The Enugu State Monitoring Team on Work Attendance and Productivity paid an unscheduled visit to the Ezeagu Local Government headquarters in Aguobu-Owa.
During the visit, queries were issued to absentee council workers, and a stern warning was given to civil servants across the state.
The team was received by the Chief Executive Officer of administration, at the council, Mrs. Lorita Akwuchie.
The unscheduled visit was prompted by a viral video on social media depicting the deserted local government headquarters on Friday, April 5, in defiance of Dr. Peter Mbah’s Administration’s directive for civil servants to work five days a week to boost productivity.
It would be recalled that the Mbah Administration is presently conducting a staff audit of local government councils.
This initiative was prompted by the discovery that numerous individuals listed on the payroll, some of whom also receive pensions from the state, do not fulfil their work duties.
Also, many others reside outside the state or even the country while still receiving salaries and other benefits from the local government system.
However, the voice-over in the viral video narrated that no single staff was found on duty, a development that has drawn the wrath of the government and the general public.
Taking a tour of all the offices and departments in the council headquarters, the team, which comprised the Head of Service, Mr. Kenneth Ugwu; Principal Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Ken Chukwuegbo; Chairman, Enugu State Chapter of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Ben Asogwa; and the Chairman, Joint Public Service Negotiating Council, Comrade Ezekiel Omeh, among others, met only 36 out of the over 200 council workers.
The team vowed that the acts of negligence and absence from duty without permission by the council workers would not go unpunished and reminded civil servants across the state that productivity remained the watchword in the Governor Peter Mbah Administration.
The Head of Service, Mr. Ugwu, who led the Monitoring Team directed that queries be issued to all the council workers not found on duty.
Ugwu said: “As you are aware, the administration is carrying out a diligent audit of the local government workforce in the state. The standard is that you must not only come to work, you must also have assigned responsibilities and proof of fulfilling them. We are also introducing an electronic clock-in. The watchword is productivity because that is the only way to build our economy from $4.4bn to $30bn because every segment of the society and every arm and every organ of government must contribute its quota for that growth to be possible.”
The vibrant city of Enugu is gearing up to host the highly-anticipated 2024 Student Entrepreneurs Conference.
Scheduled to take place at the UNEC Main Hall, Inside University of Nigeria Enugu Campus (UNEC), the event promises to be a dynamic gathering of students, entrepreneurs and industry leaders eager to explore the world of entrepreneurship and innovation.
With its theme of “Empowering Southeast’s future leaders,” the conference aims to inspire and equip attendees with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in today’s competitive business landscape.
Organised by visionary leaders Emmanuel Anabueze and Ekweremadu Divine C., the event will feature an exciting lineup of speakers, workshops, and panel discussions covering a wide range of topics, from entrepreneurship and leadership to technology and real estate.
Attendees can expect engaging sessions led by experienced professionals, providing valuable insights and practical advice for aspiring entrepreneurs. Additionally, the conference will offer networking opportunities, allowing participants to connect with like-minded individuals and forge valuable connections within the industry.
Founder of the event and the South East Campus Awards, Emmanuel Anabueze, expressed enthusiasm about the conference, stating: “We are thrilled to provide a platform for students to showcase their entrepreneurial skills and connect with industry leaders. The conference represents a unique opportunity for young innovators to learn, grow, and make a positive impact in their communities.”
Ekweremadu Divine C., Project Director of the conference, echoed these sentiments, adding, “Our goal is to foster a culture of entrepreneurship and innovation in the Southeast region. By providing students with access to resources and mentorship, we hope to empower them to pursue their passions and turn their ideas into reality.”
As the conference date approaches, anticipation continues to build among attendees who are eager to participate in this exciting event. With its focus on empowerment and innovation, the 2024 Student Entrepreneurs Conference promises to be a memorable experience for all involved.
Stay tuned for more updates and coverage as the conference unfolds, and mark your calendars for this unique opportunity to connect, learn and grow in the vibrant city of Enugu.
Enugu, in the southeast of Nigeria, became famous at the beginning of last century, following the discovery of coal, in Udi Ridge, by Albert Kitson, a British mines engineer in 1909. To mine the coal, which became the main source of energy for the booming industrialization in England and other parts of the world, mining tunnels stretching several kilometres were dug under the ground. Shipped through the newly created port, in Port Harcourt, coal fired Enugu to regional and national prominence.
Coal was used domestically to fire the wagons as rail transport developed across the country. Also, coal became a major source of energy to fire electricity power plants as Nigeria inexorably matched to modernity. The Ogbete mine came on stream in 1916, with the production of 24,511 metric tons of coal. The Nigerian Coal Corporation (NCC), was incorporated in 1950, and with the opening of other mines within the area, coal production hit an all-time high of 790,030 metric tons in the fifties.
Following the discovery of oil in Oloibiri, in 1956, federal government’s interest began to shift to the use of that other hydrocarbon, for the locomotive engines, and for the production of electricity. A further blow to coal production was the Biafra/Nigeria civil war, from 1967 to 1970. And the production and use of coal continued to plummet until it stopped completely in 2010. At the height of its glorious era, coal was a major source of revenue and foreign exchange for the country.
