The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi

  • ‘Don’t subject Enugu gov result to litigation’

    A member of Enugu House of Assembly Matthew Ugwueze has appealed to politicians who lost the Enugu governorship poll not to contest the results in court.

    Ugwueze, who is the House Committee Chairman on Education and Science and Technology, made the call at a media interaction in Enugu where he also congratulated reelected Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

    He also congratulated all the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for recording comprehensive victory in the recently-conducted federal and state elections.

    Read Also: Ugwuanyi declared winner in Enugu

    The representative of Igbo-Eze South Constituency stated Ugwuanyi’s first tenure witnessed a lengthy legal battle up to the Supreme Court, stressing that the extensive litigation left enormous adverse effects on the state.

    He praised all the contestants who lost the governorship election for their dexterity, peaceful conduct and display of sportsmanship throughout the entire exercise.

    According to him: “I appeal to our brothers and sisters who lost the election, especially the governorship, to calm down, join others to accept the result and support the governor-elect to take Enugu State to the next level of development, peace and inclusive governance.

    “Let us refrain from distracting the incoming administration with litigation. Governor Ugwuanyi’s first tenure was in court for almost four years before it was settled at the Supreme Court.

    “That was after it had left monumental setback and economic losses to the State.”

    Ugwueze, who lost his re-election bid at the primaries, was later appointed Campaign Coordinator for Ugwuanyi’s reelection for Igbo-Eze South LGA, which subsequently recorded the highest votes ever in the history of the council area.

     

  • Monarch advises Ugwuanyi on second term

    A foremost traditional ruler in Enugu State, Igwe Uche Anikwe, has urged Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to focus on entrepreneurship and empowerment, especially in the rural areas, in his second term in office.

    Anikwe, who is the traditional ruler of Diogbe Community in Igbo Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Enugu.

    He said that the victory of Ugwuanyi in the March 9 Governorship Election was well deserved, going by his performance and antecedent in the past three years.

    “I will not fail to congratulate Gov. Ugwuanyi for his well-deserved victory, since he has performed creditably well in the past three and half years he took over the administration of Enugu State.

    “Ugwuanyi has shown commitment in building peace and security; he has shown commitment in infrastructure development of the state, especially in the rural areas, as well as human capital development.

    “These are indices of good governance in action, which is impacting positively on the residents’ life and wellbeing.

    Read Also: Ugwuanyi declared winner in Enugu

    “However, the reward for hard work is more work; so I will want him to focus more on rural entrepreneurship and empowerment in his second term in office.

    “There is great need to engage and empower rural youths, and by so doing, make the rural areas viable and livable by youths, who are the sole agents of modern development driven by technology and innovation.

    “I sincerely believe in agriculture-focused job creation; more jobs will be created for the rural dwellers, especially youths, through agriculture,’’ he said.

    The monarch also lauded the governor for providing tangible development projects in each of the 475 communities in the state during his first term.

    He said that the state government’s N10 million for each community development project had brought government presence closer and evident in  each community in the state.

    “For me, this is the way to go in sustaining the development at the rural or community levels.

    “The governor should do more direct development projects in the 475 communities,’’ he said.

    NAN

     

  • 43 govs, 310 House of Assembly candidates tango in Enugu

    Forty three candidates are contesting the governorship of Enugu state the 24 seats of the House of Assembly have 310 contenders.

    But among the plethora of gubernatorial candidates, only two are actually in contention – the incumbent governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi who is flying the flag of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Senator Ayogu Eze, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The APC had on Thursday demanded postponement of the governorship election in Enugu on the grounds that their candidate did not campaign enough due to litigations.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr Emeka Ononamadu, however, told reporters on Friday that there was no way the election would be postponed.

    He said the demand by the APC would not succeed because there was never a time the party was delisted from the ballot box.

    He explained the only issue the APC had was the omission of the name of their candidate as a result of a court order but added that the issue had been resolved and the name of the candidate restored.

    Read Also: Enugu: Election and its aftermath

    The REC said there was no strong reason like natural disaster or court order for the Election to be postponed and advised eligible voters to come out and cast their votes.

    He used the opportunity to dismiss rumours of shortage of any electoral material, assuring that about 84 percent of sensitive and non -sensitive materials have been distributed to the various Registration Area Centers (RAC).

