Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi emerged as the candidate of PDP in 2014 after the party’s primary election. He swung into action immediately to unite all opposition forces to ensure victory of PDP at the polls. And when he eventually won in a landmark election victory, he further courted all the political gladiators in the State in a bid to ensure political harmony, accelerated economic growth and creation of investment friendly state. He worked conscientiously to engage all state actors in series of dialogue to inculcate peace and growth in all sectors. In a landmark speech delivered during his swearing in ceremony in May 29, 2015 governor Ugwuanyi harped on delivering a modern Enugu devoid of political rancor and acrimony noting that they are only mis-drivers for development. Many have expressed misgivings about such political declaration, but six years down the line, the political sagacity of Rt. Honorable Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is paying off handsomely for the good of Ndi Enugu.
Today, there is relative political peace among political actors and this should stand as one of the enduring legacies of Governor Ugwuanyi administration. The dictum “Enugu State is in the Hands of God” symbolizes the human nature of governor Ugwuanyi who have since his assumption of office invested heavily on peace and development through the direction of God Almighty as the ultimate driver of his administration.
Another legacy of the governor is his in-road in the rural communities that have been connected by quality roads and bridges and his urban renewal initiatives which has stimulated economic growth in the state. Governor Ugwuanyi constructed 14-Bay Bailey Bridge across Nyama River, linking Umuogo and Umuagba Amechi Uno/Obeagu Communities in Enugu South Local Government Area. Those who are conversant with Ugwuanyi’s style of governance will understand that he is not only delivering dividends of democracy to the city settlers but to the rural dwellers as well which has effectively checkmated rural – urban migration since his assumption of duty as Enugu helmsman.
Today, the 13-km Nike Late Junction, linking Harmony Estate to Amorji Nike and Adoration Center via Orie Emene Road; the traversed thick forest of Umuchigbo which has helped to decongest traffic logjam around Abakpa Nike stand to the credit of governor Ugwuanyi led administration.
He transformed the university town of Nsukka into an urban city where he constructed all the major roads leading into the town and dualized it with functional street lights.
The administration critically keyed into the Federal Government designed project termed Rural Access and Mobility Project (RAMP-2) aimed at improving and easing transportation and rural accessibility and has been keen in the implemention of the project processes jointly sponsored by the World Bank and French Development Agency in the State and almost all the communities in the State are beneficiaries. Governor Ugwuanyi approved the release of over N4.2 billion as its counterpart fund payment in the first phase of the project which involved nine rural roads totaling 115.36-km in the State. The nine roads are Abir road, Egede-Awhum road, St. Mary Ngwo-Nsude road, Ugwuoba-Nkwere Inyi road, and UNTH-Enugu Agu-Ndiagu- Umuaniagu- Obe-Amuri road, Neke-Mbu-Ogbodu Aba-Obollo Etiti road, Ukpabi-Nimbo-Ugbene Ajima-Eziani road; Ikwoka-Amagu-Ajuona-Akabusiyi Obimo road and Adani-Asaba-Igga-Ojjor road all in Enugu State.
He has mapped out plan to rehabilitate 49.8km rural roads under Community Based Road Maintenance and Annual Mechanized Maintenance. Some critics are won’t to criticize the governor on the selectivity of some communities for citing of projects. But it is important to state, that Governor Ugwuanyi has always employed discretion and based on the need assessments of the benefiting communities to cite the many rural legacy projects. It is on this basis that his administration awarded contracts for more infrastructural developments in urban and rural areas, worth over N1.1 billion. Top on the list are Amokwe road in Udi Local Government Area, from Udi station through Ibuzo Amokwe to Amokwe Station road; St. Marys Catholic Church Ezi Ukehe-Afia four-Umurusi-Major General Ezugwu House-Umuoka junction road in Igbo Etiti Local Governemnt Area; the construction /rehabilitation of Ojoto Crescent, Independence layout, Enugu, completion of internal roads at Diamond City Estate, GRA, Enugu and Ozidem-Nrobo-Abbi-Nimbo road in Uzo Uwani LGA.