The NCC which managed coal was one of the most iconic places to work, before and after Nigeria, gained her independence, in 1960. And many leading lights in the country, particularly from the Eastern Region, are scions of the employees of the NCC. At that time, working as a clerk in the NCC, was akin to working in an oil company, in modern time. Just as the quantity of coal export expanded, so also the tunnels dug underground what became the city of Enugu and the surrounding communities.
Sadly, the effort to mechanize coal production did not yield much result, and as revenue from oil increased, interest in coal dipped. By abandoning coal production, the several kilometres of underground tunnels and mines, littering Enugu-underground and the surrounding communities, have also been abandoned. The abandoned Nigerian coal deposit is estimated at about 2.8 billion metric tons.
But, the diverse expansive assets of the coal corporation, especially buildings and landed properties, was an incentive for corrupt practices, as those appointed to manage the corporation, especially during the military era, were more interested in asset striping than improving the mining fortune of the corporation. While the country can choose to abandon the enormous coal deposits, which could be used to generate electricity, amongst other benefits, it cannot abandon the tunnels which pose existential danger to those living in Enugu, and the surrounding communities.
Presently, one of the challenges bedevilling the coal industry is the ownership structure, after the attempted privatization exercise. Like most other solid minerals across the country, the much needed private capital, is not attracted to the coal industry. The effort by the federal government, since the advent of democratic government, to give fillip to solid mineral development, has not yielded much result. The campaign by industrialized countries, against the use of hydrocarbon sources of energy, is also fuelling campaign against coal, to fire electricity production.
Yet, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration, coal was the third largest energy source, for the U.S. electricity generation in 2022, which is about 18%. Until electricity generation system was decarbonized, few years ago, coal used to generate a third of Britain’s power, and presently, gas and coal power plants made up a third of the UK’s electricity supplies in 2023. Within the European Union, coal generates about 25.6% of electricity, and while the numbers are low in some countries, it is higher than 50% in some, with Germany having 42.7%, as recent as 2015.
Conversely, in Nigeria, despite the abundance of coal, and the paucity of electricity generation, only 570 gigawatt hours of electricity, were generated from coal in 2022. The neglect of coal in Nigeria is not likely to change in the foreseeable future, as there are no known plans of the federal government, which by law, owns all mineral resources in the country, to use coal, as a major source of electricity production. The state governments of Enugu and south-eastern states, which could benefit from coal, to generate electricity, appear too timid to push their common interest.
So, the abandoned underground tunnels of the coal city of Enugu and surrounding communities pose existential dangers to the people living above the ground. According to the Journal of Environment Science and Technology, examining the impact of the tunnels on the water bodies, with respect to coal mining in Enugu, “the quality of the water is significantly influenced, by acidic mine drainage and its impact on human health could be severe”.
Also, Enugu State is reputed to suffer the worst erosion in the entire country, and the report attributes that to un-reclaimed mines and unregulated artisanal mining at abandoned mine sites, scattered across the state. The danger posed by the abandoned coal mining tunnels, appear to have awaken the interest of a socio-cultural organization, substantially made up of the communities most impacted by the abandoned mines. The forum, known as Agbaja Leaders of Thought (ALT), organized a zoom meeting, where, Hon. Uche Ani, an environmentalist discussed the looming dangers.
Among the concerns raised is that the “long abandoned coal tunnels created some voids and vacuum causing underground flood and water saturation resulting into vertical soil movement to the topsoil of some parts of Agbaja landscape giving rise to possible landslides in places like Ngwo and Nsude”. He also said “some dangerous chemical constituents in these open underground mine tunnels arising from mining operations years back have mixed up with flood water and found their way into some of the major rivers/streams in Agbajaland and other places”.
These are grave issues, which require the attention of the federal government, which own the mines, as well as Enugu State and local governments within the area, considering that the security and welfare of citizens, is the primary responsibility of government. This column has in previous write-ups, argued for the exploration of the abundant coal in the region, for the benefit of the people and its government. Now, with the Electricity Act of 2023, allowing subnational governments and private investors, stake in electricity generation and distribution, the southeast states, should consider the revitalization of the Oji River power plant.
To achieve that objective, southeast governments can enter into a mining lease agreement with the federal government, to operate the cluster of coal mines within Enugu State, to feed the revitalized power plant with coal.
Eight football clubs selected from Brasil’s Serie A, Kenya, Benin Republic, Sierra Leone and Nigeria Professional Football League(NPFL), have been selected to participate in the maiden Coal City International Cup in Enugu, Enugu State.
The first edition of the pre-season competition is to take place in August, 2024, with eight teams set to participate.
Addressing a press conference in Enugu on Wednesday, the spokesman of the management team of the competition, Ifeanyi Ogbu, said that teams from the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) that will participate in the competition include: Rangers International of Enugu, Enyimba International Football Club, Kano Pillars and Remo Stars o.
According to Ogbu, they will be joined by a Brazilian club side, Esporte Clube Vitoria, Gor Mahia of Kenya, FC Kallon of Sierra Leone and Cotton FC of Republic of Benin in the competition sponsored by Ski-Hi Entertainment in partnership with the Enugu State government.
He disclosed that that a total of 15 matches would be played at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu in nine match days with each club receiving N5 million as appearance fee per match.
“This means that each club will get at least N15 million because they will play at least three matches.