    Ononamadu also disclosed the commission will conduct a refresher training for its adhoc staff in the RAC in Enugu State.

    He warned the era of writing results in INEC offices was over, adding that the ballot belongs to the people hence the need for people to cast their votes

  • Enugu guber and Ugwuanyi’s wind of victory

    WITH the successful completion of the Presidential and National Assembly Elections, the stage is now set for the governorship and State Assembly polls, where the Enugu State governor and gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is poised to clinch a landslide victory.

    The outcome of the National Assembly Election in Enugu State was overwhelming as the candidates of the PDP swept all the positions. This feat was indeed a reaffirmation of the party’s strength in the state as well as the governor’s swelling popularity and acceptance by the people. It goes a long way to predict the outcome of the March 9 governorship and State Assembly Elections in the state.

    It is on record that Enugu State since 1999 has remained a PDP state, with its candidates occupying all elective positions, ranging from the National Assembly, State Assembly, Council Chairmanship and Councillorship, despite the fact that the party lost power at the national level in 2015.

    Today, the party through Gov. Ugwuanyi’s peace and good governance initiatives, uncommon leadership style and absolute faith in God, who he gives all glory, honour and adoration, having entrusted Enugu State to His hands, has continued to enjoy the tremendous goodwill, solidarity and support of the people.

    As a true man of the people with track record of inestimable humility, vision, simplicity and candor, Ugwuanyi has established a closer relationship with the masses and united political, religious and traditional leaders borne out of his firm belief in the unity, peace and progress of Enugu State.

    The governor’s ability to manage issues of divergent interests and accord everybody their due respect irrespective of class, religion, ethnicity or political affiliation is outstanding and has contributed immensely to the success story of his administration, which came on board when the nation’s economy was in recession.

    His administration’s ideology, which centres on peace and grassroots development initiatives, was carefully conceived to promote rapid development, alleviate the suffering of the people, give the neglected a sense of belonging and open up new areas for socio-economic expansion. The sound vision has stood the governor out as a great achiever and grassroots leader.

    For instance, out of the over 450 kilometers of roads executed in the past three and half years by his administration, rural communities have the lion share against the urban centres. Today, there are avalanches of signature projects registered across the length and breadth of the state that positively impact the lives of the residents, such as the historic and undulating Milliken Hill road, Ngwo, Enugu and the Opi-Nsukka dual carriageway in the University town of Nsukka. Communities that were hitherto neglected had been remembered with one legacy project or the other through the rural development programmes of the government such as the “one community one project” initiative.

    Workers’ salaries are paid on the 23rd of every month even without receipt of the federal allocation or when the date falls on a Saturday or Sunday. The state government also pays the 13th month salary as Christmas bonus.

    The state pensioners who receive their pensions as and when due, recently paid the people’s governor a symbolic Thank-you visit for payment of arrears of gratuities owed them from January 2009, from the monthly N100 million approved by his administration for the said purpose.

    The education sector has received priority attention as over 589 primary and secondary school blocks, have been constructed, renovated and equipped with ICT facilities while more than 4000 teachers were recruited to improve the standard of learning in the state.

    In the health sector, besides completion of the state-of-the-art Enugu State Medical Diagnostic Centre, Enugu and construction of District Hospitals across the state, the positive impacts of the state’s primary healthcare programme in the rural communities through Free Maternal and Child Healthcare and the integration of Faith-Based Organisations have strengthened delivery of medical services to the grassroots.

    On empowerment, 3400 traders have so far benefited from the first and second phase of the Enugu State Traders Empowerment Scheme while 1000 youths (now increased to 2000) were usefully engaged to clean up the state under the Enugu Clean Team Project.

    As scholarships were offered to 680 indigent engineering students of the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu and Enugu State Polytechnic Iwollo, Ezeagu LGA, to promote the harnessing of the beneficiaries’ potentials for knowledge transfer, economic growth and self-reliance, 750 unemployed youths were trained and assisted with finance to establish their various businesses of practice, under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Skill Acquisition Programme of the state government.

    The prevailing peace and security in Enugu State have encouraged foreign and local direct investment and earned the state the enviable status as one of the most peaceful and safest states in the country – a fact the INEC accredited observers for the February 23 Presidential and National Assembly Elections confirmed.

