.

The new COVID-19 patient (Case 19) is a 40 year old female, who hails from Igbo-Etiti LGA of Enugu State and returned home from Lagos State in violation of the restriction order on inter-state movement.

The State Ministry of Health with massive support from the Governor, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and the State Executive Council (EXCO), has continued to provide treatment for the existing cases, respond to emergency alerts, carry out contact tracing and follow up on suspects.

The directives of the Federal and Enugu State governments and the public health advisories of the Federal Ministry of Health, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, and the Enugu State Ministry of Health, remain as important as ever and should be strictly adhered to.

Stay home when it is not absolutely necessary to go out.

Wear a facemask/covering whenever you must go out

Keep a safe distance from other people at all times, which is social/physical distancing and avoid crowded places.

Practice good respiratory hygiene (when coughing or sneezing)

Clean surfaces with a 1 in 6 concentration of bleach and water.

Wash your hands with soap for 20 seconds under running water as often as possible.

And when facilities for hand washing are unavailable, sanitize your hands as often as possible using an alcohol based hand sanitizer.

When You do these, you protect me, and when I do these, I protect you.

Let us Stay Safe!

Signed
Dr. Obi Emmanuel Ikechukwu
Commissioner for Health, Enugu State.

Enugu State is in the hands of God!

Pushing further a transformational vision of Enugu State, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi continues to deploy special focus and an intimate understanding of his turf to address key human development, infrastructure, economic and sundry challenges and perhaps not surprisingly, is indeed changing the Enugu story.

As his administration clocks its fifth year, the unassuming, highly focused former national legislator has simply reaffirmed the enduring truth that, indeed, political inclusion, empathetic human development and justice are the first conditions of a viable democracy.

Gov. Ugwuanyi took over the mantle of leadership of Enugu State on May 29, 2015, when the country was in recession as a result of drastic drop in the crude oil prices in the international market. Consequently, the state was confronted with paucity of funds coupled with inherited debts and other huge wage bills to be serviced.

It could not be disputed that the nation’s economic challenges adversely affected the state’s allocations from the federation account, to the extent that there were limited funds to attend to development issues and other sundry needs of the public.

Enugu’s purse grew leaner as federal allocations dwindled to an all-time low – a source of worry the past governor of the state, Barr. Sullivan Chime acknowledged during the thanksgiving Mass to commemorate the end of his administration.

This undoubtedly posed a serious threat to the speedy actualization of the governor’s well-thought-out vision for the people of the state as contained in his administration’s four-point agenda.

The situation was so bad that 27 states, excluding Enugu State, could not pay workers’ salaries, let alone embark on capital projects. The governors resorted to bailout funds unlike their predecessors who had access to the excess crude oil funds which enabled them to execute sundry capital projects.

Despite all these challenges, Gov. Ugwuanyi remained undaunted and focused in his vision to build Enugu State of the founding fathers’ dream, where everybody irrespective of class, religion or political association is given equal rights to dividends of democracy, in a peaceful and secure environment.
The fulcrum of his administration’s policy thrust was centered on peace, grassroots development drive and knowledge-driven economy through innovations to “harness those potentials which free oil money has blinded us from exploiting”. His vision was to lead the state out of the economic crunch and rekindle the confidence of the people, especially the lowly and long neglected in the rural communities, in a viable, participatory democracy.

The neglect hitherto suffered by the majority of the state’s population in the rural areas was overbearing and created a hydra-headed imbalance in the distribution of democracy dividends between urban and rural inhabitants. It was a winner-takes-all scenario, as concentration of development projects in Enugu metropolis became the only barometer to assess performance of a government in the state.

In his inaugural address after assuming the mantle of leadership in 2015, following an overwhelming endorsement at the poll by the people of Enugu State, Gov. Ugwuanyi, as a grassroots-politician, promised to pay special attention to rural development. His decision was anchored on the fact that the majority of the people of Enugu State reside in the rural areas and deserve a sense of belonging, peace and reward of good governance.

This was in line with his vision to “deploy government services to create fair and equal opportunity for every willing citizen to make a living and create wealth, educate our children, and enjoy life in a peaceful and secure environment”.