“Also, the winner of the competition will pocket the sum of N50 million while the runners up will get N10 million,” he said.
Ogbu stated that the tournament would be used to boost the entertainment and economic profile of the state with Enugu expecting to rake in a whooping sum of N3.5 billion before the end of the competition.
He said: “With the successful hosting of this tournament, we can start talking about hosting international matches at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium. It will also be a way to announce Enugu new stadium, which has been roundly and tastefully equipped by the state government.”
He commended the state government for allowing them the use of the stadium and free publicity and other supports.
The state commissioner for sports, Barr. Lloyd Ekweremadu, commended the organisers for the effort already put into place to host one of the best international club competitions.
While expressing happiness for the partnership, Ekweremadu stated that the state had already started looking at sports and sports development as a business.
The Town Planners Registration Council of Nigeria (TOPREC) has commenced efforts towards dealing with the prevalence of quackery and illegal developments in the construction industry in Enugu State.
The council, which is worried by the incessant cases of building collapse as well as construction on water ways particularly in Enugu State, inaugurated a committee saddled with the responsibility to identify, control, monitor illegal developments and eliminate quackery in the practice of town planning profession in all its ramifications in Enugu State.
According to the acting president of TOPREC, Tpl. Ezekiel Gunn, the enforcement committee, christened Professional Monitoring Committee, is to forestall cases of building collapses, illegal constructions on water pipelines and water ways, as well as power lines in the state and the country at large.
Gunn, who inaugurated the Enugu State committee at the Ministry of Lands and Urban Development, Enugu, maintained that the committee would also ensure that quacks are made to face the laws in Federal High Court, adding however that they would identify good conducts for commendation as well as ensure that culpable members are sanctioned accordingly.
Other terms of reference as read out by the president included: “To receive and consider petitions/complaints and investigate un-ethical practices.
“To ensure that all identified illegal physical developments are meted with regulatory sanctions eg. Removal, Demolition and Restoration of the site(s) to its original state prior to commencement of work, etc in line with the aforementioned extant laws triable in Federal High Court”.
Gunn, who was represented at the event by the Enugu State Representative in TOPREC, Tpl. Alex Ogbodo, lamented the frequent cases of building collapses, illegal constructions on waterways, which had disrupted public water supply as well as other infringements on the construction law in the state.
While stating that the trend was a loss to the state and nation’s economy, he disclosed that the committee would henceforth, ensure strict compliance of stamp usage on all jobs and disburse stamps only to Registered Town Planners (RTP) in accordance with the code of conduct and practice regulations of TOPREC.
The acting president therefore, disclosed that the committee would be visiting project sites to ensure compliance with standards and regulatory requirements in physical constructions.
According to him, the regulations would not only achieve best practices in town planning professional practice but also assist the state government in achieving the vision of a resilient new Enugu State with ease.
The committee has TOPREC Representative, Enugu State, Tpl. Alex. N. Ogbodo, fnitp as Chairman with NITP State Chapter Chairman; Director of Enugu State Town Planning services, Tpl. Jeremiah Egbonwonu; Tpl. Dr. Anierobi Christopher; Tpl. Philip Arum; Tpl. Mrs. Juliet lbekwe and Mrs. Roseline Offu, as members.
Enugu State Ministry for Culture and Tourism will partner Enugu-based travel agents as part of its efforts at developing investment friendly environment and evolving policies for a sustainable tourism growth across the state.
The decision was reached during a recent courtesy visit to the Enugu State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mrs. Ugochi Madueke, by the travels and tours agencies led by the Principal Executive of Flyzone Tourism, Mr. Awomoyi Ayodeji. While stressing the relevance of bilateral cooperation in achieving a sustainable tourism growth, she assured the travel practitioners of the state’s commitment to supporting their efforts at enhancing a rich tourism and healthy culture endowments. Also, the meeting addressed issues of investing on tourism destinations within the state to increase revenue generations. She expressed commitment to trim processes in order to enhance smoothly running of Enugu State’s tourism.
Affirming readiness to support progressive initiative, the commissioner expressed unfeigned support to the growth and well-being of travel agencies in Enugu, and wished to undertake a cruise with travel agencies for a two–day facility tour to explore the state rich and diverse tourism contents embedded in hinterlands across state.
Mr. Ayodeji hinted that the duo partnerships shall address the out of job syndrome amongst the youths, in most simple terms, this collaborative effort will encourage and advance the state treasures, such as tourism facilities and perceived notions of the people culture across global audiences.
He stated that the developmental process would achieve advancement through strategic collaboration with public and private partnership noting that the needs for investment and development of infrastructure would address the sector numerous challenges.
To this, he said, the visit was an exclusive access route in encouraging and accelerating growth to enhance local tourism contents and helping travel companies to increase revenue by attracting visitors for adventure purposes.
The Flyzone Tourism boss, said: “Such development would increase domestic tourism, and promotion of relationships amongst stakeholders, local communities as well as business owners. The private sector benefits from the opportunity to invest in profitable tourism projects and gain a return on their investment. This explains synergy with the industry players can create innovative tourism destinations that are more attractive, sustainable, and economically viable. We need to key in the area of marketing this tourism sites to our clients.
Ayodeji advocated for growth, suggesting collaboration with partners beyond Enugu’s borders.”