    Consequently, Enugu State was recently rated by the World Bank Group as the second most advanced state in Nigeria towards the frontier of global good practices with regards to Ease of Doing Business.

    The state, under Gov. Uguwanyi’s watch, has received other avalanches of outstanding ratings and commendations. These landmark feats, which are the hallmark of good governance, include the Senate Committee on State and Local Government Administration’s verdict, which named Ugwuanyi as the best governor in judicious utilisation of the bailout funds; the recent Economic Confidential magazine verdict that listed Enugu among the seven states that are solvent with impressive over 30 percent Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to fund additional economic activities; the BudgIT report, which listed Enugu, Lagos and Rivers as the only three states out of the 36 states of the federation that have fulfilled obligations to their workers, among numerous others.

    In recognition of all these milestone achievements, four leading national dailies – The Sun, Vanguard, Leadership and Independent Newspapers – this year honoured Ugwuanyi as their Governor of the Year 2018, a feat that is unprecedented in the nation’s history.

    All these landmark achievements and others too numerous to mention, have indeed earned Gov. Ugwuanyi a gale of endorsements for his re-election by virtually all spheres of the society, including non-indigenes.

    For instance, while Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka of the Adoration Ministry Enugu Nigeria (AMEN) and Archbishop Emmanuel Chukwuma of Enugu Ecclesiastical Province (Anglican Communion) have endorsed Ugwuanyi’s re-election declaring that there is “No Vacancy in the Lion Building in 2019”, the Prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, His Eminence, Dr. Samuel’ Emeka Kanu Uche, described the governor’s second term bid as “sacrosanct”.

    Remarkably, all the traditional rulers in Enugu State, for the first time in the history of the state, gathered and unanimously endorsed the people’s governor for a second term and presented him with an “Ofo’ as a symbol of authority for their support and endorsement.

    The traders, civil servants/organised labour, pensioners, political leaders, students, youths, artisans, academics, non-indigenes, and over 450 support groups, among others are also in the list of mature, revered and independent-minded stakeholders that have unanimously endorsed Ugwuanyi’s re-election.

    Recently, the coalition of governorship candidates of different political parties in Enugu State unanimously endorsed Ugwuanyi for re-election “to complete the good work you have started in our state”.

    The candidates, totaling 26 in number, through their Co-ordinator, Dr. Vicgenial C. Odumejemba of the National Conscience Party (NCP), said the endorsement was in recognition of the “sustainable security and peace in the state”.  The governorship candidates added that it was because of the governor’s “humane and down to earth dealings with issues without discrimination” and “prudent spending and refusal to embark on unnecessary loans as an economic expert and debt manager”.

    They therefore, pledged to mobilize their teeming supporters to vote massively for Gov. Ugwuanyi, stressing that the governor has been “carrying along all political parties in the state and running an all-inclusive government”.

    According to them, “the former governors, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani and Barr. Sullivan Chime, served eight years each and Rt. Hon. Dr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi will be supported to serve eight years as well”.

    Besides all these, Gov. Ugwuanyi has remained committed to a vigorous door-to-door campaign at market places, communities and streets of the state, canvassing for votes and establishing direct contact with the people, urging them to come out en masse and vote for him and other candidates of the PDP in the state.

    From the foregoing, it is therefore, an undisputable fact that Gov. Ugwuanyi is the candidate to beat in the forthcoming governorship election in Enugu State – signposting that the wind of victory is around the corner and March 9 elections will surely end in praise in the state. Let’s make it happen again, for Enugu State is truly in the Hands of God!

    • Amoke writes from Enugu State

  • Ugwuanyi inaugurates neurosurgical hospital complex

    Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has inaugurated the second phase of the Memfys Hospital, Enugu, which he said has remained a reference point in the healthcare delivery of the country.

    Flagging off the multi-million naira new complex of the hospital at its 16th anniversary, the governor represented by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Fintan Ekochin, stated that Memfys Hospital was the single biggest individual contribution to healthcare on the African continent in the area of neurosurgical services.

    He reiterated government’s commitment to render every logistical support that would facilitate the growth of private enterprises in the state.

    While showering praises on the founder of the hospital, Prof. Sam Ohaegbulam, the governor noted that the establishment of the hospital had worked against brain drain in the country, as Nigerian medical professionals now have an institution with state-of-the art facilities where they can practice and conduct surgeries on patients locally instead of travelling overseas.

