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Tag: Ugwuanyi

  • Ugwuanyi: I’m committed to fulfilling campaign promises

    Ugwuanyi: I’m committed to fulfilling campaign promises

    Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has reassured the people of his commitment to fulfill his campaign promises for the benefit of all.

    The governor said the people deserved to reap the dividends of democracy as they had demonstrated their faith in his administration.

    In a broadcast to mark Nigeria’s 55th independence anniversary at the Government House in Enugu, the governor hailed the people for supporting his administration, even as he urged them to pray for the country’s peace and stability.

    Ugwuanyi praised President President Muhammadu Buhari for his efforts to sanitise Nigeria, and the founding fathers for their drive towards preserving the unity of the country. He described them as true heroes of democracy.

    He also praised the Nigeria Armed forces and other security agencies for their effort to keep Nigeria as one.

  • Ugwuanyi swears in Security Council members

    Ugwuanyi swears in Security Council members

    Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has sworn in four new members of the State Security Council, urging them to address without delay the resurgence of violent crime in the state.

    The new members of the council include: Col. Osa Omoregbe, the Garrison Commander, 82 Division Nigerian Army, Air Commodore Emmanuel Festus Golit, the Commander 337 Base Services Group, Nigerian Air Force, Enugu, Mr. Abdul Malik, the Director of Security, State Security Services, Enugu and Mr. Lar Stephen Zwali, the State Commander, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Enugu.

    Uunderscoring the need to beef up security in the state, the governor noted that recent media reports of violent crimes being on the increase in the state.

    He said, “I, however, hasten to say that much as the state’s rating in the area of security remains enviably and comparatively high, I am certain that from recent media reports you would have observed that the incidences of such violent crimes as kidnapping, ritual killings, cultism and armed robbery has been on the increase in both the rural and urban areas of the state.”

    The governor said that he summoned the council meeting for the discussion on the undesirable development with a view to coming up with a plan of action and identify the necessary measures that would help address the situation promptly, effectively and satisfactorily.

    The governor assured the security agents of the state government commitment to provide the assistance and support that may be required in discharging their duties successfully.

    Ugwuanyi commended the Nigerian Armed Forces for the successes they have continued to record in their determined efforts to end the insurgency in the North Eastern part of the country and generally making Nigeria a safe place for all to live.

     

  • Cleric hails Ugwuanyi

    Cleric hails Ugwuanyi

    The Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Most Rev. Callistus Onaga has hailed Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for conducting an exemplary primary election in Kogi State.

    The Bishop spoke during a mass to mark the 55th anniversary of Nigeria. Represented by the Cathedral Administrator, Rev. Fr. John Nwafor, bishop Onaga called on Nigerians to emulate the governor’s exemplary maintenance of rules and regulations in the conduct of elections.

    He noted that contenders accepted the result and became more united because of the transparent manner it was conducted.

    Governor Ugwuanyi, who read the first lesson, called on churches to continue pray for leaders for good governance and peace to ensure service delivery.

    He promised that his administration would continue to identify with churches to discharge their duties.

  • Loans: Ugwuanyi, critics in battle of wits

    Loans: Ugwuanyi, critics in battle of wits

    As debates continue in Enugu State over the current approval granted Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi by the State House of Assembly to obtain  loans to the tune of N14.2b, Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan, examines the various arguements in this report.

    Although the Government of Enugu state has refuted claims by critics of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi that he got the State House of Assembly to secretly approved a loan request of N14.2 Billion recently presented to it by the Enugu State Executive Council, the last may not have been heard of the issue as groups and individuals opposed to the procurement of the loan argued that the move will further plunge the state into indebtedness. This is even as the Governor insists that without the loan, Enugu, like many other states of the federation, will be unable to wriggle out of the financial difficulty caused by the dwindling federal allocations.

    Checks by The Nation revealed that as part of the N14.2 Billion loan request, the Enugu State government intends to procure the N4.207 billion bail-out funds designed by the Federal Government to help with the state to offset backlog of salaries and arrears. In addition to this, the administration is seeking another N10billion to be expended on the infrastructural development of the state.