Chief Executive Officer of Merob Travels and Tours Mr. Charles Obi stated that he foresees a situation whereby more relationships will crop up, adding that the visit will build bridges between the travel agencies and related government agencies manning affairs of the state travels and tourism activities.
Founder, Geoseries Concept, Uche George, said: “The commissioner’s genuine interest in their suggestion and unwavering support for the initiatives aimed at advancing travel agencies in Enugu left an indelible impression. Her virtue and dedication to the cultural and tourism landscapes were evident throughout the stakeholders meeting. Her keen understanding of the potential impact of a thriving travel sector on the overall growth of the state was both inspiring and motivating.”
Describing Madueke as a catalyst for change, George said her openness to new ideas and commitment to implementing suggestions underscored a shared vision for the growth and prosperity of the region’s travel industry.
According to him, PPP stand as a beacon for positive transformation, offering a multitude of benefits that ripple across various sectors. Explaining, he said embracing PPP is a gateway to unlocking the full potential of collaborative synergy, such as global exposure, boosting tourism, attracting investments, showcasing untapped potential, cultural exchange, job creation and more.
Madueke endorsed the idea and promised to host external partners and industry practitioners in celebrating this year ‘world tourism day. This will involve the ministry to underwrite expenses for them to experience Enugu’s beautiful tourist sites.
Coordinator National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies Enugu annex, Chioma Obi stated that the visit to the Commissioner came at the right time, which explained how the agencies will have time to reset strategies for the promotion of tourists sites within the state.
“The state has been able to see a lot changes within this one year of the new administration in office. Firstly, the security situation of the state has been greatly improved and the synergy between the tour operators and the ministry is very important, in as much the tour operator are supposed to create packages and showcase her tourism, the ministry is supposed to provide us with resource and enabling environment for thriving; as such will help us project Enugu State as a tourism destinations fit for all and fit for those inside and outside Nigeria.
Obi, who is also Managing Director Jands Travel Network and Director Jands Travel Business School said that development of such will improve the sector in various ways. “Even though, we have a few visitors coming in, we need more because tourism is a great source of income and source of foreign exchange for the state and for the indigenes,” she added.
According to Obi, the synergy will help preserve our tourists attractions and preserve our culture. She urged government at all levels to encourage sustainable tourism across state, in order to restore state’s past glory.
Meanwhile, Travel Agencies in attendance were Odizra Travels, Jand Travels, Danza Travels, 3 Star Orbit, TG Travels, Mandalight Travels, Mariamabel Travels and more.
I would like to begin by stating how deeply honoured I am to be invited to give this lecture. It is not often that one gets the opportunity to speak before a robust and richly diverse audience such as this, and indeed, at an institution with a remarkable history as the London School of Economics’. So, I express my profound gratitude to the organizers of this event.
In the next forty minutes, I would strive to demonstrate the best traditions of leadership and insight for which this institution has earned global renown. Another forty minutes, or thereabouts, would be devoted to clarifications and questions arising from the lecture, as I expect this to be interactive. So, I invite you to think of questions as I progress.
While preparing for this lecture, I took time to look up the motto of this great institution. I found the statement “To know the causes of things” – compelling. This motto, according to the LSE website, was chosen to reflect the institution’s founding purpose: “For the betterment of society”.
Often we gloss over these messages as we carry on with our daily lives and fail to internalize their precepts as a result. But it’s important to note that they are not simply perfunctory adoptions. They can act as a northern star to our values and aspirations.
The betterment of society fittingly inspires us and sums up the broad purpose of this lecture and, to a large extent, the essential goal of every single pursuit of humanity.
During our campaign, we adopted a motto that makes the bold declaration: “Tomorrow is Here”! What do we mean by that?
‘Tomorrow Is Here’ holds us to the fact that every decision we make now affects our future and our children’s future. Of course, this begs the question: What future do we want? How do we want to prepare the soil for generations to come? What will be the cost of short-term thinking, complacency or hesitation and doubt?
We need to take a visionary view of the future that awaits and take bold steps to lead our lives towards an enduring, regenerative legacy.
My speech is titled, “Enugu State, Nigeria: New Political Leadership; Bold Economic Vision”, and will highlight, mostly, the people-centric philosophy, specifically in regard to the health and education strategies we have deployed in birthing a new narrative for Enugu State, over which I currently preside as governor.
Boldness is a word that best defines the vision we are implementing in Enugu State. The single boldest projection that encapsulates what we intend to accomplish is our target to grow the economy of Enugu State seven-fold. Simply put, our vision is to grow the state’s GDP from $4.4bn – that we met – to at least $30bn in the next four to eight years. Another bold plan is the commitment to attain a zero percent poverty headcount index in Enugu State.
Just a quick fact about Enugu and Nigeria: Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country with a population of over 200 million and, indeed, the continent’s biggest economy. It has a landmass of 923,768sq km.
Located in Nigeria’s south-east, Enugu’s population is approximately seven million. The history of Enugu is indeed a history of Nigeria’s evolution from pre-amalgamation, pre-independence and post-independence. Enugu attained preeminence in 1907 after the discovery of vast swathes of coal deposits by a team of British geologists. By 1909, a rail line had been built to haul the extracted coal from Enugu to Port Harcourt. That development made Enugu a fledgling economic hub and was the catalyst for the sustained migration into the town recorded in the early 20th Century. This emerging economic clout also made Enugu an inevitable centre of administration in colonial Nigeria.
