By Uwakwe Abugu
“I never believed that I can drive over this bridge again in my lifetime. I came back from Anambra State where I am doing business and when I heard that Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi had constructed Inyaba Bridge for us, I decided to ride over it. I am not actually going anywhere, I just want to ride on this bridge so I can spread the good news to our people, who have abandoned our village because of this river.”
That was a pleasant testimony recently delivered by Mr. Onyema Ani, who hails from one of the communities in Nkanu East council area of Enugu State whose people had for decades been cut off from one another in the face of the complete abandonment of the Inyaba River bridge, which went down from a crass state of dilapidation to a grievous realm of nonexistence in the past years. It was in this grisly state of affairs that Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi had met the people and this vital facility when he assumed office two years ago. But today, the joy of the hitherto hapless residents of these villages that span from Amechi Idodo to Amagunze, the headquarters of this local government council knows no bound. The returnee businessman, Mr. Ani, and other members of these communities now tell a tale of rare historical landmark as mini bridges have been done across the river just within two years of the administration of their governor. They now ride on the new facilities unfettered.
As deciphered from the testimony of this businessman, a good number of the community members had abandoned their parcels of land within this area driven to an inglorious dead-end status in the past years: “My father gave me my portion of the family land here but I abandoned it because of this terrain.” But now, it is a pleasant new dawn for them.
This new mood at the moment actually pervades Enugu State. And the tempo has increased with the inauguration of several projects across the state to mark the two years of the administration of Governor Ugwuanyi. In fact, it is right to state that the people of Enugu State, indeed, residents of the state, are currently scooping their respective new dawns in several ramifications. Of course, to mark the two years in office, some of the over 27 projects, amongst which are legacy ones, completed by the Ugwuanyi administration were formally inaugurated ahead of the last May29, 2017 democracy day celebration which also marked his two years in office.
Since then, the elated people of the state have been telling tales of consummated lifetime desires in communities and imminent delivery of more legacy projects, reliving of pleasant experience by workers and pensioners whose welfare has also been given prime attention by the administration. Students in the state have also become huge beneficiaries of this people-oriented governance. Yet, for traders and allied business operators in the 37 major markets spread across the three senatorial districts of the state, it is a phenomenal experience in the hands of a government. They say they have never had it this good since the history of the coal city state.
Hence, this piece, not really a historical excursion into these profound exploits of this pragmatic administration, is simply an attempt to make the public feel the pulse of the people of Enugu state in the hands of the Ugwuanyi administration. These voices are presented from auditoriums, from the streets, from pavilions and, in fact, from the historic Michael Okpara Square in Enugu metropolis, among others.
On June 15, 2017, traders operating in the aforesaid 37 markets across the state rolled out their drums in a most spectacular manner to show support for the governor in appreciation of his novel empowerment scheme for them. The leadership of the traders who operate under the umbrella of Enugu State Amalgamated Market Traders’ Association spoke through its president-general, Mr. Temple Ude, at the Michael Okpara Square, Enugu. They had closed all their shops for that day set aside to honour the governor.
Ude had said on behalf of the thousands of traders : “Today we make bold to say, we are happy and privileged to be part of the current transformative agenda of His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi which today metamorphoses into good governance”. He spoke of the surprise package the governor has delivered to the traders, explaining that ‘the most recent is the Traders Employment Programme through raffle draw among traders which is the brain-child of His Excellency Rt. Hon. lfeanyi Ugwuanyi. Your idea to use empowerment programme to alleviate the suffering caused by non-commitment shown to traders in the past is unprecedented. The cordial relationship existing between your dispensation and traders in Enugu State is unequalled when compared with other states in Nigeria, especially states in South-East.
They commended the governor for appointing their leader, Mr. Ude as his Special Assistant on Market matters, “the first in time since the existence of Enugu State”. They also expressed appreciation for some projects executed by the governor that have touched the lives of the traders, especially in Enugu metropolis. This issue of projects and the import of the novel empowerment scheme was also amplified by one of the traders, Mr.Anthony Nwodo, who spoke of the projects as they affect the traders lives.
On his part, Governor Ugwuanyi who appeared overwhelmed by the massive show of solidarity by the traders said, “this is yet another overwhelming show of support, love, solidarity and concern for this administration by traders in Enugu State. You gave us your massive support during the elections that brought us into office and you have remained our dependable allies ever since then.