    The state executive committee had met and after deliberations on the precarious financial situation of the government, agreed to pass the loan request to the Legislative arm of government. Last week, the House received the loan request and worked on it. It eventually gave its nod to the plan by the Governor to borrow in order to finance its responsibilities to workers and give the people of the state the much craved dividends of democracy.

    But hardly was the approval made public before opposition to it mounted, with some keen watchers of the politics of the state accusing the governor of planning to impoverish the state through needless borrowings. They recalled that the immediate past administration of ex-governor Sullivan Chime was alleged to have built for the state an alarming debt profile to the the of N62.8 billion.

    Others argue that since the government is not owing worker’s salaries, there is no need for it to procure the bail out fund meant for that purpose. The Governor was also urges to use the fund available to him, and not loans for infrastructural development of the state pending the time allocations from the federal government will improve.

    But Governor Ugwuanyi said his government’s plan is to ” separately procure the N4.207 billion bailout fund through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for “the liquidation of outstanding salaries, pension and pension arrears and subventions for parastatals, institutions and boards” and N10 billion loan from the apex bank for infrastructural and developmental projects in the state, respectively.

    According to explanations by the government following raving debate within and outside the state, the said loans were in response to the negative development in the nation’s oil sector which has adversely reduced the state’s revenue allocation from federation account to a level that is not encouraging. The Governor and his men insist it is not pout of place for a ‘serious administration to seek ways of solving pressing financial problems.”

    In a reaction to the development, the Enugu Restoration Group (ERG), called on the state lawmakers to ”immediately retrace their steps and withdraw the approval granted Governor Ugwuanyi to borrow more money on behalf of the poor masses of the state. The group strongly condemned what it termed alleged conduct of government business in secrecy, saying that the speed with which the Assembly proceed to approve the loan was very questioning.

    In a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Comrade Sylvester Uwakwe, the group lashed at the State House of Assembly for approving the loan, insisting that the move would further enslave the current and unborn generations of Enugu State.

    “The reason adduced for the loan, which is to pay salaries and develop infrastructure, is untenable and suspicious. This is because Enugu is not owing salaries. The last administration borrowed N11billion in its twilight for these same purposes. What came out of that needless debt is left to be imagined. It is our firm belief that we do not need to go borrowing again,” the group said.

    “We, therefore, call on the State House of Assembly, the Central Bank of Nigerian and other relevant financial regulatory agencies to stop the loan. We also wish to make it categorically clear that this loan is not in any way in the interest of the people of the state and as such, will be questioned sooner or later by the good people of Enugu State.

    The group said there would not have been any need for the House of Assembly to approve the loan in a closed door session if the administration if the loan was for public good.

    Also reacting to the loan approval, Co-ordinator of Sout East Political Forum (SEPF), Dr. Moses Abba, said it was surprising that the Governor who is less than four months old in office, would be seeking to incur such a huge debt, which would definitely add to the much condemned debt profile occasioned by his predecessor.

    “Before approving such huge loan, the House of Assembly ought to conduct a public hearing where details of such needs and expenditure warranting the loan should be made public for the people of the state to know what the fund is meant for because as we speak, it is on record that the immediate past administration borrowed N11billion without telling the people how it was spent till today.

    It is also a fact that Enugu is not owing salaries. So, we are at a loss over what the huge loan is needed for. Until such explanations are made, the CBN should halt the release of the fund. Otherwise, they should know that they are giving the money at their own risk. We want to tell you that our people say no to this loan. They must conduct a public hearing to feel the pulse of the people. We are urging our lawmakers to remain the conscience of the society. They should go and consult their constituents and see if they are in support of this loan. Otherwise, it will be on record that they did things that were against the interest of their people,” he said.