In contemplating Nigeria’s presidential federalism, I will draw an analogy using this short story. Imagine, if you will, a farmer and his wife who both have 36 children. Yes, I know that’s a lot of kids! They are all of working age, but he sends only 6 to the fields. Over time, these 6 grow tired, some get sick and the other 30 begin to suffer and starve. Even before the onset of age, such scenario could breed resentment, as the active 6 may perceive the fact that the rest do not work as a sense of entitlement – nursed at their own expense. A likely outcome would be general indolence.
Our federal system evokes an imagery akin to this story, not least in the sense that it dulls creativity and induces a near-perpetual dependency syndrome, which ultimately leaves everyone in a state of want.
Is it then surprising that the family has fallen into hard times? Shouldn’t that have been an opportunity for the family to overhaul its production strategy given the opportunities that could be borne out of crises sometimes?
Distinguished guests, as governor of Enugu State you could say I represent one of those children.
This anecdote roughly encapsulates the Nigerian dilemma. Of course, the monthly subventions to states from the federal purse are still being disbursed. But they are only sufficient to the extent that a state’s priorities and projections remain on a modest trajectory, the sort that is capable of yielding only fairly predictable incremental change but can hardly inspire any bold vision that can result in a rapid social and economic development. Such socio-economic pattern is evidently not sustainable any longer.
While our choice of Presidential federalism system might have been well-informed, shaped by the inherent benefits of federalism in other countries with populations as vast and diverse as ours, it has however bred a system where revenue is excessively domiciled at the centre, rather than in the states – or regions. This puts intense pressure on the source and almost cuts off supply.
We are gradually seeing concrete moves towards a truly devolved polity, facilitated in large part by the political outlook of Nigeria’s president, who as Governor of Lagos State championed the push for fiscal federalism. As a matter of fact, we have witnessed some constitutional amendments resulting in sectors like electricity and railways – once the exclusive preserve of the federal government – becoming a shared responsibility between the states and the federal government. There are, at present, ongoing discussions to enthrone additional devolution of power.
Despite these promising developments these challenges yet speak eloquently to the need for a socio-economic rebirth that repositions federating units like states as potent agents of development. This is an important thread of my governance philosophy.
I’ve always believed that an enduring and impactful change is never a chance happening; they are typically products of a painstaking process and radical thinking that reflect the understanding that the exigencies of our time require an unusual solution.
Among these challenging situations are rising cost of living crises and insecurity. There’s no doubt that this period is a life or death moment for us. Given Nigeria’s youth bulge, the bleak reality that confronts us if we do not take appropriate remedial steps is terrible to contemplate.
The question then is what do we do?
At the heart of our socio-economic challenge is the issue of leadership deficit. This has always been the bane of our development. Despite widespread clamour and yearning for leaders with transcendental values, leadership failure remains a recurring decimal. But true leadership is about the people, an unwavering willingness to be accountable to them, and to be transparent. A good leader should not merely peddle empty hope and platitudes but must demonstrate a capacity to translate dreams into reality. This briefly summarizes our turnaround tale in Enugu State in roughly nine months.
For us, the most important first step lay in realizing that any set of solutions that failed to upend the status quo across the sectors will not suffice. That basic understanding helped us to boldly set forth at dawn and imbued us with the requisite clarity of purpose as well as resolve. We started out with three things: A bold Vision; clear Direction; and then we assembled the right People.
Before I delve in more depth into the radical strategies we adopted in Health and Education, let me highlight three areas we had to tackle in order to properly entrench our plans and prepare for meaningful change:
WATER, INFRASTRUCTURE (ROADS) AND SECURITY
Water
We demonstrated a firm commitment when we set an audacious 180-day timeline to solve the perennial problem of water scarcity in Enugu. For context, this was a challenge that had proved intractable for decades. We delivered on that promise within the timeframe. It wasn’t because it was an easy task; and neither was it because we were eager to bask in the afterglow of public acclaim. The motivation was simple: we wanted to enthrone a situation where the provision of basic amenities was taken for granted. Our objective was that portable water flows in every home once the tap is turned on. From a mere two million-litre daily water supply to Enugu residents, we grew the daily water supply to 120 million litres!
We were, in addition, driven by the enormous social toll that water scarcity exerted on children. This was always an unbearable thought. I’m aware that the time children spend in search of water is very much the time they would have spent studying. The enormous amount that businesses spend to purchase water from vendors was an unnecessary addition to their operating costs, with adverse effects on their bottomline.
Roads
Such bold commitment was no less obvious in our promise to build up to 1,250 kilometres of roads over the next 12 months, which was a radical departure from the trend that typically saw just 100 kilometres built each year. We are simultaneously building dual carriage ways, alongside numerous urban and rural roads, running into hundreds of kilometers.
Security
One of the most daunting challenges that confronted us was insecurity, fueled by bands of criminals, who had more or less conferred on themselves the status of a parallel state. We tackled it head-on, and literally recaptured our streets and communities from the grip of this gang-like social order that had almost become normalized. It was imperative that we did this. It was obvious to us that to attract the investment necessary for our economic growth, security had to be a priority and could not be treated as an afterthought.