Five years down the line, Gov. Ugwuanyi’s administration has vigorously and religiously pursued this lofty vision, closing the urban-rural imbalance in the distribution of basic amenities. Consequently, his administration has constructed and rehabilitated over 600 kilometres of road across the state, mostly in the rural areas.

Gov. Ugwuanyi has ensured an enduring peace in the state, a cherished feat that has made it possible for the state’s political leaders to unite and forge a common force for progress and rapid development. One is therefore proud to say that peace is now synonymous with Enugu State.

As the long-neglected communities in Enugu State are appreciating the people’s governor for remembering them with one development project or another, the state workers are singing praises and dancing on the streets of Enugu, also in appreciation of the governor’s exceptional love and commitment to their welfare and for the existing cordial government-labour relationship.

The most recent experience was the workers’ “Thank-you” visit to Ugwuanyi for being the first governor of the state, since the inception of democracy in 1999, to pay them the minimum wage without rancour.

Beyond this, workers’ salaries are paid on the 23rd of every month while pensions are also paid regularly, with or without receipt of statutory allocations from the federation account – even at the time 27 states could not pay because of nation’s economic meltdown. Again, the state government has remained consistent with the payment of the “13th month” salary to workers as Christmas bonus.

This was as a result of the impressive performance of the Enugu State Internal Revenue Service in raising the state’s internally generated revenue (IGR), following the far-reaching reforms introduced by the Ugwuanyi administration.

There is no doubt that Gov. Ugwuanyi’s rural development policy coupled with his uncommon leadership style has indeed dignified him as a great asset to the people of Enugu State, who in gratitude overwhelmingly reelected him with an unprecedented 95.54 percent of the votes cast, the highest in the history of the country.

As the governor was in a hurry, hitting the ground running to fully actualize his administration’s promises after reviewing the public sector for optimal service delivery, the world was hit with the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic, which brought the socio-economic life of the people and governments to a standstill, forcing government structures across the globe to review their policies and development agenda and focus on health.

Despite this, Ugwuanyi’s administration responded swiftly and expediently to contain the spread of the virus in the state and ensure that the effect of the pandemic does not adversely affect the state’s development programmes. His administration immediately approved and released N350 million to the State COVID-19 Multi-Sectoral Rapid Response Team to tackle the health challenge. It also ensured that the effect does not harmfully affect the people, especially the lowly and less privileged, through the ongoing distribution of palliatives. In spite of the pandemic and its obvious adverse economic effects, state workers have continued to receive their full salaries while various degrees of welfare packages were approved for the health workers as incentive to battle the virus.

As Isolation and Treatment Centres for COVID-19 were established and fully equipped in the University town of Nsukka and the ESUT Teaching Hospital Parklane, Enugu, the ultramodern Enugu State Medical Diagnostic Centre in Enugu, completed by the Ugwuanyi administration, was also equipped and designated as isolation and treatment centre to enhance the state’s preparedness and capacity to fully tackle the pandemic should the disease escalate.

In furtherance of all this, the Ugwuanyi’s administration is presently carrying out a massive reconstruction and construction of new structures at the Colliery Hospital Enugu, which has been designated as an Infectious Disease Isolation and Treatment Centre. Importantly, Gov. Ugwuanyi has continued to keep wake at night and also visit state’s land boundaries to monitor and enforce Presidential directive on 8pm-6am nationwide curfew and inter-state movement restriction order, respectively.

Prior to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, the state government had made a mark in the health sector such as the construction and renovation of district hospitals and health centres in the state, especially in the rural areas under the primary healthcare programme; the upgrade of Udi District Hospitals and Polly Clinic, Asata, to General Hospitals, after their rehabilitation; construction of 200-bed Igbo Ano Specialist Hospital, Enugu North Senatorial District, to serve as facilities for the ESUT College of Medicine that has been relocated to Nsukka; the launch of the Universal Health Coverage to provide comprehensive health care delivery to residents of the state, among others.