    But Louis Amoke, the Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Enugu State Governor, said the said loans were in response to the negative development in the nation’s oil sector which has adversely reduced the state’s revenue allocation from federation account to a level that is not encouraging. According to him, it is on record that Enugu state is third from the bottom of the federation account and a civil service state depending on the federal allocation for the execution of most of her capital projects.

    “Today, the story is no longer the same, as the revenue of the state like every other states of the federation keeps dwindling to an all-time-low, making it difficult for the state government to fulfill his campaign promises to the people of the state. It is therefore, encouraging to note that the Federal Government through the National Economic Council (NEC) saw the wisdom to offer bailouts to most states to enable them offset workers’ salaries and other entitlements relating to their welfare and assist the states execute some capital projects.

    This basically informed the reason why the Enugu State Government recently embarked on the processes for the procurement of the funds to enable it consolidate on the on-going developmental projects in the state and deal with the issues of outstanding salaries for casual workers, pension and pension arrears and subventions for parastatals, institutions and boards in order to alleviate the sufferings of the workers in these government establishments which rely on the subventions to pay salaries. These government establishments include: the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu State Transport Company (ENTRACO), Daily Star, Enugu State Water Corporation, among others,” he explained.

    Explaining that the loan, as structured, is not likely to create problems for the state in future, Amoke said, “on the uniqueness, safety and convenient of the loans, it is pertinent to note that the said loans which are based on the outcome of the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting of June 2015, are to be secured by Excess Crude Account (ECA). Interestingly, the loans carry a single digit interest rate of nine per cent and tenure of 20 years repayment.”

    Debunking allegation of secrecy over the loan, the Governor’s aide said there was no secrecy in the processes of the approval for the procurement of the said loans. According to him, the proceedings for the authorization of the loans by the Enugu State House of Assembly followed due process and was done in the open in the presence of the media and has no secrecy attached to it.

    “May I therefore, state that the loans are in the overall interest of the people of the state who will eventually reap the benefits associated with it in the areas of workers’ welfare, infrastructural development, advancement of good governance and other people-oriented programmes of the Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi-led administration in Enugu State. The Governor by this move has demonstrated once again his unflinching commitment to selfless service and the actualization of his 4-point agenda which he holds very dear to his heart.

    In spite of the economic challenges, Gov. Ugwuanyi has made tremendous achievements in providing quality leadership and infrastructural development in the state. The governor has also introduced chains of innovations and ideas aimed at boosting the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state and making Enugu State the investment destination of choice in the South East geo political zone. He has equally maintained the tradition of prompt payment of salaries of workers in the Ministries.

    The CBN loans will no doubt consolidate on these remarkable achievements and facilitate his administration’s drive to bring good governance to the doorsteps of the people of the state with a firm commitment to their welfare as true heroes of democracy. It is therefore the responsibility of the public especially the people of the state to continue to give the present administration the support and cooperation it deserves to move the state forward.

    Amoke is the Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Enugu State Governor,’ he argued.

  • Ugwuanyi laments poor hospitals in Southeast

    Ugwuanyi laments poor hospitals in Southeast

    Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has decried the poor state of hospitals in the Southeast. He lamented that the ill-equipped hospitals could not meet the health demands of the people.

    The governor spoke when the management of Star Deep Water Petroleum Limited, Chevron Oil Company and Agbami co-ventures, visited him at the Government House in Enugu.

    Ugwuanyi said when completed, the diagnostic centre being built would reduce the people’s craving for foreign medical attention.

    He appealed to the group to help the zone by establishing a befitting hospital to promote health care delivery.

    Ugwuanyi also requested the group to establish a modern library to facilitate learning and encourage research, even as he hailed them for building a chest clinic complex at the District Hospital in Enugu-Ezike.

    He said: “I am convinced that you are a worthy partner that has touched our hearts and the lives of our people. May my good Lord reward you.”

    Representative of Star Deep Water Petroleum Limited, Mr. Stan Otuonye said the group was in Enugu to inaugurate the chest clinic complex it built at the Ogurute District Hospital.

