From Maurice Okafor, Enugu
Barely four months in office, Pastor Engr. Beloved Dan Obi Anike has left no one in doubt that his administration will turn a new leaf in Enugu East local government area of Enugu state, in line with Governor Peter Mbah’s transformation agenda of the state through disruptive innovation.
Enugu East local government area comprises of several communities that makes up the ancient Nike kingdom and part of the Enugu metropolis.
However,the astronomical rate of urbanisation of the city has stretched into the serene and rural communities of Nike kingdom,who are very hospitable by nature. Thereby closing the gap between indigenes and non indigenes.
Speaking on Saturday, February 8,on a popular radio programme termed , ‘Freedom Square’ on Solid FM radio Enugu, anchored by a senior Journalist,Dr Uchenna Cyril Anioke, Pastor Dan Anike outlined his commitment to human capacity development while Igniting further infrastructural development of his council area to meet up with encroaching urbanisation of Nike land.
According to the Enugu East Council Chairman,the initiative of his administration to human capital development is to produce hitech manpower that will fit into the trending global age of technology.
As a matter of fact laying foundation that will leverage the poor indigenous rurals to excel in education to various levels while many others cab imbibe skills that will curtail manpower deficit among the indigenous Nike people and other Nigerians resident in Enugu East Council area.
To achieve these targeted goals, the Enugu East Council boss explained that informed the reason of the launch of the programme tagged,”Human Capital Development program and flag off of Registration for the state emerging tech skills program” of his administration. The event took place at the Enugu East Council headquarters on Friday, February 7.
At the event proper, Pastor Engr. Dan Anike said his administration was able to handover cheques to offset WAEC fees of every final year student in the 13 public schools across Enugu East Council area to their respective Principals. In all,the Council spent sixty million naira(N60m) to pay WAEC fees of a total of one thousand,seven hundred(1,700) students,comprising of both indigenes and non indigenes.
He stressed that he was moved to take such steps because a lot of people, especially poor women comes to his office to beg for school fees for their children.
He said he didn’t extend the largesse to final year students in private schools because if their parents or guardians can afford to pay the cost of enrolling them in private schools,they can easily afford to pay WAEC fees for them.
The Enugu East Council Chairman,Engr.Dan Obi Anike, stressed the Human Capital Development programme of his administration through education also includes awarding scholarship to 50 outstanding students so they can secure a better future. The progamme is tagged,”50 Greater Tomorrow Scholarship Scheme”.
Engr.Dan Obi Anike led administration in Enugu East local government area has also mapped out plans to one hundred persons in the Health and Education sector to enhance service delivery.The programme is tagged,”100 Middle -Level Professionals in Health and Education”.
Engr.Dan Obi Anike led administration in Enugu East Council area has also designed a Scholarship scheme for 100 students to study Medicine, Engineering,Law and Software Engineering.
Other initiatives aimed in improving Human Capacity Development of residents of Enugu East Council area, especially the indigenous people of Nike kingdom strategized by Engr.Beloved Dan Obi Anike includes bursary award to 500 undergraduates, study grants to 100 postgraduate students, sponsorship of Vocational skill development for 1000 persons and registering 150,000 persons into emerging tech programmes.
Answering questions from the audience on how he intends to achieve the above capital intensive gestures,Engr.Beloved Dan Obi Anike disclosed that he is not going to borrow money from any where, but will be saving for the project from every monthly allocation.
The Enugu East Council Chairman revealed that his administration is also making giant efforts to enhance social infrastures across nooks and crannies of Enugu East government area.
He disclosed that his administration has a task to open up a total of 480 access roads across Enugu East Council area. Compulsorily those leading to the Smart Schools and pre health centers being established by the state government. He commended Governor Mbah for opening up a total of 27 access roads in Emene alone.
He explained that his administration has embedded on the construction of access road linking Ibagwa linking Ajama,the Smart School and Ifuo Community,Abakpa. Also completed the bridge linking Ugwuomu and Okpete and the access road leading to Awhum water falls.
On Agriculture, Pastor Beloved Dan Obi Anike said he is not taking it for granted that the Council area is rich in farming with predominant farmers. To that extent,he already have arrangement to revive the Okpueke farm clusters which is over seventy percent closed down due to insecurity.
In addition,his administration is cuing into the state government directive of establishing farm estates by cultivating 200 hectares of land per ward. He mentioned he has secured arable lands for farm estates at Ugwuomu,Ugwogo, Neke Uno,Amokpo,Akpo Ogazi, among others.
Engr.Beloved Dan Obi Anike expressed optimism that the disruptive innovation agenda of development of Governor Mbah is helping so much to open up Enugu East government area,as the next point of residentail and economic hub of the state.
He appraised that the dualisation of Abakpa Nike to Ugwogo to Opi Nsukka road will pave way for additional economic activities in Enugu East Council area and gradually link up with Nsukka.
He disclosed that his local government administration is focusing on developing Ugwogo market as another destination point for socio economic and other related activities,where people from other towns both Northern and Southern Nigeria comes for food stuffs and agro allied products.
The Enugu East Council boss,Pastor Engr.Beloved Dan Obi Anike,in the two hour radio programme ,”Freedom Square’on Solid FM Enugu, pleaded for the support of the residents to Governor Mbah led administration in the state,assuring he will try as much as possible to replicate his quality services at state level in Enugu East Council area.
Engr.Beloved Dan Anike mentioned the Smart School project in every ward and pre health center as projects that provided equal opportunity to both children of the poor to attain viable education standards just as children of the rich. He said the bus terminals are comparable to what are obtained in civilized countries and will help to curtail transportation difficulties of residents as soon as it goes into operation.
