Ugwuanyi’s style of leadership has improved peaceful political atmosphere in Enugu – Commissioner  

Yes, a lot. There’s every reason for celebration. One year of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi in office is one year that should be remembered. This is so because before today some of us in the state had witnessed the cat and dog relationship that existed between the governors and their predecessors. If you go down memory lane, from Jim Nwobodo to Sullivan Chime, it has been trouble all the way. It appears that immediately a governor hands over to an incumbent, his retirement from politics begins. But since the beginning of this administration, we have not seen that kind of a thing. Instead, we have seen less resentment. We have rancor-free and transition that has brought a very good relationship between the former and the incumbent. You can equally notice that before today there were many abandoned projects in Enugu State and these projects were abandoned as a result of the fact that once a new government comes in, any uncompleted project by his predecessor would be turned into abandoned project. But this government said no to that ugly trend. This administration is continuing with every relevant project that has been abandoned by the previous government. The case study is the international conference centre. Before Governor Ugwuanyi came on board, the land where the centre is situated had been defaced, balkanised and allocated to individuals, but the government has recovered it. The compound has been cleared and we are at the threshold of completing one of the biggest halls there to act as an event centre for the state, not minding that we have economic crunch. When we finish it, we will reap the benefit in the long run.
Again, His Excellency has maintained the most peaceful political atmosphere in Enugu State because of his inclusive and consultative approach to every issue that is happening in the state. You can see that lots of appointments have been done; starting from the commissioners to executive assistants, caretaker chairmen, senior executive assistant and different Board chairmen and members and all these things took place without any complaint from any quarter because of proper consultation. You could remember that the entrance to the Ogbete Main Market was not passable when we came on board.  Because of the strategic nature of that market, it is the heart beat of Enugu in terms of trading and the entrance was not good, it does not give easy movement in and out of that market. The entrance is equally acting as a gate way to the headquarters of the Catholic Church in Enugu, so His Excellency did not waste time in fixing that road within the first two weeks in office. You know we Nigerians are very good in forgetting the past. If we have the picture of that road then and the present status of the road you will then understand what I am saying.

He procured 21 Hilux Jeeps to the security agencies to ensure that all hands are on deck towards the maintenance of peace in Enugu State. He gave out these vehicles and other logistics, to make sure there is no complaint in that sector. This helped to make the state one of the best states in the country in terms of security, which is why many people like to live in Enugu to operate their business in other
neighboring states. Because of proper security, night life is back in Enugu, the street lights are always on to the extent that you can drive in the night without noticing that your vehicle’s light is not on. Crime has reduced in the past one year.  People no longer snatch bags or money from people at odd hours. We have also made tremendous progress in area of traffic in the state. On assumption of office, traffic violators had some agents that were checkmating them, but they became so bad that they operate without rules and respect to the society; the masses complained and His Excellency listened and stopped all that. The action brought back the state to the “gentleman city” it was known for.

The governor has since cleared the arrears of salaries owed to workers. Now, he pays workers’ salaries on the 25th of every month. All the workers in Enugu State can attest to this. We do not owe anybody here.  There is a point I will like you to note, Enugu State used to be the second or third  to the last from the list of federal allocation account, but even some of the states  that  come before us are owing one payment or the other. Since we came into office there has never been any disagreement with the labour unions. Every place has been so peaceful. Again, when we came into office there was seven-month judicial industrial impasse, immediately the governor came into office he dialogued with them and got those challenges cleared. Therefore, the relationship between the judiciary and the state government is now cordial, nobody is complaining of anything.

The government of Governor Ugwuanyi has also procured and distributed 20 tractors to all the local government areas in the state. People who have interest in Agriculture are expected to make use of them. The focus on agriculture is because the oil which we depended on is no more there, so we use this to encourage people in agriculture. Because of the poor allocation from the centre and poor internally generated revenue, the government decided to constitute an economic advisory committee made up of eminent sons and daughters of the state. The economic summit was a brain child of the prudent management of the resources of the state. So, the governor through this economic advisory team organised an economic summit in the state tagged “Oganiru”, which held between April 12 and 14,  to find a way of beefing up the state IGR by showcasing the moribund companies to investors that are interested. It was a huge success, that today we are gradually picking up the dividends of that exercise. It will be pertinent if we pick the achievements of Ugwuanyi sector by sector.

Given the paucity of funds, can you say that government has delivered on infrastructure in the last one year?