    According to him “in fact, I am surprised that instead of the director of the centre of excellence for neurosurgery, asking for help, he was more concerned with making a case for an improved healthcare for Nigerians.”

    Ugwuanyi, also disclosed that Enugu State was one of the 10 states in the country that had already implemented the national health insurance adding that the effect of the scheme would be felt next year.

    “We have even gone further than that by introducing universal health coverage which will involve all persons in the state, the workers, parastatals and traders,” he said.

    The founder and medical director of Memfys Hospital, Enugu, Prof. Sam Ohaegbulam, said that the institution was established in 2002 with the objectives of providing high quality patient care, conducting health education and training programmes and engaging in health-related research, especially on the nervous system.

    He stated that apart from phase I which houses most of the hospital activities, the multi-million naira phase 2 building complex being inaugurated, has more than doubled the facilities available at the hospital, which include the clinics, rehabilitation centre, lecture theatre and administrative offices.

    The renowned neurosurgeon said that the master plan is comprehensive and ambitious, stressing that it was envisaged that when fully completed, the hospital would compare with similar institutions anywhere in the world.

    Ohaegbulam expressed joy that before celebrating its 16th anniversary this year, the hospital had graduated from a centre of excellence in Neurosurgery to a national medical centre, offering services in neurology, paediatrics, orthopaedic surgery, radiology, CT scan, MRI and Siemens mobile digital X-Ray and several others.

    On the national health insurance scheme, the UNN’s 10th inaugural lecturer in 1986, called on government at all levels to make it functional to enable Nigerians enjoy its dividends.

    Highlight of the occasion was the presentation of certificates to four newly graduated neurosurgeons by the Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, while cultural dances entertained guests.

  • Ugwuanyi tasks political parties on peaceful polls

    Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, on Wednesday, called on the political parties registered to participate in the forthcoming general election to allow peace to reign.

    Ugwuanyi made this call in a meeting during which the political parties signed the 2019 general election peace accord in Enugu.

    The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Mrs Cecelia Ezeilo, said the aim of the meeting was to sign the peace accord to ensure free, fair and credible 2019 general election.

    “We want the forthcoming election to be free, fair, credible and peaceful; that is why all the political parties need to endorse the peace accord.

    First, let us not allow personal interest to deny the state its prevailing peaceful atmosphere and I wish to thank the British High Commissioner for his sponsorship of this peace accord.

    Enugu has been a peaceful state and I do not want the forthcoming election to divide us, so it is our duty to carry this massage to our various localities,’’ she said.,

    In his advice, His Royal Highness (HRH) Igwe Lawrence Agubuzo, said that he had been working with the police and other security agencies to ensure the success of the election.

    Read Also: Ugwuanyi swears in two commissioners

    “I want to ensure you all that I, and other royal fathers in the state will continue to work with the security agencies before, during and after the election to ensure peace.

    “It is worthy to know that the people in Enugu State are peace loving citizens,’’ the royal father said.

    The Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) Enugu chapter, Mr Rex Arum, urged security agencies in the state to raise their strategies of security to ensure a peaceful election.

    He promised that journalists in the state would discharge their duties without compromise and also cooperate with the security agencies to ensure a successful and credible election.

    The two major political parties in the state, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates as well as their party chairmen were present.

    The 2019 general elections have been slated to hold on February 16 for Presidential and National Assembly candidates and March 2 for Governorship and House of Assembly flag bearers.

    NAN

     

  • Ugwuanyi presents N109b 2019 budget proposal

    Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State on Monday, presented N109,199,243 billion for the 2019 budget appropriation to the state House of Assembly.

    Capital expenditure gets N43, 493, 343,000. 00 representing 39.8 per cent of the budget proposal while recurrent expenditure stood at N69,705,900,000.00 representing 60.2 per cent of the budget.

    In the sectoral allocation, N633,000,000 million was budgeted for agriculture while N2.34 billion was for health and N5.55 billion was set aside for education.

    Presenting the budget, tagged Budget of Peace, Equity and Prosperity, the governor said that his administration has implemented the previous budget of 2018 to 85 per cent, stressing that the government has taken development to the urban and rural communities.

