From Maurice Okafor, Enugu.
It is a misconception to equate the stage of socio infrastructural development obtained within Enugu city as a parameter to mark the rate of socio infrastructural development obtained in Enugu state,most especially since the inception of the fourth republic dispensation 1999 to the present time.
Whereas the population of Nigerians residing in Enugu metropolis[both indigents and non indigents] are estimated to be 30 percent of the entire population of the state, the remaining 70 percent who are mostly indigents resides in the sub urban and rural communities of the state.
From the records, Enugu is a cosmopolitan city established in 1908 by the British colonial masters,with track record of development as the capital of defunct Eastern Nigeria,Capital of defunct East central state,Capital of old Anambra state,Capital of old Enugu state and presently the capital of new Enugu state,in other words ‘Wawa state’ as was wished by it’s founding fathers.
It was gathered that the major aim of the founding fathers and elders who led the struggle for creation of Enugu[Wawa]state was basically to endear socio infrastructural development to settlements and villages outside the Enugu metropolitan city. In return,harnessing their potentials for socio economic growth of the state,development and welfare of the people.
With the age long dream of the founding fathers like late Chief C.C.Onoh, Igwe Abangwu, Late Senator Isaiah Ani,late Senator B.C Okwu, late Enechi Onyia[SAN] among others, coming true in 1996, the return of democratic dispensation in 1999,provided the opportunity for the indigent politicians with executive powers to walk the talk.
From all indications, It has been an arduous task for successive civilian administrations in Enugu state to endear social amenities that will improve on the welfare of rural communities, develop more towns and city outside Enugu metropolitan with viable economic, social and education related institutions or industries.
24 years after,Since the return of the on going civilian administration in the country,much has been achieved in this direction while more are being expected from successive administrations of the state.
Obviously,a pradigm shift geared towards changing the narratives of clustering industries and higher institutions within the Enugu metrepolitan was pioneered by Senator Chimaroke Nnamani as governor of Enugu state[1999 to 2007].
He did quite a lot of projects to drive development outside the Enugu metropolitan city which seemingly needs de congestion and reduce the rate of rural to urban migration.. Instances, the initiative to relocate and develop the permanent site of Enugu State University of Science and Technology[ESUT] at a virgin land at Agbani, is gingering socio economic development of Agbani and nearby environments.
Settlements and increase of other human activities are building up around the axis, as a result of economy of scale of the university. The Law school at Agbani and the Renaissance university at Ugbawka are some of the legacy projects,which currently turnng the geographical space of Agbani and surrounding communities into township with increased commercial and other economic activities on daily basis.
Amidst opening up rural communities in the task to develop more towns that will advertently boost socio economic activities and welfate of the citizenry, ex governor Chimaroke Nnamani administration in Enugu state,still impacted meaningfully in the Enugu metropolitan city.
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It is worthy to mention that the administration of Ex governor Nnamani in Enugu state endeared social amenities across several communities in Enugu state in addition to the facelift of Enugu metropolis. Under his administration, the Ebeano tunnel, Otigba junction, New haven primary school by Nza street Independence layout by pass road was constructed,among others.
From 2007 to 2015, Ex governor Sullivan Chime, made indelible marks in uplifting the socio infrastructural development of Enugu state.He constructed alsphalted roads further into the rural communities. Ex. Governor Chime particularly re constructed most dilapidated roads in Enugu metropolis. The Ziks avenue and Agbani roads were dualised. Enugu city was equally beautified with street lights while attempts were made to copy and extend such services to sub urban by some council chairmen.
Checks revealed that the stable economic situation in the country as at then with increased revenue from excess crude to the states and local government areas from the federation account, enabled some local government chairmen in Enugu state, to construct asphalted roads in their communities and council headquarters, thereby enhanced the provision of social amenities in their council areas. It was more of a competition among the Enugu local government chairmen in Enugu state as at then, to boast publicly of the projects they executed in their council area,ranging from rural roads, Water boreholes and reticulation of water in their communities, electricity and renovation of schools,among others.
From 2015 till date,Enugu state under Governor Ugwuanyi administration has tremendously impacted in the socio economic and infrastructural development of Enugu state. Wholesomely, his administration has carved a niche in transforming the rural areas with lots of social amenities, executing rural projects projects while maintaining decaying social infrastrure in Enugu metropolitan city.
Amidst, the dwindling resources accruing to the state from the monthly federal allocation ,Governor Ugwuanyi seemingly kept fate with the vision and object of gingering development of the state rural communities,with indelible foot prints in the state capital,for having constructed the first state of the art flyover Enugu in the history of Enugu metropolitan city.
The Abakpa Nike to Opi to Nsukka flyover is one major achievement of G6vernor Ugwuanyi administration that is easing the burden of traffic hold up initially encountered by commuters traveling from Enugu to Nsukka and even Northern parts of the country and vice versa.
The road network into the rural areas executed by Governor Ugwuanyi administration is unparalleled and are already enhancing development of several communities in the state, as some of the rural dwellers now have easy access to transport and market their agricultural products directly to the buyers, etc.For instance, the reconstruction and expansion of 9th mile at Milliken hills connecting the whole communities in Ngwo to Udi through old road,Nachi and Oji River town,which by the left turn links Achi to Inyi and Akpugoeze communities, all in Enugu state connects border towns in Ufuma Anambra state.
