By Ginger Ibeneme II
Barr Chijioke Edeoga is from Eha-Amufu in Isiuzo LGA, ENUGU East Senatorial Zone.
He can be best described as a technocrat that has experienced politics – a gentleman candidate.
Chijioke is a journalist by profession having studied the course up to post graduate level in the UK, and engaged in the practice for about 17 years. He is also a lawyer by training.
Edeoga was first elected as Executive Chairman of Isiuzo LGA under UNCP. Within the 14 months span of that regime, he was able to clear a 9 months backlog of unpaid salaries of the LGA workers which had accumulated before his assumption of office, created and built a daily market in Eha-Amufu, created the Nkalagu-Eha-Amufu access road, provided electricity to Mgbiji , and many more .
These quick interventions marked him as a leader with the interest of his people at heart.
In 1999 Edeoga was elected as the Member representing his federal constituency in the national assembly for a term of 4 years. During that period he was appointed as the spokesman for the National Assembly due to his famed communication prowess.
Edeoga also was appointed SA to President Jonathan and served as liaison between the office of the president and the legislature.
On return, he was appointed as the ENUGU State Commissioner for Local Government. He again cleared months of owed salary arrears to the workers there , payment of Leave Allowances to LGA workers some as long as five years, cleared pension areas and commenced payment of gratuity to retirees which was hitherto suspended up to 16 years. It’s on record that since he left that ministry things have gone bad again.
Edeoga secured the promotion of Local Government Employees in the state which was also suspended for many years.
Under Edeoga’s watch implementation of 2006 scheme of service for LGA workers was secured in the state , which allowed the cadre to progress to GL 16 as Directors which they never were allowed to before then.
He also initiated the conduct of audit / capturing of LGA workers to avert the incessant discomforting so called “verification exercises” which was always used to deny workers their pay and peppertrate “Ghost -Workers ” scam . This act endeared Edeoga to the workers and of course angered the cartel in government who benefitted from the chaotic system.
When Edeoga was a moved to Ministry of Environment as commissioner, the ministry had long been balkernized. The sanitary arm of the ministry was upgraded to a parastatal under the office of the Governor . ESWAMA is therefore an independent parastatal under the office of the governor, and has no supervisory obligation of Ministry of Environment as has been misconstrued by many .
Edeoga habitually also introduced innovations into what was left of the ministry. He perfected the mapping and inventorying of minerals in the state to enhance planning and development, and limit illegal mining.
Pollutions and effusions were also captured for taxing . The ministry under his watch began to churn out huge revenues to the coffers of the state government and saw the leap in monthly revenue from 9 billion to 31 billion Naira.
So Edeoga can indeed be described as an innovator and technocrat who introduced innovations in every position he served in.
Few months ago Edeoga was coasting home to victory as the PDP Governorship candidate before the enemies of the state who feared that his uncompromising persona would deny them usual access to state resources , and they influenced the meddling of the establishment to deny him that ticket .
Facts however speak for themselves, Edeoga is the most experienced candidate in the race today . He is also perhaps the only one who has been politically exposed for decades , and yet has no single scandal, accusations or tribunal inquest over mismanagement or embezzlement.
Labour Party Enugu State approached him to fly their flag (having thoroughly assessed his resume) , and he was duly elected as the governorship candidate of LP ENUGU State for 2023 general elections . The same enemies of the state have continued trying to use their surrogates to stop him , knowing fully well that Chijioke Edeoga is the man to bit – a man that reversed the stagnation of civil servants , ensured the payment of lowly civil servants, took care of abandoned senior citizens, brought about reforms in institutions of government which he superintended and never soiled his hands.
Go and Verify !
*Dr Ginger Ibeneme II, wrote in from Rock Palace, Elugwu Akwu, Achi.
