By KIZITO AWALU
Since his inauguration on May 29, 2015, Governor Lawrence Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi popularly known as “Gburugburu” has piloted the affairs of Enugu State impressively and, in doing so, has earned acclaim from the people. It wasn’t an endearment earned merely through political platitudes; his popularity stems from a genuine concern for the people’s welfare reflected in the numerous projects sited across the state’s 17 local government areas.
He came with a Midas touch, defying all odds to move the state to impressive heights by retooling its infrastructure and security. This is despite the severe recession that has literally left all but a few states in the lurch with many unable to meet statutory obligations such as paying salaries and pensions. Ugwuanyi easily fulfills these obligations as and when due and goes ahead to inspire radical thinking that has seen infrastructural development taken to many otherwise rural communities. The idea, ultimately, is to open up other towns and reduce the pressure on Enugu metropolis.
It is the same philosophy that inspired the vision to flag off 35 projects simultaneously across several communities in the state from rural electrification to pipe-borne water and provision of health facilities and access roads. It’s instructive that such remarkable scorecard was achieved even though Enugu is one of the states receiving the lowest federal allocations.
A man with a large heart, his many acts of philanthropy are not the kind that seeks out the limelight. They are shaped by his Christian faith and commitment to the common good. Tales of his humaneness are legendary. But he would rather that such gestures are kept away from the media even in cases where they occurred in the open such as when he broke his convoy on a highway to help an accident victim. Enugu has, in fact, never had it so good.
A significant feature of his administration is the committed rehabilitation of infrastructure, especially with regard to roads. But the attention is not limited to state roads. Substantial resources have equally been deployed to fix collapsed federal roads in the state. Undeniable evidence of his administration’s intervention in federal roads’ rehabilitation abound across the state, from Oji River-Ugwuoba stretch along the old Enugu-Onitsha highway down to the Anambra State border, and the upgrade of the 9th Mile Corner and adjoining axis.
It is, in fact, credit to the governor’s vision that the 9th Mile Corner which brought untold hardship to travellers who usually spent several hours in the pothole-induced traffic features well-tarred roads today. Rehabilitation from this axis has moved along the Opi-Obollo Afor highway to the border with Benue State which is another federal road.
The upgrade of the 9th Mile Corner was particularly instructive given the planned transformation of the area into an economic hub in line with the broader goals of the Enugu Free Trade Zone. It is projected that the axis, with the necessary socio-economic inputs will, as he had indicated in his inaugural speech, “speed up urban development, create fresh economic opportunities and reduce pressure on Enugu metropolis”.
These legacy projects as well as several others that dot the state’s landscape are inherently commendable. But the thoughts behind them are just as inspiring and worth celebrating. They were mostly preceded by careful needs assessment to ascertain the development exigencies of each community. So, they are not products of whimsical decisions. This scrupulous attention to detail is a characteristic of the Ugwuanyi administration and it is, to a large extent, the reason the governor has been quite prudent in managing Enugu State’s resources.
That is the reason, too, why communities which had for decades barely felt any government presence are experiencing some rejuvenation, and why people in villages long cut off from kith and kin due to absence of access roads, are today commuting with ease as an increasing number of bridges are built to open up rural areas.
His prudence also reflects in Enugu’s positive listing in BudgIT’s report of states and their capacity to meet statutory obligations. That report had indicated that only three states – Enugu, alongside Lagos and Rivers – are able to do so. Equally worth mentioning is the absence of political schisms being enjoyed in Enugu State today which is a direct reflection of the personality of Governor Ugwuanyi. He has since his inauguration brought all political stakeholders and leaders of thought together for a united Enugu State. Also, the cordial working relationship between the executive and the legislative arm is another eloquent testimony to Governor Ugwuanyi’s unassuming inclination.
The prevailing air of security is further enhanced by the reorganization and strengthening of the Neighborhood Watch Organization in all communities. He had actually donated the initial seed money of N100m and 85 motorcycles to reactivate the activities of vigilante groups in all the communities in the state to complement the efforts of the security agencies. He also undertook the procurement of 20 vehicles and offered sundry logistical support to security agencies. The result is that Enugu has been frequently described as one of the safest states in the country.
In the education sector, the Ugwuanyi administration also scores high. An example is the rehabilitation of over 276 primary and post-primary schools last year, and upgrade of the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT) to a degree-awarding institution. The employment of 2,000 primary school teachers is another instance of the goal to foster qualitative education from infancy to adulthood.
The fact, that education received one of the highest sectoral allocations in the state’s 2017 budget to which Governor Ugwuanyi assented recently underscores the importance his administration attaches to the goal of enthroning an acceptable literacy level among the populace.
Awalu writes from Enugu