Tag: Enugu State

No fewer than 500 women entrepreneurs in Enugu State have received small business recapitalisation grants under the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) Women Economic Empowerment Programme, implemented in partnership with the Tony Elumelu Foundation.

The flag-off event, which was held at the International Conference Centre, Enugu, marked the state’s rollout of a nationwide programme targeted at 18,500 women across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Speaking at the ceremony, the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, represented by the wife of the Enugu State Governor, Mrs. Nkechinyere Mbah, said the scheme was designed to strengthen women entrepreneurs and traders who bear daily responsibilities of sustaining their families and communities.

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She emphasised that the financial support was a grant, not a loan, describing it as “a seed of renewed hope to help women recapitalise their businesses and expand their capacity to support households and communities.”

Senator Tinubu also lauded the Tony Elumelu Foundation for donating N1 billion to the programme, which has made the grants accessible to women in all states.

According to her, empowering women remains one of the most effective strategies for building stronger homes, healthier communities, and a more prosperous nation.

“When you empower a woman, you empower an entire society,” she said.

In her remarks, Mrs. Nkechinyere Mbah, who doubles as the RHI State Coordinator, urged beneficiaries to make prudent use of the grants to grow their businesses and improve their families’ livelihoods.

She praised Senator Tinubu for her vision and commitment to uplifting women across the country, describing her as “a leader with a heart for people and passion for women’s empowerment.”

The event attracted dignitaries including the wife of the Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Mrs. Chinyere Ugwu; Commissioner for Children, Gender and Social Development, Hon. Ngozi Enih; Senior Special Assistant to the Governor’s wife on Special Duties, Barr. Chidimma Egeonu; Special Assistant to the Governor on Mobilisation, Hon. Ifeoma Onoh; ALGON Chairperson, Mrs. Rita Edeh; as well as all local government chairpersons in the state.

The parish priest of St. Paul’s Catholic Parish, Ibuzo Amokwe, Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State, Rev. Fr. Dr. Godfrey Oleri, has publicly apologised for disrupting the Catholic Women’s Organisation (CWO) August Meeting at St. Mary’s Station, Idedu, on August 8, 2025.

A video that circulated online last month showed the visibly angry priest interrupting the women’s gathering and breaking bottles of drink inside the church.

In a statement of contrition posted on the official Facebook page of the Enugu Catholic Diocese, Fr. Oleri admitted that his conduct was unbecoming of a Catholic priest and expressed deep remorse.

“With sorrow and sincere regret, I tender my heartfelt apology to the Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, the clergy, members of the consecrated life, lay faithful, and the entire people of God for the regrettable incident that occurred during the CWO August Meeting,” he stated.

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Fr. Oleri acknowledged that his outburst during a misunderstanding with some members of the CWO caused scandal, embarrassment, and hurt to the Church.

“Though the misunderstanding led to my sudden emotional outburst, my confrontation with members of the CWO caused public scandal, hurt the faithful, and embarrassed the body of Christ,” he said.

The priest further admitted the need for personal growth and appealed for understanding and prayers as he works towards embodying the virtues of humility, patience, and pastoral charity.

“I ask for your prayers and understanding as I strive with God’s grace to grow in humility, patience, and pastoral charity,” he added.

His apology was directed to the Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, the clergy, religious, lay faithful, and the wider Catholic community.

• First Lady unveils N20m cash prize for best-performing household

Enugu State has won N100 million in the “Green Nigeria Challenge” organised by the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) of the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

Mrs. Tinubu presented the cheque yesterday to the wife of Enugu State governor, Mrs. Nkechinyere Mbah, during a ceremony at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

She named Enugu the “Model Green State” for its early achievements in maintaining a clean environment.

The presentation was held during RHI’s quarterly meeting of state coordinators and governors’ wives, with the theme: Go Green Today for a Greener Tomorrow.

“They earned it. It’s not only in planting trees, but also in environmental cleanliness. If you go to Enugu, it is clean. When the Enugu State governor’s wife sees anything the governor doesn’t want to see — any litter around — they call and fix it immediately. I think that’s the best way to go,” Mrs. Tinubu said.

The Green Nigeria Challenge is a nationwide competition designed to promote tree planting and environmental cleanliness among households, youth groups, communities, and state governments.

It offers a grand prize of N20 million for the best-performing household, with additional rewards for exemplary communities and states.

The competition is divided into three categories.

The Household Category targets 11 northern states prone to desertification, where families are encouraged to plant at least one tree to qualify.

The Community Category invites local governments, youth groups, schools, and NGOs across the country to reclaim degraded or abandoned spaces and turn them into green areas.

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The State Category will see states — except Enugu, which has already been recognised — compete based on the extent of tree coverage along major roads and within neighborhoods.

