2019: COSCO Endorses Ugwuanyi for 2nd Tenure; List multi-sector achievements.

A group of civil society bodies under the aegis of Coalition of Nigeria Civil Society Organizations for Good Governance (COCSO) on Thursday in Enugu tipped Governor Ifeanyi Uguanyi for Second
Tenure.

The Convener of the Coalition, Chief Willy Ezugwu observed that the civil societies took the decision to endorse the governor after assessing his administration in three and half years.

Part of the text of the briefing held at Enugu reads:

It was in view of the need for good governance to ensure delivery of these basics needs that the good people of Enugu State in 2015 chose to elect His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi as the as the
Executive governor of Enugu State.

We needed a pragmatic leader who can be a true friend of the people. In line with these basic expectations of the people, on the historic occasion of his assumption of office on May 29, 2015, Governor
Ugwuanyi in his inaugural address promised to work assiduously towards entrenching peace and good governance in the state despite that the country was undergoing economic recession with poor revenue from the Federal Government.

Within the last three and half years, it will be difficult to itemize all the achievement of the Governor Ugwuanyi administration as the people have experienced remarkable infrastructure revolution, with the state spending over N45 billion on road construction and rehabilitation across the state, covering no fewer than 300 kilometers.

To mention a few, the Enugu State government has simultaneously carried out construction and reconstruction of over eight massive road projects in 9th Mile Corner, Nsukka, Abakpa Nike and Emene, among others.

The government has successfully delivered on two 9th Mile Bypasses in Udi Local Government Area, which now serve as alternative roads for travelers from the Northern parts of the country to Onitsha and western states.

The Agbani-Amurri road in Nkanu West LGA has been newly constructed. It is important to note that this community has never experienced any form of development on its land in the past 100 years.

The Ogonogoeji-Ndiagu-Akpugo road (from Atavu Bailey bridge to Afor Onovo), in the same council, which has a historic and symbolic attraction as the first state government road project in the entire Akpugo zone since the creation of Enugu State.

Other projects are the Ngenevu road, which was constructed with the provision of two 500-KVA transformers, the Iva Valley; the Ugbodogwu, off Phase 6 Trans Ekulu; the Ogwuagor, Abakpa Nike, Emene, etc.

There are also the Holy Ghost-Ogbete Main Market road, Enugu, the Nike Lake road and Abakpa Nike road in Enugu East Local Government Area, which were hitherto a nightmare to residents and travelers, who usually got trapped in traffic for several hours because of their deplorable conditions.

The Opi-Nsukka Dual Carriageway in Nsukka Local Government Area, was delivered with the state-of-the-art facilities befitting a University town and the second largest city in the state, to enable it compete favorably with other University towns in attracting technology and knowledge-based businesses and other industrial support ventures.

The Ogbaku road in Awgu L.G.A (one of the 35 simultaneous development projects) that was constructed on a difficult terrain that is both hilly and undulating.

The New Market-Milliken Hill-Ngwo-9th Mile road that now serves as an alternative gateway into the city of Enugu, from Onitsha-Enugu expressway as well as the Ebonyi River Bridge construction in Isi Uzo Local Government Area, which is nearing completion and would connect adjoining communities to Ikem, the headquarters of the Council, among others.

It is remarkable to note that 56 years after three fire service stations were built in Enugu State, then Eastern Region, Gov. Ugwuanyi ventured into constructing five new ultra-modern fire service stations across the three senatorial zones, strategically located in Four-Corner, Ozalla, Nkanu West LGA; Ogrute, Igbo Eze North LGA; 9thMile Corner, Udi LGA; Orba, Udenu LGA and Oji, Oji River LGA.

The administration has, in addition to many ongoing projects in the state, completed works on projects started by the previous administration, including the state-of-the art Enugu State Diagnostic Centre, the first of its kind in the South East geo-political zone, established to create hospital chains to make Enugu the preferred destination for receiving high quality and affordable healthcare delivery in the country.

The state government has introduced a programme on road maintenance in Enugu metropolis tagged: “Operation Zero Potholes”. It has also been consistent in the maintenance of street and traffic lights as well as other facilities such as the bus-stop shelters.

In addition to this, 1000 youths have been recently recruited under the Enugu Clean Team Project to enhance and sustain the State’s rating as one of the healthy and cleanest cities in the country.

In attempt to diversify the economy to improve the living standard of the people and economic fortunes of the state, the governor initiated the first ever Enugu State Investment Summit christened: “Oganiru
Enugu”, and have showcased the economic potentials of the state to woo investors.

Today, a Chinese Investment Company, Lion Business Park Limited, entered into a business engagement with the government to establish an industrial market on 2000 hectares of land located in the proximity of
the Enugu Industrial Park – FTZ (ENPOWER Free Trade Zone) at the 9thMile Corner, Enugu, to be known as Lion Business Park, modeled after the Dragon Market in Dubai, with the formal presentation of N300 million to three communities of Ogwofia Owa, Enugu Eke and Akama Oghe by the company as agreed compensation.

There is also HELIU Residence project – a world class Residential Estate with infrastructure worth N25 billion embarked upon by the state government in partnership with Fit-Consult and China Shenyang
International Economic and Technical Cooperation Limited, Shenyang, China through Public Private Partnership (PPP) to provide quality and affordable houses to address the accommodation deficit in Enugu because of high inflow of people into the state.

Through the Enugu State Housing Development Corporation (ESHDC) the Ugwuanyi administration has actualized the site and services of the following houses estates: The Valley Estate, GRA, Enugu; the WTC Estate, which has 22 number of two-bedroom flats newly built by the present administration; the Victory Estate; the Trinity Estate; the Fidelity Estate adjacent to the popular Ebeano Tunnel which has undergone massive erosion/flood control work, among others.

With regular payment of workers’ salaries on 23rd of every month and the recent 13th month salary paid
to all civil servants including the Local Government Staff as Christmas bonus, it is also on record that the administration of Gov. Ugwuanyi has, within three years in office, recruited the highest number of primary and secondary school teachers ever in the history of the state to improve the quality of education in the state.

Governor Ugwuanyi is a promise keeper and a second tenure for the people’s governor will ensure better life for Enugu people. We therefore urge Enugu people to massively vote Gov. Ugwuanyi as one good tenure deserves another.

END