    He reeled out achievements of his administration in the last three years which include, massive rehabilitation of roads both in urban and rural areas as well as in health facilities, agriculture and education.

    Read Also: Ugwuanyi urges speedy completion of projects

    Ugwuanyi who said the state remains one of the most peaceful and safest states in Nigeria pointed out that his administration has invested heavily in agriculture noting that this was to ensure that no family in the state goes to bed without food.

    “To ensure security of lives and property in the state, the government has procured 77 vehicles to the police and Siena buses for the neighbourhood watch to complement the security in the rural communities.

    “We want to make sure that no family goes to sleep without food, this while this administration has mapped out various agricultural programs to ensure adequate food production,” he said.

    He said that the government in the last three years has been paying salaries and pensions regularly adding that they set aside N1.2 billion monthly for the payment of gratuity.

    In the area of health, Ugwuanyi said that the government has reconstructed and upgraded seven general hospitals in Oji-River, Awgu, Udi, Enugu Ezike, Agbani and Nsukka.

    He said that his administration has procured the state of art equipment for the ESUT Teaching Hospitals, which includes; four baby incubators while accreditation for ESUT College of Medicine was secured.

    He noted that the medical diagnostic centre has been completed and the 2019 budget would see to the installations of facilities at the centre.

  • Enugu 2019: Can Eze upstage Ugwuanyi?

    In this report, Sunday Oguntola analyses the intriguing contest between Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and his main challenger, Senator Ayogu Eze, for the Government House in 2019.

    On paper, the contest appears predictably easy. Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, according to many political pundits, should have an easy ride in his reelection bid come 2019. This, they say, is on the account of his popularity and impressive performances across board.  Besides, Enugu State has always been a stronghold of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) since 1999. The party has not only been dominant, it has also produced all office holders at the state and federal levels ever since.

    So, political analysts are positive Ugwuanyi shouldn’t have any struggle getting back to the Government House. But politics is never as straightforward as arithmetic. It is as dynamic as living, throwing up unimaginable surprises and twists. It is based on these the contest between the governor and his main challenger, All Progressives Congress (APC)’s Senator Ayogu Eze, promises to be interesting.

    In the first place, Eze is no pushover politically. The former journalist was a two-term Senator of Enugu North where he acquainted himself creditably. He is also believed to be a grassroots mobiliser, having served as Commissioner, Special Adviser and Special Assistant to the Governor. His supporters believe he is loaded financially to prosecute a governorship contest, having lost the PDP’s governorship ticket to Ugwuanyi in 2015. He went as far as the Supreme Court to reclaim what he claimed to be his mandate but lost. They are positive this is his best chance to get revenge and prove he is better placed than the governor.

    It is on this basis that they declare the 2019 Enugu guber race cannot be a one-horse race as it used to be. “It is not business as usual. So much has changed and that is why the governor and his camp are jittery. They know they have their match in Senator Eze.  He is highly connected, financially endowed and popular to win the race. So, Enugu is not what it used to be and they know it. That is why they are determined to go all out and we will do much more because this is our chance to clinch the governorship,” a highly-placed official in the campaign team told our correspondent last week.

    Ugwuanyi’s strengths

    Upstaging Ugwuanyi, however, cannot be as simple as wishing it. The governor is clearly on ground. Gburugburu, as he is fondly called, is generally believed to be performing well. His supporters point to peaceful atmosphere, road construction, infrastructural development and the friendly mien of the governor as his biggest achievements.  Payment of workers’ salaries has been a major priority for his administration, a development that has made the governor enjoy good relations with the workforce.

    Civil servants, according to confirmed reports, receive alerts on the 23rd of every month. This is aside from the 13th salary every December usually on the 13th.

    He has also found a way to connect with traders at the popular Okpara Square market through an empowerment scheme that allows them to win N50, 000 monthly for business expansion. Pensioners have a steady release of N100million through which they get their gratuities. He is also in right standing with many political heavyweights, including opposition figures who credit him for not being antagonistic or abusive in his words and actions. So, the governor can claim to have found the right balance of performance and connection with the masses.

    Beatable on many scores

    But APC forces in the state believe he is not unbeatable. The party has chosen to base its campaign on the needs for Enugu to join the government at the centre.