On security, apart from various interventions in enhancing the security architecture to sustain the state’s enviable status as one of the most peaceful and safest in the country, Ugwuanyi’s administration recently procured and donated 100 units of Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM) patrol vans equipped with communication gadgets to the security agencies to aid their operations in the state. The state government engaged 1,700 novel Forest Guards (first to do so in the South East zone), repositioned the Vigilante/Neighborhood Watch groups and purchased 260 security vehicles for their Community Policing operations.

Five newly procured IVM fire-fighting trucks were handed over to the state fire service, for the five newly constructed fire service stations across the three senatorial districts of the state, to enhance their efficiency and effective response to emergencies.

On infrastructure, some of the signature road projects include the remodeled ancient, historic and undulating 11km Milliken Hill-Ngwo-9th Mile road – a tourist attraction and state’s natural roller coaster; the state-of-the-art 12km Opi-Nsukka dual carriageway with a spur to the UNN gate; the Ebonyi River Bridge, Ikem; the 31km Udenu Ring road with two high-tech bridges; Iva Valley road, Enugu; the 8.8km Nkalagu-Eha Amufu road in Isi-Uzo LGA, neglected for over 35 years; the 26.66km Ukpabi-Nimbo-Ugbene Ajima-Eziani road in Uzo-Uwani LGA and the 22.443km Neke-Mbu-Ogbodu Aba-Obollo Etiti inter-community road linking Isi-Uzo and Udenu LGAs being constructed by the state government in conjunction with the Rural Access and Mobility Project (RAMP-2).

Others include the newly inaugurated 13km Nike Lake junction-Harmony Estate-Amorji Nike-Adoration Pilgrimage Centre – Orie Emene road, constructed across the thick forest of Umuchigbo community, linking the ever-busy and thickly populated Abakpa Nike with Emene satellite town in Enugu East LGA; 8.2km Inyi-Akpugoeze road in Oji River LGA, the Ituku Road in Awgu LGA and the Amurri road in Nkanu West Local Government Area constructed for a hitherto neglected community that has not experienced any form of government development on its land in the past 100 years, etc.

It would be recalled that Ugwuanyi’s administration, three months in office, spearheaded the massive development of urban and rural roads across the three senatorial districts of the state, in Emene, Abakpa-Nike, 9th Mile Corner and the University town of Nsukka. Shortly after, 35 grassroots development projects across the 17 Local Government Areas of Enugu State, were simultaneously awarded and executed, ensuring that every council benefited at least one project from the programme.

The N10 million “one community, one project” scheme, also recorded a huge success in expanding development to the frontiers of the rural areas – an initiative that gives every community in the state the opportunity to decide their priority projects. This also ensures that communities that have never experienced any government presence benefit, accordingly.

The first phase of the Enugu State Secretariat annex in Nsukka satellite town is nearing completion while the construction of the Nsukka Township Stadium and more internal roads in Nsukka town are ongoing, in keeping with the governor’s inaugural address to equip and modernize the University town of Nsukka as the second largest town in Enugu State.

In achieving all these landmarks, the Enugu urban is not left out as numerous roads and other infrastructure were rehabilitated in line with the state’s urban renewal drive. Some of them include: the Holy Trinity Street and Bishop Michael Eneje Street, Independence Layout, Enugu; Mount Crescent, GRA, Enugu; Orofia Street, off Nza Street, Independence Layout, Enugu; Dental School – Tipper Garage road, Trans Ekulu, Enugu; Loma Linda- Timber Shed road, Maryland, Enugu; Nwafia Street, Independence Layout, Enugu; Mbanefo Street, New Haven, Enugu.

Others include, the Secretariat Road, G.R.A, Enugu; Court Avenue by new State Secretariat, Enugu; Ibuza Street at Independence Layout, Enugu; Isi Uzo Street at Independence Layout, Enugu; Owerri Road and Poly Clinic Road, Asata, Enugu; Carter street, off Ogui road; renovation of the Enugu State House of Assembly Complex and rehabilitation and re-asphalting of the popular Michael Okpara Square, Enugu, and a host of others, including various intervention on federal roads.

