By Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, Awka
Some groups of Enugu indigenes living in the diaspora have expressed commitment to strengthen relationship with the Enugu State Government in order to bolster investment and rebuild the state; growing its economy from $4.4 billion to $30 billion.
This was disclosed by Dr. Chy Agbayi, the National President of Enugu State Association in the United States (Enugu USA), while leading a delegation of other diaspora groups to the Enugu State Government House on Monday.
Dr. Agbayi, a medical practitioner in the United States, said that the group having noticed how bullish the state governor, Dr Peter Mbah, has been in developing the state, prioritizing education, healthcare, infrastructure, security of life and property and making the state attractive for investment, tourism and living, had come to commend him and also seek collaboration with his administration in developing Enugu.
According to her, Governor Mbah has demonstrated vision and purposeful leadership as his efforts in the area of human capital development, especially as it concerns education and health, have tremendously impacted lives.
“We are here today to commend His Excellency for the job he is doing for our state. Actually, when we came back, we were able to see many of what he has done and what he is still doing. We, the diasporians are here to see how we can collaborate with the state government to join them in the good work they are doing and see how we can foster more things that can help the economy of Enugu State.
“Our health care is a major thing that has been lacking for a long time, but currently, we are impressed with what the governor is doing in that sector. I am equally calling on other diasporians to join the governor in making Enugu our dream state,” Agbayi said.
Speaking, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, who represented the governor in the meeting, said that the Governor Mbah-led administration is a focused administration that translates every policy it makes into reality.
According to him, the state government had embarked on a massive infrastructural rebirth which include, building the Enugu Smart Green Schools to enable the young generation embrace the use of modern technology, 260 Type-2 primary healthcare facilities that will eliminate maternal and child mortality, as well as the revamping of all moribund assets across the state.
Governor Mbah recalled the government’s efforts in constructing and paving roads in the state, including opening up the rural areas and linking them to the urban cities, enabling farmers transport their goods to the cities and reducing post-harvest losses.
He added that the state was committed to increasing its revenue from the $4.4 billion to $30 billion as a way of boosting economic growth, job creation, and eradication of poverty through wealth creation.
Stressing that education has maintained a large share of 33% of the state’s 2024 and 2025 budgets, Governor Mbah promised to make the state a reference point for education, medical tourism, and inflow of investments.
He further noted: “In Enugu State, transparency, traceability and accountability is the key. We are intentional about everything we do in Enugu and that is why we do stakeholders engagements to ensure that our people are being carried along, enabling them to take ownership and by so doing ensuring sustainability.
“We are touching every sector. In our education, we have established the Institute of Experiential Learning where teachers are being trained and researches conducted before the pedagogic learning takes place in the classrooms. In our smart schools, we teach Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality, Robotics, Mechatronics, Argumented Realities, etc. This is to enable our kids to compete with their peers in developed countries.
In the health sector, the governor said: “There is no way a woman should die during childbearing. It was discovered that some women die during the prenatal stage. That was the idea behind the Type-2 primary health care centres, even as we are equally equipping other health care facilities in the state. We have a lot going on in our state, and our target in the area of human development and empowerment is to reduce our poverty headcount to zero,” he said.
Other participants in the meeting included the Special Adviser to the Governor on Diaspora Matters, Mrs. Olangwa Ezeukwu,
Also participating via Zoom were the presidents of Enugu diaspora organizations in the America’s, Europe, United Arab Emirates and South Africa.