    “What I’m saying is that our campaign in the state is not for governor alone but for all the elective positions. If the governor should go to Government House alone, cold might kill him.

    “What we are going to do is politics of score-check; to take all the 24 House of Assembly members  in the state, eight members of the House of Representatives  and three senators, so that it will be complete victory. We will bring APC to Enugu State and deliver South East also,” Eze said at a recent campaign.

    The APC is boosted by the coming on board of immediate past governor, Sullivan Chime, who has vowed to stop at nothing to ensure the party’s victory at the polls. Though he is no longer in office, sources say Chime is not a spent force politically in Enugu State. Political observers believe Ugwuanyi made a big mistake to allow his political mentor and benefactor leave the PDP less than four years after leaving office.

    “This is the only party that can take any politician to their destination and I pray that what happened to the PDP does not happen to APC,” Chime stated recently. He added: “I can assure you that the APC will win the state in 2019. Change has come to Enugu and it is like a movement.”

    The combination of Eze and Chime in Enugu, according to some analysts, will pose big problems for the PDP. This is aside the fact the APC can also bank on federal support at the polls. With these considerations, it might become tougher, even impossible for Ugwuanyi to stage a return to the Government House.

    Eze, who kicked off his campaign tagged a New Dawn in a big way last week, promised to take Enugu to an unprecedented level of development and good governance, if elected.

    Eze said that his contract with his people would be to run a goal-oriented administration that would be effective, efficient and prudent, adding that he would be accountable to them if elected. He promised that the conduct of government business would be open in a manner that had hitherto never been seen in that part of the country.

    The candidate said he would set goals and timelines for the government to achieve every aspect of the manifesto. He also promised to bring employment, development and work for the people of Enugu State, adding that within the first one year in office that the people of the state and environs would have adequate water.

    Eze said that his government would train all kinds of artisans and would also develop coal camp where people could create wealth for themselves. The APC candidate promised to ensure that before the retirement age of workers that their gratuity would be ready for them to start up a new life.  He said that salaries would be paid as and when due, noting that he would develop agriculture and employ about 1,000 people every year.

    Eze explained that his government would build a film village in Enugu and supply them with equipment to enable actors and actresses to come back to life. He said that he would rebuild Enugu and create recreational facilities that would attract more people to the state. On his part, the governor promised to activate greater economic development for the state, if reelected. “This Growth Plan is, indeed, a vision for the future of Enugu State, as it will state what we intend to achieve in the next 4 to 5 years,” he hinted while unveiling action plan for the state.

    Grapevines say the governor has maintained close contacts with federal forces to ensure his reelection. This, they alleged, is why he has never criticised the APC government or the Buhari-led administration in almost four years.  But the Eze’s camp dismissed such insinuations as arrant nonsense. It said the governor has no place to hide his face from the imminent defeat. “We have also heard that. It is rubbish, as far as we are concerned. The governor is on his way out.

    “Even if he is in touch with some people in Abuja, it is a decoy to give him a false sense of security. There is no person in Abuja that will work against APC in Enugu State,” a top official, who claimed he had no permission to speak officially, told our correspondent.

    The PDP’s campaign train has basically thrived on endorsements by critical stakeholders in the state, especially artisans, traders, market women, youth organisations and ethnic nationalities. There are reports the campaign will step up in the next few days to major towns in the state.

    But Eze’s camp is not in the mood to back down as well. It has mounted bill boards in strategic areas in the state as well as engaged crucial stakeholders in deep negotiations in exchange for electoral support. Its officials are buoyed by the wide contacts and deep pocket of the former senator, a man they claim has all it takes to do the unthinkable in Enugu State come 2019.

  • Buhari to attend climate change conference in Poland

    President Muhammadu Buhari is scheduled to leave Abuja on Saturday for Katowice, Poland, to attend the 24th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP24) under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

     

    The conference is holding from 2nf to 5th of December, 2018.

     

    The COP24 Summit, which will be held at the International Conference Centre (MCK) and the adjacent Spodek Arena in Katowice, is being convened under the Presidency of Poland.

     

    According to the organisers, the conference is expected to finalize the rules for implementation of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change under the Paris Agreement Work Programme (PAWP) – the rule book for implementation.