The first Enugu State Customary Court of Appeal Headquarters complex and other infrastructural development projects in the State Judiciary are standing tall as among the legacy projects of the Ugwuanyi administration. Adjacent to the popular Michael Okpara Square, Enugu is the Unity Park formerly known as Forest Reserve, wearing a new look to serve as a tourist attraction and a place for relaxation and recreation when completed. The vision behind the interventions at the park is also to preserve the state’s heritage for generations yet unborn.

A lot of new projects are ongoing and more contracts are being awarded to improve the people’s standard of living in spite the state’s lean resources and outbreak of COVID-19.

On education and empowerment, over 5000 primary and secondary school teachers have been recruited in the last five years while 897 classroom blocks and other school projects have been constructed, renovated and/or equipped with learning tools to improve the standard of education in the state. Above all, a review of primary and secondary classroom blocks across the state is ongoing for a comprehensive intervention by the state government.

While landmark interventions are being witnessed in the state-owned tertiary institutions, it is pertinent to note that the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu, under this present administration had its first convocation after 11 years.

The first phase of the traders empowerment scheme assisted 3,600 genuine traders with the sum of N50,000 each to grow their various businesses. 750 youths were empowered in skills acquisition under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) programme. 680 indigent engineering students of Enugu State Polytechnic, Iwollo, Ezeagu L.G.A and the IMT, Enugu, were awarded scholarship for four years of academic studies as well as the recent scholarship offered to 22 indigent post-secondary school students who are presently studying at Mewar University, India. Importantly, the state government, two years ago, launched the Enugu Clean Team Project which has engaged 1000 youths (additional 1000 underway) in cleaning up the state to enhance and sustain its rating as one of the healthiest and cleanest cities in the country, among others.

The economic indices of Enugu State have remained favorable in the eyes of observers as the state’s ratings have been outstanding in the last five years, such as the second most advanced state in Nigeria towards the frontier of global good practices with regards to Ease of Doing Business, by the World Bank Group, and the most recent- the 9th best performing state in terms of IGR for the year 2019, among others.

From the above highlights, it is indisputable that Gov. Ugwuanyi has performed creditably and has remained committed to his solemn mandate to continue to reward ‘Ndi Enugu’ with peace and good governance and build Enugu State of the founding fathers’ dream. Let us, therefore, continue to pray and support his development and people-centered administration as he continues to create a genuinely humane society. Happy Anniversary! Enugu State is truly in the hands of God!

Amoke writes from Enugu State

By Rt Hon Razak Atunwa

It has been one year since the present government in Kwara State was ushered in through a sea breeze of change. It was seemingly a reflection of a general feeling of peoples malcontent with the system as it then was. The whys and wherefores of that event will be left for discussion on another day. As they say, we are where we are. It is now one year that this APC government has been in power. It is therefore a reasonable and legitimate exercise to audit and comment on its performance so far.

Governance is no child’s play. It requires more than the superficial aesthetics of driving oneself around in a Hilux van in an attempt to court populist applause. Governance requires hard work, commitment, dedication to duty and ability to confront and resolve both the mundane and exceptional tasks. Governance requires an ability to balance the various competing factors for the maximum benefit of the masses. It follows therefore that the monotonous finger-pointing at past administration’s purported deficiencies does not cut the mustard and does not benefit the people who elected you into power.

To be fair, this Government should not be benchmarked against other more prosperous states of the federation, regardless of which regions they are. However, the irreducible minimum benchmark has to be the manifesto and campaign promises made to the electorate. Let us therefore evaluate some critical sectors.

THE ECONOMY. In this broad category, there are a number of specific campaign promises made by Kwara APC to the electorate as follows:

JOBS: Kwara APC said that they would create thousands of jobs for the youths of Kwara State on the basis that they will attract investment into the State and also support small and medium enterprises to grow. In the first few months of the administration the Governor was seen globe-trotting solo (USA, Japan, South Africa etc), in the name of looking for “investors”. It is quite disappointing that, after spending so much taxpayers money on these foreign trips, he has not been able to bring a single company to invest in Kwara. Never mind the foreign companies, not even a local Nigerian company has come to invest in Kwara.