In one of their most audacious moves, these non-state actors had enforced an illegal sit-at home campaign in the Region every Monday. How could we, for instance, convince would-be investors that our state was secure, and that they need not worry about the safety of their personnel if people were prevented from going to work on certain days?
It may sound bizarre, because it truly was a bizarre situation. Imagine a situation where a band of outlaws impose their will on citizens, unleashing mayhem and dictating what days they were permitted to work, go to school, or trade. That was the unfortunate situation we were beset with. Businesses shut down and relocated in droves, students could not write their exams, and people could not, in fact, go to hospitals.
But it wasn’t simply about the possible effect that their so-called sit-at-home order could have on inflow of foreign capital.
The Nigerian constitution expressly notes that the primary responsibility of government is the security and welfare of its citizens. So, a government, implicitly, loses its reason for being if such absurd state of affair is allowed to persist. We didn’t have to think twice to stop that illegality.
We set out with a strong determination to bequeath enduring legacies and some of the results are already coming in. On a regular basis, we glimpse reports – including from independent bodies – that validate our reforms and investments across the sectors. And what we see is quite reassuring, an indication that it certainly has not been a false dawn.
This brings us to healthcare and education, the main areas of focus for this lecture.
Healthcare
Investing in improving our capacity to deliver quality healthcare was a major priority for us, as the wellness of the state’s workforce could either make or mar all the objectives we had set for ourselves. The saying that “a healthy workforce is a motivated workforce’ is by no means an empty cliché for us. That explains the numerous projects and innovations we have launched across Enugu State. Our philosophy with regard to our investment is simple: Our objective is to ensure that every child in the state has access to quality healthcare.
We are seeing decline, albeit marginal, in infant and maternal mortality rate in our state. We are constantly eliminating factors that ordinarily cause maternal and under-5 deaths, such as the absence of skilled birth attendants – including doctors, nurses and midwives – at health facilities. From a pre-election statistic of 39%, we have grown the number of births attended to by skilled health personnel at our facilities to 42%. Our target is to achieve a hundred percent threshold by the end of 2025. In addition, we do not compromise on the issue of training for our medical professionals, as their competence and capacity will be central in driving the achievement of the ambitious objectives, we have set for ourselves.
In addition, we have significantly expanded immunization coverage for all childhood vaccine-preventable diseases for children in their first birthday. We have also increased the number of those attending Ante-Natal Care for the first time.
These encouraging performance indicators are a direct result of measures we’re taking to raise our healthcare delivery to optimal levels. We’re also building new Level 2 healthcare facilities across the 260 electoral wards in our state.
Each centre has the necessary equipment, sanitation and hygiene facilities, water, living quarters for doctors and nurses, and alternative power supply.
Where there is a shortfall, especially with regard to doctors and nurses who have been emigrating to the West in large numbers, we carry out regular recruitment drives to narrow the deficit. The goal is to bring the number of doctors in our state to the WHO recommended doctor-to-patient ratio of one doctor to 600 patients. The prevailing statistics for Enugu State when I was sworn in was one doctor to 1,867 patients.
Interestingly, given that the average ratio in Nigeria is one doctor to 3,500 patients, the figure for Enugu State might have been deemed a pass mark. But we would rather not find solace in such dismal statistics. We are quite intentional with our goal in this regard: To progressively bring that number even below the WHO recommended ratio.
Another significant achievement of our health sector reform is how we have successfully digitized patients’ records in our hospitals. So, even when patients visit other facilities, their records could still be accessed digitally because of the seamless connection we have introduced by migrating patients’ details to the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) platform.
The deployment of ICT is visible in our entire governance structure. Besides promoting efficiency, it has strengthened due process as we transit from a manual regime to a digital experience. Our goal is to have a paperless system. It is gratifying that this has begun to take a firm root in our Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
Education
Education is another sector where we have taken some radical steps consistent with our pledge to enthrone a system that bequeaths to the child a body of knowledge comparable to the best global standards.
Our government’s allocation for education in this year’s budget illustrates this resolve. Our state’s budget of N158.78bn (One Hundred and Fifty-Eight Billion, Seventy-Eight Million Naira) for education is the highest per capita in the country. With regard to the percentage of total budget assigned to education, it is as well the highest budgeted for education by any state in Nigeria, at 33% of the entire budget sum. It is also substantially higher than UNESCO’s recommended benchmark of 15% – 20% of total annual budget. I dare say it’s perhaps highest in the world.
Think about it: This implies that for every 100 Naira spent, 33 Naira goes to the education budget.
Our investment in education is carefully conceived and implemented with the knowledge that the envisioned turnaround of the state’s fortune is contingent on the existence of a robust education sector. No nation has ever risen above the inherent capacity of its public education. It is this philosophy that underpins our Smart Schools project, which we are setting up in each of the state’s 260 electoral wards.
So, we’re not just changing the narrative; it’s truly the dawn of a new era. From age 3, we ensure a child is enrolled in a system that imbues them with the requisite skills to compete in tomorrow’s world today. That is because pedagogy has largely evolved from an era when the goal was apparently to ensure the child is able to memorize what has been taught. Today, however, children should be able to practicalize what they have learnt. This is a core philosophy of our Smart Schools initiative. I consider this quite profound. Given that such experience is already commonplace in the West, this might not sound like a big deal. But it would help if we contextualized our past and present experience.