The government has constructed and asphalted roads in Enugu metropolis. Some of them are Ogbete Main Market entrance road, Nkpokiti internal roads in Independent Layout; Nawfia Street road; Ben More Street, Samuelson Street, all in GRA. Others are Ibuzo Street; Holy Trinity Street; Bishop Eneje Street all in Independent layout, then Trans Ekulu fly over, Isiuzo and Mbanefo Streets in Independence Layout. These roads have been asphalted and completed. Outside Enugu metropolis many roads, culverts and bridges are been carried out. The first ones I mentioned have been completed; these ones I am going to mention are in various stages of completion, some have been completed, some have attended 80 percent, some 40, etc; it varies. These roads are Abakpa Nike, Nike road, it has been completed. Dualisation of Opi Nsukka road this one is ongoing and up to 70 percent, Amankwo Amaeke Ama breweries by pass at 9th Mile Corner, this one has been completed. If you are coming from Onitsha you do not need to drive to the round about that causes the traffic jam, just follow the by-pass and come to the front of premier breweries and continue your journey. That one has been completed. Then Ohum Oba junction, Emilikiani Ezimuno, Ezimagu, Emilikiobodaba, Amala Oboloafor, the popular name is Ring Road because these names we are calling now link one community to the other but they went in a ring form, so that ring road is ongoing. Then Enugu road, Nsukka Junction, Umuezebi to University gate is ongoing and it has reached about 70 percent. Post office roundabout, Odenigbo roundabout, Ogurugu roundabout, Ikenga Hotel roundabout, then Obeachala road junction, Umunkashi Mechanic Village, this one has gotten up to 80 percent. Then Amaeke Ngwo Nsude 9th Mile by-pass, we have two by-passes in 9th Mile; if you are coming from PH Express Road after Ugwuozo High School, there is a road by the right that is the by-pass, you are not going to meet the roundabout, so these two roundabouts- one from Enugu to Onitsha and the other one coming from Onitsha to Enugu- have been completed.
That was why during last December there was no complaint of traffic jam in the 9th Mile area. Other roads done by His Excellency is Orie Emene Rehab road; Adoration Ground road that is ongoing and it has attended 50 percent completion. Before today, we used to hear that Emene is near Enugu, but for some months now Emene is in Enugu because one can get to Emene within seconds like every other part of the state. The Airport roundabout Orie Emene, St Patrick and Ekeobinagu road has been fixed. So, these roads I have mentioned now are the ones that have attended various stages. We also have some bridges the governor is doing. Some of them are in-between some of these roads we have mentioned; one is the construction of Enyama River bridge. The river made it impossible for some communities in the areas to cross two local governments before they could come back to their own, but when the bridge is completed that challenge will be a thing of the past. We want to complete it before the apex of this raining season. The other one is Ebonyi Bridge located at Ikem in Isiuzo Local Government Area, it is ongoing. Since we are still talking about roads it is important to note that the governor has inaugurated state road maintenance agency to take care of the entire good road network in Enugu State. Just recently, the governor identified 25 roads from all the local government areas of the state. The first phase of the roads has been advertised and they are bidding for it now; so any moment from now those 25 roads will go on simultaneously in all the 17 local government areas of Enugu State.

May we know what is happening to public buildings in Enugu State?

This government has successfully completed the Lion Building House. The former administration started it but a lot of things remained undone. We have also renovated the deputy governor’s office; the protocol unit and fuel dump all in the Government House. We equally completed the diagnostic centre Enugu which was started by the last administration. The government also continued work at the new secretariat with many accessories added. We also completed the work at the Enugu State liaison office in Abuja. All that I am saying is just to let you know about the continuity I am talking about; for some governors they will just abandon them and go into new ones.

The ministry has been renovated and four blocks has constructed at the vocational centre Emene. The wife of the governor, Monica Ugwuanyi, has also provided 59 wheel chairs to the physically challenged persons. The governor has equally paid bills for indigent nursing mothers, donated N5 million to Ituku-Ozalla Teaching Hospital for open heart surgery operations.

The governor has approved and released N2.9 million for the procurement of machines and computers for visually impaired students of CIC Enugu. He has equally approved and released N2 million for the renovation and equipment of classroom block at Queens School Enugu. He also visited one school at New Heaven where he promised to construct seven new classroom blocks.  He has built and distributed over 5000 three-sitter desk to the state schools in Enugu.Within one year we have been able to train 872 teachers across the state in the area of mathematics and sciences. We constructed 120 and renovated 213 classrooms in some primary schools. At the Enugu State College of Education Technical, the government released a big amount of money for the accreditation.  It is pertinent to know that for the past nine years there was no accreditation given to that school. With the release of money totaling about N52 million, the  college was able to secure accreditation and certificates have been awarded to those who have graduated nine years ago, and today, the institution is affiliated to Nnamdi Azikiwe University. Seven  buildings were also rehabilitated in that school; classroom desks supplied for a 100-capacity lecture theatre to the school; acquired 12 cars- six to the Deans and six to principal officers and as I am talking now construction is ongoing in internal roads of the that school.

What is the state of rural electrification and general development in the state?

The state government has electrified Oba community, extended electricity to old people’s home, and we have equally commissioned 16km inter town connection of Akpkwume, Ezine, Akpugo, Udume, Adada, Nkpologu and installation of 2.5 KVA sub-station at Akpakwume and Nze. This is done with the help of the Dam to help to develop agricultural development in that area. Another thing we did which is very important that is helping the state is the adoption of treasury single account (TSA). It has, in a very strong manner, curbed the leakages in our revenue.