“As I had previously pointed out, the Traders’ Empowerment Scheme is part of the efforts being made by this administration, to boost economic activities in the state and to improve the lives of the ordinary members of the society. This is in line with our promise to deploy government resources and services to create fair and equal opportunity for every citizen to make a living, create wealth and enjoy life in a peaceful and secure environment”, he told the trades.
In another sphere of the testimonies now pouring in for the governor, residents and indigenes of clusters of communities benefitting from the Udenu Ring Road, another legacy project embarked upon by the Ugwuanyi administration have also been giving evidence of the new dawn. Mr. Ogbodo Nosike, a commercial motorcyclist in the area spoke in Igbo language but translated thus: “This road was so bad before. This administration has really rescued us. Before this road was fixed, we spent 50% of our daily earnings on repairing because the road was pothole-ridden, but now we ride as we like as the road has been constructed. We thank God for Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi”.
The leader of Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Ikechukwu Ezeugwu, was spotted at one axis of that ring road. He also gave his own testimony: “This road was a hell of a place before it was constructed by the administration of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. This road has opened up this place and the landed properties have appreciated considerably. The socio-economic lives of the people have been improved also. The road cuts across seven communities of Ezimo-Imilike-Ogbodu-Imilike Agu- Obollo Eke- Obollo Etiti-Obollo Afor, that is why it is called a ring road.
“Our governor is a financial engineer. Despite the present economic recession, and the fact that the state’s federal allocation is so lean (3rd from the bottom), he manages to do all these”, he enthused. And corroborating Onyema Nnamani the on the construction of Inyaba River mini bridges, Mr. Nwachukwu Nnadi, a farmer, who also spoke in Igbo language but was translated said, “this place was terrible before this Inyaba bridge was constructed. We suffered a lot on this road; using bamboo wood to construct make-shift crossover which sinks into the river from time to time.
“But the governor on assumption of office, vowed to construct the bridge, we thought he was one of those politicians who had promised us severally but failed us, but he lived up to his promises. We thank God because Inyaba bridge is now a reality. We are very grateful to the governor for wiping our tears. He is a good man”, said the farmers who was on his way to the farm on the day he was interviewed.
Yet, on June 8, 2017, workers in Enugu State, operating under the auspices of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, Enugu State Chapter, held a one-day symposium with the theme: Good Governance and the Development of Enugu State: A focus on the present Administration. During the event attended by the governor and several important personalities, speakers unanimously commended Governor Ugwuanyi’s administration for its uncommon giant strides in very many spheres of governance just within two years.
One of such verdicts was delivered by chairmanof the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Enugu state chapter, Mr. Cornelius Nnaji. He said: “A lot has happened in the life of this administration. Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is the most labour-friendly governor in Nigeria. On the 25th of every month, civil servants and pensioners in the state receive their salaries. Our local governments have got their share of the Paris Club Refund, totalling about N3.9b. Our monthly allocations come to us intact as released from the federation account.” He further informed that “our neighbourhood watch groups have been empowered by the governor to ensure our security.”
The chairman of the state Traditional Rulers’ Council, Lawrence Agubuzu, who spoke at the symposium capped his contribution this way: “Our governor is doing well, that is why we are giving him our total support. If he is doing otherwise, I would have told him to the face without mincing words. Traditional rulers don’t participate in politics but that should not stop me from saying the truth.”
Chairman on that occasion, Dr. Willy Onu, said the governor’s large heartedness was inborn. “He has been giving scholarship to indigent students even while he was in the House of Representatives. The compendium of objective assessment of the government of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and his team is the kind that we should proclaim to the world because he deserves to be honoured. Even his enemies speak in favour of the dividends of democracy he has brought to Enugu State.”
Chief Nnia Nwodo, president-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, was one of the discussants during the TUC event. Said he: “One of the things Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has brought to bear in Enugu State, which thrills me more than anyone else is that since the emergence of democracy in Nigeria in 1999, we have never enjoyed the kind of peace, love and amity that we have been witnessing in the state presently. I know a time when the Trade Union Congress was incarcerated in this state, contrary to the provisions of the constitution of this country and fundamental human rights when you could not assemble to take any decision pertaining to your Congress.”
Beyond these, Governor Ugwuanyi has continued to garner uncommon outpour of encomiums from the people, who are awed by the inspiring way he has traversed Enugu’s political landscape so far, especially by visiting rural communities in all the 17 local council areas with projects that are fast changing their lives and their physical environments.