The prevailing situation in our public schools before now, was anything but impressive: Many pupils sat on the floor to listen to teachers who scribbled on blackboards with barely any modern teaching aids; schools had no libraries, restrooms, nor any of those facilities that confer on them the expected dignity as centres of learning.
In fact, a baseline study we conducted revealed that 50% of our children could not read after four years in primary school. Those who managed to read could barely comprehend. A similar deficiency was seen in numeracy skill, with 50% of children unable to apply simple skills of subtraction after 6 years of primary school education. Of course, this situation isn’t peculiar to our state. It remains a problem across the entire country.
Another grim data that confronted us was in regard to the number of Out-Of-School-Children (aged 6 – 11 years). The 82,051 figure for Enugu State is alarming. We found the number totally inexcusable and knew that it was imperative we took some radical steps.
As I earlier emphasized about the importance of “knowing the causes of things”, we sought to know what could possibly be the reasons for such unacceptable state of things. Poverty was a major factor. It wasn’t thus a surprise that a Poverty and Inequality Index survey conducted by Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics had put the poverty situation in Enugu State at 58.13%.
So, our Smart Green Schools initiative is a bold and creative response to the learning crisis that confronted us on assuming office. That is because we have created sufficient incentives for parents to send their children to school, not least of which is our Free School Meal Plus programme for pupils. The Free School Meal Plus incorporates a medical programme, through which vital health statistics of students such as growth profile, sundry deficiencies and vaccine status are monitored. This helps us to ascertain pupils that may require further medical intervention.
Each Smart School features an interactive digital whiteboard, an internet system, robotics and artificial intelligence centre, modern ICT centre, two science laboratories, hybrid multimedia library, creative production studio, 25 inclusive classrooms and 700 Android tablets. Through these, we expect to impart experiential knowledge and bridge the skills gap that leaves our students with grim prospects in a globalized world. The emphasis is three-fold: Access, Relevance and Quality.
The motivation is to see that what our students are taught is relevant to modern day realities. This is crucial, because we see our teeming youth as a latent, powerful engine for innovation, economic growth, and sustainable development.
It wasn’t just sufficient to have the learning tools and the environment conducive to learning; equally crucial was having the necessary manpower. Our recruitment of teachers was painstaking. This reflected in the fact that only less than one hundred teachers – out of about one thousand seven hundred who took the practical tests eventually made the cut. So, to scale our Experiential Learning reform, we are establishing a Centre for Experiential Learning and Innovation (CELI). This will develop, introduce, and incentivize collaborative engagement in Innovative Challenges by students, teachers, as well as industry and business partners throughout our education system, from Basic to Tertiary levels.
The CELI Challenges will introduce breakthrough technologies and design solutions that connect with our strategic priorities for growth and development, including Agriculture, Energy and Mineral Resources Development, Commerce and Business, Urban and Rural Infrastructures, Creative Industries and Tourism, and Information and Communication Technology.
Through Experiential Learning Innovation, our educational institutions will catalyze priority innovation and technology, incentivize the development of 21st Century skills and competencies, and support human capital and workforce development to fuel our economic growth.
As we develop the Centre for Experiential Learning and Innovation to drive strategic development priorities, and ensure quality and transformative education, we are inviting select international universities to collaborate with Enugu State’s academic and research institutions to co-create technologies, digital solutions, and generate Digital Badges, Micro-Credentials, and Degree Certificates, to provide academic and vocational training, to support start-ups and incubate businesses, and to enable our youth to not only overcome poverty, but also contribute to the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
For sure, no one can actually tell what the future holds. But we can largely discern a society’s future prospects from how it treats the wellbeing of its young ones. In taking ample steps to grow our students’ capacity through a transformative learning process, we can truly speak in a very reassuring tone regarding the future of Enugu State.
Our trajectory is yet proof that progress does not just happen – nor is it simply wished into existence. Efficiency is attained through scrupulous planning, and moral courage to discard the inefficient ways of old, even if people have grown accustomed to them.
For long, our quest for development was blighted by an abject failure by politicians to match rhetoric with commensurate action. It seemed, to all intents, that the people were perpetually obliged to endure the dismal cycle of politics characterized by what the late Governor of New York, Mario Cuomo, had described as an unabashed tendency to “campaign in poetry and govern in prose”.
Beyond the fact that they seldom wrought any significant change on the human development index, perfunctory government policies only serve to reinforce public cynicism. From the outset, we resolved that there would be no room for platitudes.
You might be wondering how we are able to achieve all these, and also where all the money is coming from. I assure you this is not pie in the sky. We have focused on three areas and our success in those areas has been crucial:
Plugging leakages through automated systems.
Enhancing the quality of our services – Deliver more, earn more, and deploy resources wisely.
Expanding the tax net.
Are we borrowing excessively? Certainly not! Only 10% of the funds have been borrowed. Our internally-generated funds account for the rest 90%. In addition, we are harnessing our dormant assets and resources that were as yet unexplored previously.
This has certainly not been a walk in the park. Ours have been a tale of boldness and amazing courage.