The route is providing a whole lot of inter community commercial activities and potentials for small and media enterprises to be established by private investors . The road is complementing the usage of Enugu to Awka and Onitsha by old road and by implication reducing pressure and traffic gridlock on it.
The Opi to Nsukka adjoining other communities up to Uzo Uwani which is another border to Anambra state is a major achievement of Governor Ugwuanyi administration. Most communities in Uzo Uwani local government area are now interconnected with their neighbouring communities through the reconstructed newtwork of roads by Governor Ugwuanyi administration.
Under APPEALS project, Enugu state government led by governor Ugwuanyi is partnering with the world bank to enhance production and processing of cashew nuts, rice,maize amd poultry farming in the state. Over two thousand women and unemployed youths ase currently engaged in this production process with value chains.
The arduous task of upgrading the university to of Nsukka into another township in Enugu state,has turned into reality. The dualisation of the major tarmac and interconnectivity of road network has given Nsukka a facelift. The streets lights are exceptional. The present administration in Enugu state under Governor Ugwuanyi has constructed a befitting township stadium at Nsukka.
The possibility of designating the stadium to host Nigerian league matches at Nsukka in the near future cannot be ruled out. A teeming population of football fans who are enthusiast on watching league matches lives in Nsukka. An annexe of the State secretariat at Nsukka for administrative convinienceses is also a legacy project of Governor Ugwuanyi.
The establishment of the State University of Medicine and Applied Sciences[SUMAS] Igbo Eno, in fainess meets the people at the point of their need. The coming of SUMAS provides opportunity for Nigerians living in Enugu North senatorial district and beyond to attend a sophisticated specialist in case of emergencies and major diseases without distance as a barrier. Prior to the estabvlishment of SUMAS, Nigerians living in that part of Enugu state are most of the time handicapped in taking patients who need emergent attention to Enugu State University Teaching Hispital,Park lane Enugu,due to long distance.
The SUMAS has also come to increase the chances of aspiring Nigerian students in gaining admission to study medicine as their choice. The quality and standard of the institution ranks it among the best in the country,established by any state in Nigeria in recent times.
The economy of scale of SUMAS lies on the fact that it will endear socio economic development of it’s neraby coummunities,Nsukka as an emerging township and Enugu
state generally.
Human Empowerment is one sector,where the present administration in Enugu state led by Governor Ugwuanyi has exceedingly done well. Outside the civil service commission, a unique system whereby Youths and women are trained to acquire skills and given seed money to establish their own businesses is a programme rolled out in the state and has continued under Sustainable Development Goals[SDG’S] since 2017.
Checks revealed that under SDG’s 2017 project, Enugu state a total of 793 Enugu youths were trained to acquire skills on how to bake bread, Cosmetology Solar inverter installation,Photography and Video editing,Decoration, Bakery etc. The training which lasted for two months were held at designated point in each of the three senatorial districts of the state.
Those from Enugu East district were tutored at Enugu South council headquarters. Those from Enugu North senatorial district had their training at Udenu local government headquarters while their Enugu West counterparts were trained at Ezeagu.
At the end of the training,each of the trainees were given a seed money of One hundred and fifty thousand(N150.000) each to establish their own micro business from the training they had. They were initially given transport money each to enable them participate in the training.
The SDG consultant and focal person in Enugu state,Mrs Mabel Agbo,said the exercise was a benevolence from Governor Ugwuanyi to reduce unemployment among the youths in the state. She expressed optimism that the trainees will mature with their areas of specialization and succeed so as to become employers of Labour.
The consultant and chief trainer,Mrs Jaycee,stressed that the trainees under went every practical aspect of the training,so they can do it by themselves. She revealed that the trainees were also taught on how to manufacture the products manually and succeed until they make enough money to buy industrial machines by themselves.
According to her, the manual aspect involves use of some locally manufactured machines,stating the 150,000 seed money is enough to purchase the trainees, the local machine they need.
Some of the trainees assured they will utilize the opportunity provided for them by the state government to fend for themselves and hopefully become employers of labour.
In the social and security secotor, Gov Ugwuanyi administration also provided employment opportunities for unemployed Enugu youths to be employed as Forest guards to stem the tide of alleged killings and destruction of farm crops by suspected Fulani herdsmen. The state administration in it’s upbeat to sustain the neatness of Enugu metropolis engaged a lot of youths as cleaners,who usually work on weekend.
Ugwuanyi administration revived the state Fire service from it’s moribund nature to active service. Training and retraining of able bodied young men and purchase of sophisticated fire fighting equipment reduced drastically fire oriented disasters in the state . The Engr OhAa led fire service has remained up and doing in the discharge of their duties. Talking preventive steps by training traders on the usage of Fire extinguisher and fire balls freely provided by the state government is a culture that need to be sustained in Enugu.
In addition,efficient and equipped fire fighting stations are now established in the three senatorial districts of the state .
More of Governor Ugwuanyi’s land mark achievements in Enugu state will be pub5ished in subsequent edition.