In Enugu Urban, projects were scattered around the metropolitan city which include Holy Trinity Street and Bishop Eneje Street, Independence Layout, Mount Crescent GRA, Orofia Street, off Nza Street, Dental School-Tipper Garage road, Trans Ekulu, Loma Linda-Timber Shed road, Maryland, Nwafia Street, Mbanefo Street, New Haven, Secretariat road, GRA, Court Avenue by new State Secretariat, Ibuza Street at Independence layout, Isi Uzo Street at Independence layout, Owerri road and Poly Clinic road, Asata all in Enugu urban. Renovation of the Enugu State House of Assembly Complex and rehabilitation of Michael Okpara Square, Enugu are among the legacy projects of the present administration of Ugwuanyi.
The governor is executing some of these projects in the midst of the covid 19 pandemic that disrupted the advancement of the world economy when his counterparts in Nigeria has stopped every development projects in their States using the economic meltdown as their albi. The governor have remained largely resolute and focused in delivering his mandate despite the challenges of the meltdown.
Analysts are also agreed that governor Ugwuanyi should be roundly commended for timely payments of salaries of state civil servants who are the economic drivers. In an Era where most state Chief Executives in the country are owing backlog of salary arrears to her workers, Ugwuanyi has not only encouraged the state workforce by his humane nature, but prioritized their welfare which has engendered friendly government – Labour relationship in the state.
Governor Ugwuanyi emerged as the first governor in the history of our State to bring government to the grassroots through inclusion of President Generals of Autonomous Communities into his administration hence he gave each of the community N10 million to embark on any meaningful community project. This gesture is yielding better results in Enugu State as many communities utilize their own grant for prosperity purposes while others are still developing their own projects. His administration did not just hand in the cheque to communities but ensured it monitored the use of the allocated fund to the communities.
In areas of job creation, Ugwuanyi provided enabling ground for private sector engagement in economic activities in the state which has created more jobs for the teeming youths in the state. He has through his policies in Public Private Partnership initiative engaged with a Chinese Investment Company, Lion Business Park Limited, recorded a land mark achievement of attracting direct foreign investments to the state for faster economic recovery and diversification. The companies will build an industrial market on a 2000 hectares of land located in the proximity of the Enugu Industrial Park- FTZ (ENPOWER) Free Trade Zone at the 9th Mile Corner, Enugu, to be known as Lion Business Park which is a replicate of Dragon Market in Dubai. This remarkable achievement of the current administration was a product of Oganiru economic summit held in the state in 2016 by the state government. When completed, it will become a hub for commerce and industrial revolution in Enugu State and beyond.
The administration further facilitated the adequate compensation of the communities of Ogwofia Owa, Enugu Eke and Akama Oghe whose lands were affected following the citing of the Lion Business Park.
There is truly no denying the fact that governor Ugwuanyi in just six years in the saddle as the CEO of Enugu has done a yeoman’s job of consolidating in the gains of democracy in the State and through his developmental trajectories, Enugu State has been truly confirmed as the state of God dwelling city. 100 years will be truly inadequate and cloud grossly unspacious to contain the various legacies of Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s administration.
A very big congratulations to the people’s governor as his administration marks it’s 6th year anniversary on 29th May, 2021. May the remaining days of his administration be more achievement driven and beyond 2023, a consolidation of his legacies especially in Political Peace Dialogue Culture his administration enthroned. Enugu will forever remain in the hands of God, Amen…
Bibian Anekwe News…added…Show me the heroes that the youth of your state look up to, and I will tell you the future of your state.Gov. Ugwuanyi is youth friendly Governor
Written by
Jude Chijioke Achu
A political Analyst
Media Team Member: Enugu di n’akachukwu movement
