By ikechukwu ODU

THERE is a general consensus among economic analysts that the Nigerian economy has never experienced this degree of recession in the recent past. However, this bleak economic picture occasioned by crashing oil prices, corruption, insurgency and other factors have not deterred some visionary political office holders from delivering dividends of democracy to the electorate.
In the days of oil boom, a common parlance in the political arena was “excess crude account,” but the harsh clime today has ushered in the “bailout regime,” a despondent refrain highlighting a situation where the Federal Government has to literally support states financially to enable them pay their workers and pensioners. Yet, even against such grim backdrop, the recent assessment by BudgIT, an independent development and governance-tracking body noted for its incisive reports, revealed that only governors of three states (Rivers, Lagos, and Enugu) are currently living up to expectation in terms of meeting up with their statutory obligations.
Not only has Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State proved many skeptics wrong in steering the affairs of the state,  he has also surprised even those who had always believed in his ability to govern the state with unprecedented dexterity.
Among the three states still paying salaries, Enugu deserves a pat on the back as it is not an oil producing state like Rivers State, neither is it an industrial hub like Lagos; and in terms of revenue accruing from the Federation Account into the state government coffers, Enugu is the third from bottom. In fact, a Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) delegation which recently paid a courtesy visit to Governor Ugwuanyi was so impressed that they hailed the governor as one with the “magic wand” given the many infrastructural projects he has executed across the state even as he continues to pay workers’ salaries. The body spoke during a solidarity rally organized to commemorate the anniversary of the colonial government’s slaying of 21 workers who were agitating for better working conditions on November 18, 1949, at the Iva Valley Coal Mine, in Enugu, through its head of industrial relations and organizing department, Comrade Emmanuel Ugboajah.
Governor Ugwuanyi’s magic wand has brought good governance to the people of the state in the areas of massive infrastructural development, decisive economic policies, sound security programmes, among others.
At the outset of this administration, Governor Ugwuanyi organised the historic Enugu State International Investment Summit geared towards showcasing the investment potential of the state to the rest of the world.
Satisfied with the outcome of the summit, the governor during his address at the closing ceremony said: “I must say that Enugu State will never be  the same again for we have not only successfully showcased the vast potentials of the state to the global business world but, from the reactions of participants at the summit, it does appear that we have been able to provoke an unprecedented and unequivocal interest from investors across the world in the idea of bringing their businesses to Enugu.
“The journey to prosperity and economic transformation of the State has therefore undoubtedly commenced and I wish to thank all the captains of industry, the financial institutions, the embassies, our erudite guest speakers, experts and specialists in diverse fields and the very eminent and revered personalities who travelled from all over the world to be part of the summit.”
Governor Ugwuanyi equally hosted both international and local investors during the opening ceremony of the Enpower Enugu Free Trade Zone geared towards making the state an industrial hub for the South-East geopolitical zone.
The Free Trade Zone will also offer free trade conditions and a liberal regulatory environment with the aim of attracting foreign investors, partners and buyers who will facilitate the entry of the state’s industrial goods into the world market; thus creating employment opportunities for the teeming population of the youths.
Equally significant is the first ever made-in-Nigeria Nsukka Trade Fair organized to help diversify the state’s economy and galvanize the populace from rhetoric to that of coordinated action where locally sourced products will create new wealth and harness all those potentials which free oil-money had pushed to the background.  These economic moves have begun to yield bountiful results with many investors making Enugu their next destination.
A litany of befitting infrastructural projects now adorn Enugu State, all thanks to Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s people-oriented stewardship. His administration has witnessed massive road constructions which include but not limited to the following: Nike Lake road; the Abakpa Nike road; the Opi-Nsukka dual carriage road; the Amaeke-Ngwo-Nsude- 9th Mile bypass; the Amankwo-Amaeke-Amah Brewery Junction-9th Mile bypass; the Ohom Orba Junction-Imilike Ani- Ezimo Uno- Ezimo Agu-Imilike –Ogbodu Aba-Obollo Etiti-Amalla-Obollo Afor ring road; the Enugu Road Junction-Umuezebi-Nru Junction-University Gate road; the Post Office Roundabout- Odenigbo Roundabout- Ogurugu Road-Ikenga road; and the Obechara Road Junction-Umuakashi-Mechanic Village-Ikenga Hotels Junction road.
It is worthy of note that five of these roads have been completed and opened while others are nearing completion.
Apart from the roads listed above, Ugwuanyi’s administration equally flagged off 35 capital projects which were commissioned simultaneously across the 17 Local Government Areas of the state in November last year. One of such projects is the Ndemnde Bridge which has been a thorn in the flesh of traders at the popular Maryland Timber Market in Enugu South Council Area of the state who find it challenging moving their products to Achara Layout which is just a stone’s throw from the market.
Mr. Jerome Okechukwu, a trader in the market said, “When he came here during his campaign, he promised us that he would transform the area if elected governor of the state. As it is today, he has begun to fulfill his promises to the people of Maryland, Timber Market and Achara Layout because this project here would impact positively on our lives and businesses”.

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Odu writes from Enugu