     

    During the Leaders’ Summit at COP24, a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, said that President Buhari will deliver a national statement highlighting Nigeria’s commitment to addressing climate change by implementing the goals set out in its National Determined Contributions.

     

    He will also use the occasion to accentuate Nigeria’s willingness to work with international partners to reverse the negative effects of climate change in Africa and the world over, while expecting that developed nations scale up their emission reduction activities in order to limit the increase in average global temperatures to well below 2 degrees centigrade between now and 2020.

     

    The Leaders’ Summit is expected to adopt a ‘‘Declaration on Solidarity and Just Transition Silesia,’’ – named after the region of Poland where this year’s climate conference is taking place.

    Read Also: Buhari seeks renewed support against terror

    As a member of the Committee of the African Heads of State on Climate Change – a group of 10 African countries that meets and takes positions concerning issues of climate change on behalf of the continent – Nigeria has been at the forefront of advancing policies and initiatives aimed at addressing significant challenges occasioned by climate change such as reviving the Lake Chad, halting and reversing desertification, flooding, ocean surge and oil spillage.

     

    “President Buhari will continue to champion these pressing issues at COP24 in Katowice, among others, as well as reiterate Nigeria’s position on the need for African countries to access financial resources, especially the Green Climate Fund to draw up climate change adaptation policies and actions for implementation.

     

    “The Nigerian delegation will also showcase the policy measures and actions of the Federal Government at ensuring environmental sustainability and effectively combating climate change through several side events within the Nigerian pavilion.”

     

    While in Poland, President Buhari will hold an interactive session with the Nigerian community in that country.

     

    He is also scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with the President of Poland Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.

     

    The President will be accompanied by Governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Yahaya Bello and Abubakar Sani Bello of Enugu, Kogi and Niger States, respectively.

     

    Others on his entourage include the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, and the Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Jibrin.

  • Why I dedicated my book to my predecessor-Sullivan

    Former Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime says he dedicated the book on his eight year stewardship to his predecessor, Dr Chimaroke Nnamani for giving him the opportunity to serve.

    Chime told newsmen in Enugu on Wednesday during a pre-book launch briefing that Nnamani was the one who made it possible for him to serve the state as the governor.

    “I would not have had the opportunity to serve if he did not bring me into his government.”

    He made it clear that he did not fall out with the former governor as insinuated in some quarters rather Nnamani decided to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and joined another one.

    “He saw way back what I saw in 2015 and left the party. So, I have no issues with him,” he said.

    Chime said that the book entitled `An Honour to Serve: Enugu State in the Sullivan Years’, would be unveiled on Friday, Nov. 23 by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

    The former governor explained that the book was all about his experiences from inception to the handing over.

    According to him, it is a report of my stewardship to the electorate, whom he described, as his employers.

    “The book is an account of my stewardship for eight years to my employers.

    Read Also: Sullivan Chime’s daughter set for the altar

    “It is a compendium of what we did in the governance of Enugu,” he said, adding that as compendium, it was not possible to cover all aspects.

    “It is not possible to cover all we did in eight years. It is only a summary of what we did in Enugu State.”

    He said that when he assumed office, “we promised a four-point agenda and we kept all the promises”.

    Chime pointed out that the greatest challenge when he assumed office in the state was insecurity, adding that people were then scared to come to the old regional capital.

    “We tackled the situation and today Enugu is one of the safest states in the country,” the former governor said.

    He cleared the rumour of strained relationship with incumbent governor, Mr Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, saying that he did not have issues with him.

    On why he did not complete some abandoned projects by his predecessor, Chime said that he did not believe in personalising projects.

    “You do not personalise projects. You come into government and look for projects that will benefit the people.

    “I developed Park Lane Hospital and ESUT which Nnamani started. We improved on it. Also Loma Linda or Maryland Estate which he did not complete, I concluded the project and made it viable.

    “Once you do not personalize projects, you won’t have issues as a leader.

    “You see, there is a difference between politics and governance. After politics, you engage people who can help you deliver or govern,” he said.

    Chime explained that he could not complete the International Conference Centre (ICC) because he could not get the design to complete it.

    “I could not get a copy of the design from the contractor. There is no record in the Ministry of Works or any related government office about the project. The contractor disappeared with it,”.

    The former governor said his greatest regret was that he did not have enough money to develop the state the way he wanted.