The First Lady explained why she organised the competition, saying: “As a biologist, I’ve always loved to go clean. During the time my husband was governor of Lagos State, I used to go clean clogged drains. I had the energy – and people have to see you do what you want them to do. It’s more appealing and attractive that way.”

Mrs. Tinubu also drew from her international exposure, recalling her recent trip to the G20 Summit in Brazil with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“One of the things they are going to be looking at is plastic waste. Every country is buying into it, cleaning their oceans and waterways because the fauna in the sea is being affected,” she noted.

The First Lady added that similar efforts were underway in states, like Lagos, and encouraged schools to form environmental clubs to drive youth participation.

Mrs. Tinubu emphasised the need for collaboration, saying her office had been working closely with the Ministry of Environment and organiaed learning visits to Ghana.

She announced plans to recognise the gardeners who maintain the Presidential Villa’s grounds, saying: “The Villa has to be given a prize. They’ve been keeping the gardens beautifully. Even the flowers in my waiting room come from the Villa gardens. They’ve done well, and we have to commend them.”

The wife of Kwara State governor and Chairperson of Governors’ Spouses’ Forum, Ambassador  Olufolake AbdulRazaq, said: “We have commissioners, the State Houses of Assembly, religious leaders, traditional leaders, local governments, CSOs, and school children involved.

“We make sure everyone is part of this effort.”

She stressed that sustained sensitisation remained important to achieve the objective of the competition.

She added: “We do jingles on TV, radio, and other platforms so people know the good work being done.”

Also, the wife of Enugu State governor, Mrs. Nkechinyere Mbah, thanked the First Lady for honouring Enugu as the Model Green State.

“My husband’s tireless efforts and proactive leadership have made Enugu, not just about planting trees but also about sanitation and cleanliness. We will not relent. We’ll continue pushing to be the role model for other states,” she said.

The RHI Green Nigeria Challenge will run until 2026, with key submission deadlines already set.

Families, schools, communities, and state governments are encouraged to participate by registering at:  www.rhinitiative.org.

• By Chukwunonye Okereke

In a political environment often tainted by partisan exclusion, President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda has become a refreshing departure—delivering transformative federal projects to every corner of the nation, irrespective of party lines.

Today, Enugu State is a living example of that philosophy, with massive infrastructural and healthcare interventions underway—federal projects of huge scale in a state controlled by the opposition PDP.

In the forefront of this transformation is the 350-metre, N23.5 billion, 23-span flyover at Eke Obinagu, Emene, and major interchange at Abakpa Junction—two landmark constructions to decongest notorious traffic hotspots, boost commercial activity, and open economic corridors for Ndi Enugu and Southeast.

These are not token gestures but serious, capital-intensive interventions to permanently reshape the region’s economic and urban landscape.

The reality is stark: These are 100 per cent federal undertakings, born out of the vision of President Tinubu and the strategic political engineering of Uche Nnaji, minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, and leader of APC in Enugu State.

Beyond infrastructure, Federal Government is also delivering a healthcare revolution with construction of a world-class Cancer Treatment Centre at University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku Ozalla. A Centre of Excellence in Oncology, this facility will provide cutting-edge cancer diagnosis, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgical oncology services—bringing an end to the era when Ndi Igbo were forced to spend millions of naira abroad for treatment. For many families, this project is more than steel and equipment—it is hope, dignity, and survival.

Unaji has pushed the envelope on innovation-driven governance, from boosting indigenous technology capacity to championing policies that link science to growth.

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As APC’s  leader in Enugu, he has been a bridge-builder—ensuring that despite the state’s opposition politics, Enugu is not left behind in the flow of federal benefits.

This is Renewed Hope in action: leadership that transcends party, policies that prioritise people, and projects that speak loud. While the state dabbles in political grandstanding, the federal administration is building a stronger, more connected, and healthier Enugu.

The President and Nnaji are proving that governance is service, not showmanship.

The flyover at Eke Obinagu, Abakpa interchange, and UNTH Cancer Centre are evidence that when visionary federal leadership meets determined local advocacy, even opposition states can flourish.

History will remember that in this moment, while others claimed credit for what they did not build, the real builders—the President and his Minister—quietly delivered the future.

In the end, the truth is as solid as the pillars of the Eke Obinagu flyover — Peter Mbah did not build it, he did not fund it, and he did not conceive it. These projects are the work of a Federal Government that keeps its promises and a minister who fights for his people. While the PDP in Enugu tells stories, the APC under Tinubu and Uche Nnaji is writing history in steel, asphalt, and hope.

•Okereke is a Public Affairs Analyst and Political Strategist