    Otuonye noted that the group had built 24 chest clinics in different parts of Nigeria.

  • ‘Ugwuanyi committed to equitable development’

    ‘Ugwuanyi committed to equitable development’

    Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has said that his administration will foster justice, equity, and fairness in the distribution of basic amenities.

    The governor gave the assurance in Nsukka at a consultation meeting. He was represented by the Chairman of the Nsukka Urban Renewal Committee, Chris Offor.

    Offor said the committee was constituted in line with the vision and policy thrust of the governor to “open up rural areas, create more urban areas in Enugu State, boost economic activities and reduce unemployment”.

    He noted that Nsukka is “the second largest urban area in Enugu State and a university town founded over 50 years ago”. He said the town deserves a facelift to compete with its contemporaries in attracting technology and knowledge-based businesses for the socio-economic growth of the state.

    The committee’s chairman said that the governor’s passion for the development of the entire state in line with his campaign promises and broad-based vision is remarkable and desires the support of the people of the area.

    He said that the committee is one of the numerous programmes by the governor geared towards development, adding that he has also embarked on programmes aimed at developing other satellite towns including Abakpa Nike, Emene, and Independence Layout Phase II.

    Offor said the committee has made progress, adding that the public hearing was imperative, in view of the need to consult widely with the people to have a holistic idea of the challenges and make appropriate recommendations to the government.

    Those who spoke at the event harped on the need to find a lasting solution to flooding, clogged drainage system, poor state of internal road network, erection of illegal structures on waterways, scarcity of water, inadequate healthcare facilities, among others.

     

  • Ugwuanyi lays hospital’s foundation stone

    Ugwuanyi lays hospital’s foundation stone

    Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has laid the ceremonial foundation stone for a 200-bed specialist hospital in Orba in Udenu Local Government Area of the state.

    Speaking at the site of the proposed facility, he assured that his government would deliver on his campaign promises and that the state will become a desirable destination for medical tourists as well as investors.

    At the event, a representative of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Mrs. Angela Izegbune, praised the governor for making a good impression in the health sector in his less than 100 days in office.

    She also hailed the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Sam Ngwu for quickly putting together the activities that culminated in the foundation-laying ceremony.

    Ugwuanyi told the huge crowd that the modern specialist hospital would on completion bring succour to the teeming population of residents of communities in the densely populated Enugu North senatorial zone of the state and reduce the current pressure on the existing two tertiary health institutions in the state whose facilities could no longer carry the huge patients-traffic at the moment.

    He recalled that a greater percentage of Nigerians who seek medical attention and assistance abroad are from the South Eastern region and that Enugu contributes a good percentage of them.

    He enjoined medical workers and other parties to shun /industrial action capable of undermining the efforts of government, especially in the health sector, situations that could result in loss of lives.

    The governor further assured that his government will continue to provide a conducive atmosphere for the effective discharge of Medicare in the state He used the occasion to commend the host communities of the hospital project, that include Orba, Imilike, and Ovoko/Iheaka, for their kind understanding evidenced in their gesture of freely donating land and other forms of assistance for the site while assuring the speedy completion of the project.

    According to him, apart from providing specialist services for the people in the rural communities, the health facility would also help to check current rural-to-urban drift syndrome that has bogged down Nigerian society for years now.

    “I wish to enjoin all stakeholders in health sector in Enugu to key into this worthy initiative we have taken in the sector and give it the support and cooperation it needs to come to fruition.

    “I wish to use the occasion to call on medical and allied workers in the state to show more dedication and commitment to their duties and as much as possible to avoid industrial actions that will occasion preventable loss of lives and consequent loss of faith and

    confidence in our hospitals.

    “On our part as a government, we will as we have always promised provide the facilities, .equipments and logistical support necessary for the effective discharge of duties of health workers in the state.

    “I wish to thank members of the host communities of this hospital project for their kindness in freely donating the land and also offering other forms of assistance to make this ceremony a reality,” said the governor.