This situation can be contrasted with the job creating initiatives of the previous administrations such as Kwara State University (KWASU), International Aviation College, Harmony Advanced Diagnostic Centre and the privately owned Kwara Mall. All these enterprises still employ hundreds of kwarans till today.

MINIMUM WAGE: During the campaign, Kwara APC gave strong assurances that, if elected, they would immediately adopt and pay the new minimum wage of N30,000. Sadly, the Governor has not only reneged on this promise, but has positively taken steps to frustrate its actualisation. First he set up committees to try and delay the matter. When that didn’t work, he orchestrated the committee report to be incomprehensible and unacceptable to Labour. In the end, he simply tossed the whole thing to the sideline never to be spoken of again.

Kwara State is predominately a civil service state. Therefore, if you want to improve your economic growth, you simply cannot ignore uplifting the welfare and purchasing power of your largest employed sector. This was the driving force which led the immediate past administration to implement recommendations of Bukola Saraki led administration that minimum wage should be increased from N5,500 to N18,000 per month. Any Government that cares about its workforce will not keep its workers in penury especially when cost of living has risen exponentially.

SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES (SMEs): The other vital sector of Kwara’s economy is the Small and Medium-sized enterprises that litter every corner and facet of the State- the market women; the petty trader; the electronics trader; the furniture maker; the mechanics; the transporters; the tailors etc. They were promised heaven and earth by Kwara APC during campaign. Sadly, rather than delivering on those promises, these entrepreneurs have been on the receiving end of government draconian actions. Shops have been forcefully closed down and destroyed without compensation on the basis that they “deface” the city. They have been levied higher taxes way beyond their ability to pay. Business are folding up by the day.

ROAD CONSTRUCTION: It is quite pitiful to read the list of achievements that the Kwara State Government is bandying about on social media. A small collection of on-going 1 to 3 kilometre roads totalling about 33km. This is exceptionally shameful. It is nothing to write home about. To be sure, the last two administrations executed road projects measured in hundreds of kilometres in their first years.

EDUCATION: The education sector has not witnessed any improvement under this government. No new schools have been built. No meaningful renovation program has been embarked upon. Schools have been left to deteriorate. Rather than reduce fees as promised, this government has increased fees for KWASU.

HEALTH: Despite the noisy campaign promises, this government has not deemed it fit to undertake any significant capital project in the health sector. With the exception of a handful few, all the equipments present in state-owned health facilities today are those purchased by the last two previous administrations. The occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic has really exposed the ineptitude of the Kwara State Government. Whilst the Federal Government and other State Governments have been very proactive in managing the crises, the response in Kwara can be described as mediocre and lack-lustre at best. It is worthy of note that the Governor, as Chief Executive, failed to take the lead in managing the crisis. In fact, he has been conspicuously absent on the issue, having originally gone into hiding at the initial outbreak of the crisis in the state.

An analysis of all other sectors will yield the same results.

This spectacular failure by the Kwara State Government so far is evidence that the Governor and his Party were not prepared for governance. Having won an unexpected victory, and thrown in at the deep end, they now seem completely lost at sea.

It took the Governor almost 7 months from swearing-in to appoint Commissioners. After such a long wait, all he could muster was a motley collection of administrative and political novices and neophytes who have no experience in running government. The Special Advisers and Assistants are not much better except one or two very experienced well known former original Sarakites.

Even more shocking is the fact that ever since the formation of the cabinet, there has only been one State Executive Council meeting held. It means therefore that for the last one year, decisions have been taken autocratically in Kwara State by the Governor. The normal safeguard of the constitutionally provided cabinet decisions have been completely eroded.

It is therefore not surprising that the Governor does not wish let the Freedom of Information Bill come to light. He has tossed that can back to the House of Assembly in the guise of effecting “minor amendments”. This is obviously a design to ensure that the House kills the Bill.

It would be generous if one described this Kwara State Goverment as ‘under- performing’. The stark reality is that this administration is ‘non-performing’.

As I have said before, the job of opposition is not to be blindly negative, but to constructively criticise the Government. No true Kwaran would want its government to fail, whatever the Party affiliation. I wish civil servants