Distinguished guests, the quest for a better society may sometimes seem far off. But the truth is that every new discovery or hallmark achieved is yet a fresh chapter to new beginnings. Confronting that new beginning is a task for which education, such as that offered by the London School of Economics and similar illustrious institutions, have equipped their students.
The scale of technological advancements in our world today might sometimes lull us into complacency and create the erroneous notion that there is barely any frontier left to conquer. Such mindset would be a great disservice to the learning you have acquired. Those whose inventions have changed the world seldom grasped the level of impact their ideas would have on humanity at the outset. So, you are certainly not a blip on the radar.
As you step out into the world, your education should be a constant reminder that there is always room to do things better, to shake the fabrics of the status quo and not to be content with the usual. History shows that humanity’s progress has always been attained through an interrogation of the status quo. You may have heard this countless times, but it’s often worth reiterating: Fortune does not only favour the bold, but it also favours the prepared mind! There is no doubt that imbibing the ethos as espoused by your institution actually prepares you for fortune’s favours.
Southeast Professionals for Tinubu (SEPROT) has said it is awaiting implementation of the White Paper on Oronsaye report as regards merger of some federal agencies.
In a statement by Coordinator, Humphrey Nwodo, it alleged a plot by some to emasculate Projects Development Institute (PRODA), Enugu, on pretence of implementing the report.
The group noted that in the White Paper of 2014, the Goodluck Jonathan administration named agencies recommended for merger.
He insisted the White Paper exempted PRODA from restructuring and rationalisation in Ministry of Science and Technology.
Nwodo noted the then Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Pius Anyim, wrote the ministry, thus: “The government accepts recommendation that: a) NASENI and NCAM be merged but with exclusion of FIIRO and PRODA.”
He decried a report by some interests listing PRODA as one of the agencies to be merged or scrapped.
“We believe the reason for allowing PRODA to stand alone in Orosanye Report may have stemmed from the fact that it has been fulfilling its mandate of generating and catalysing industrialisation by doing industrial research from laboratory stage to pilot plant stage and rendering consultancy to governments, industries and individuals.
Enugu State Internal Revenue Service (ESIRS) has sealed off Enugu outlets of ShopRite, Spar and other supermarkets over alleged failure to remit purchase tax at their malls to the government after being served warning notices.
The ESIRS officials, who embarked on the enforcement drive yesterday morning, said other malls, including Roban, Mama Onyinye Restaurant among others had also been warned.
ESIRS Head Department of Eateries, Bars, Hotels, and Shopping Malls, Egwuonwu Perpetual, said the agency had visited the shut malls on several occasions to ask for evidence of payment of the purchase tax, but they failed to remit such.
She said the purchase tax on the goods the buyers pay whenever they patronise their outlets is the only thing they are enforcing.
Egwuonwu added that they had also pleaded with the concerned individuals to remit their taxes when due, “but they have been recalcitrant and till now they have not done anything concerning these instructions.”
“It is worthy to note that after we met with Roban Stores, they displayed our sticker and have complied with remitting their purchase tax to the IRS.
“On the other hand, ShopRite has frustrated our efforts to get them to do the needful. It is always one story or another. Eventually they promised us that before the end of February, they would do something, but we are in March and ESIRS has not heard from them,” she said.
Egwuonwu stressed that the malls would remain closed until the issues at hand were resolved.
The PRO of ESIRS, Nnamdi Eneh, explained that the agency had gone on air to enlighten and educate the people on the need to remit their taxes.
“Our public enlightenment programme has been ongoing for a while. We have been sensitising the people and pleading with them to pay their taxes so as not to fall victim during enforcement, but most of them remain adamant.
“The objective is not to disrupt anybody’s business, but since pleading did not work, this is the only way to compel them to do what they are supposed to do,” he said.
Governor’s wife gives scholarship to orphaned children
An unidentified woman and mother of three little children in Enugu State has reportedly committed suicide in Enugu.
The Nation learned that the woman allegedly ran into a moving vehicle and died instantly, following her husband’s departure from her and their three children due to financial difficulties.
It was further gathered that the incident happened last weekend in front of Ogui Police Station, Enugu.
It was learned that the woman, whose identity was not known and suspected to be suffering from depression, dropped her three young children at the police station, pulled her clothes, and ran naked into a moving vehicle which crushed her to death.
The eldest of the children, when asked about their father, said their father “got lost.”
“She could not give any other information about their family, their town, or residential address”, a police source told our correspondent.
Meanwhile, the wife of Enugu State governor, Mrs Nkechinyere Mbah, has announced sponsorship of a scholarship for the three siblings (under seven years) who lost their parents in mysterious ways.
The governor’s wife announced the scholarship when she paid an unscheduled visit to Ogui Police Station Enugu, where the children were kept in police custody.
Mrs Mbah, who was touched by the pathetic story surrounding the death of the mother of the children, said she would take care of the children and train them from Nursery school to University level.
She announced sponsorship of the children’s education from Nursery school to University level.
She also directed the immediate relocation of the children from Ogui Police Station to a home where the state government will take care of them.
Mrs Mbah urged people who were depressed to seek help and go for counseling to avoid taking drastic decisions.
She also urged the Commissioner for the Ministry of Children, Gender and Social Development, Mrs Ngozi Enih, to intensify sensitisation and counselling of people, especially depressed persons to help them come out of the situation.