    WHO representative Izegbune noted that Enugu State has been polio-free since 2008.

    She also praised the state’s immunisation plan which she said has risen above 90 per cent.

    She said WHO will continue to partner with the government in the health sector towards providing qualitative medical care in the state.

    Health commissioner, Dr. Ngwu underscored the importance of the project, warning that the state will not tolerate any vandalism of facilities at the site of the facility.

    He also called on the leaders of the host communities to safeguard the facilities and the personnel of the companies that would deliver the project.

  • Ugwuanyi woos DFID for investment summit

    Ugwuanyi woos DFID for investment summit

    Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has called on the British Department for International Development (DFID) to organise an investment summit to expose the state to the international community.

    The governor spoke when he received a delegation of DFID, led by its Head of Office in Nigeria, Ben Mellor, at his office.

    Ugwuanyi thanked the agency for its contributions towards sustainable development and commitment in  partnering the state on inclusive growth.

    He noted that the summit would not only discuss business opportunities in the state, but would benefit the Southeast states.

    The governor added that the country needed the assistance of the British government to boost e-learning/exchange programmes, quality and affordable health facilities and alternative energy supply to support primary health services in the rural areas.

    “It may interest you that we have challenges; we need solar panel to provide alternate energy to power our hospital facilities. We need more sophisticated equipment and facilities in our hospitals to measure up with the developed world.

    “Don’t give us money; just put the facilities to help our people. We are suffering and we need help; help our people to build good hospitals” Ugwuanyi said.

    Mellor hailed the governor for his initiative to constitute the Economic Advisory Committee.

    He described it as an important venture that would assist the government to actualise its four-point agenda anchored on continuity and consolidation.

    The DFID official said department would support the governor’s vision, even as he assured Ugwuanyi that his requests would be attended to.

  • Election tribunal upholds Ugwuanyi’s election

    The Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Enugu, yesterday upheld the election of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State in the April 11, 2015 governorship election.

    It struck out the petition filed by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Okey Ezea, on the grounds that it was frivolous, lacked merit and against court processes.

    This was followed by a cost of N150,000 to each of the 6 respondents in the petition.

    Delivering the judgment, which lasted for over three hours, the Chairman of the three-man tribunal, Justice Kwajafa Hildad, among other findings, held that the tribunal had earlier in the course of the hearing struck out several paragraphs of Ezea’s petition for being imprecise, vague, related to party nomination, which is a pre-election matter and contained criminal allegation against people who were not made parties to the petition.

    He added that the petitioners’ allegation on over-voting and non-accreditation through the manipulation of the Card Readers Machine by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other respondents were not sufficiently proved, as it is only the voters’ register that could determine the number of voters that participated in an election, stating that the petitioner failed to provide the voters’ registers to prove his case.

    The tribunal also noted that the petitioners’ witnesses, six 6 persons drawn from 6 polling units out of the 2,958 polling units in the state, was not sufficient to provide enough evidence to support his case, rendering it incompetent.

    It further held that even at that, the six witnesses admitted that the governorship election was free, fair and peaceful, with minor irregularities which were not sufficient enough to cancel the election.

    It deposed that the petitioners also failed to prove their allegation of falsification result figures, maintaining that mere assertion that the figures were falsified was not enough evidence to allow them their prayers.

    The tribunal went on to dismiss the petition and upheld the election of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi as valid.

    Reacting on the judgment, the Vice Chairman of Association of Local Government Chairmen of Nigeria (ALGON) Enugu State chapter , Nnanna Nze,  described it as a reflection of the wishes of the majority of the people of Enugu State.

    Nze said that the judgment has proved that Enugu is a PDP State and the governor was freely elected by the people.

    The news was greeted with loud cheers by supporters of Governor Ugwuanyi, who went into wild jubilation, singing victory songs in praise of the governor, who drove round major streets of Enugu, accompanied by local government chairmen.

    Meanwhile, the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has congratulated Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi on the victory, describing it as victory for the people of the state.

    Reacting to the verdict, he said it was  a reaffirmation of the overwhelming popularity of the governor and the strength of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) in Enugu State in particular and the South East in general.

    Ekweremadu further observed that the decision of the tribunal did not come as a surprise to the people of Enugu State and realistic political pundits around the country because Enugu State remained an indisputable stronghold of the PDP.

    He added: “Some petitions are sheer fulfilment of all political righteousness. The volume of Ugwanyi’s goodwill and popularity among the political class and the masses as a governorship aspirant, candidate, and now an incumbent governor is unprecedented.

    So, we made the right choice and what the tribunal has just done is to confirm that our choice was fairly, freely, and credibly made in compliance with the electoral laws.”

  • Enugu’s new secretariat and Gov Ugwuanyi’s dilemma

    Enugu’s new secretariat and Gov Ugwuanyi’s dilemma

    It was cheery news when it was announced that a new secretariat was to be built for Enugu workers. The secretariat was to replace the colonial buildings erected in the 1920s. It was a state of the art structure which on completion would house all the ministries and parastatals in the state.

    But shortly after the cheery news, a controversy reared its head. Residents of Enugu, on learning that the colonial buildings and those built by the legendary Michael Okpara administration would be demolished to pave way for the new secretariat, they frowned at the idea.

    There was the insistence that those buildings should be allowed to stay as historic monuments and be converted to other use. It was suggested that the new secretariat should be sited at a new location. But these suggestions fail on deaf ears as the then Governor Sullivan Chime was determined to go on with the demolition and building of the new secretariat at the old site.

    However, a wiser counsel was applied. Chime decided to spare some of the colonial buildings. But those built by the Okpara administration in the First Republic were marked for demolition, and work began in earnest.

    The construction of the new secretariat was awarded to Arab Contractors to be delivered in 18 months. The initial cost was put at N13 billion. Former Governor Sullivan Chime had told reporters that the amount involved would be sourced from internally generated revenue. Although the amount later on jumped higher, one is not sure of exactly the figure.

    Nonetheless, the last Enugu House of Assembly, in the tail end of its tenure, fell out with the former governor and a faction of the House initiated impeachment process of the then governor. It was during the ensuing imbroglio that it was revealed that the figure had been inflated from N13 billion to N22 billion. It was one of the allegations against Chime.

    Although the impeachment process could not sail through and the Speaker of the House lost his seat in the process, nothing was heard of the “inflated” amount. And the new secretariat was commissioned on the eve of the departure of Chime from the Government House.

    Observers see the commissioning as hurriedly done as they argue that the project was incomplete. Whether complete or not, the workers are already moving into the edifice. Various ministries in the state have already taken positions in the new secretariat.

    While the movement of workers continues, it was discovered that the architectural “masterpiece” has some defects. For example, it is only in the ground floors of the five-storey buildings that the conveniences are located. Anyone pressed would have to come downstairs to ease him or herself.

    It was also discovered that the electrical installations were limited to some sections. Some of the workers are already grumbling.

    Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, after inspecting the edifice recently, said he was not happy with what he saw. From outside, the buildings look every bit like masterpieces but their interiors are far from measuring up to their outer beauty.

    Ugwuanyi then decided to approve the sum of N260 million for necessary corrections and provision of some missing facilities. The approval was made penultimate week during the state executive council meeting. The amount is meant to take care of the first phase of the provision of electricity and toilets in the edifice.

    But the move has sparked protests among concerned indigenes who believe that the project has consumed far more than its fair share of the state’s resources after the billions expended on it by the previous administration. Petitions have also been written to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) regarding the execution of the project.

    In reaction to the protests and petitions, the EFCC has already invited some government officials in the last dispensation in the state for interrogation. But while the outcomes of the interrogations are being awaited, the Ugwuanyi administration is at a crossroads on whether to halt further expenditure on the project or commit more funds to see to its conclusive end.