As I ruminate over the appropriate headline for this piece to express my innermost feelings as a concerned citizen and a Commentator on some public issues in my dear state of Enugu in particular and the globe in general, one thing that kept nudging my mind’s finger is to interrogate why the cost of governance is steadily on the rise in the developing countries of the world. Ironically, the advanced economies have largely maintained a robust and cost effective and efficient economic and developmental trajectories despite their healthy economy. One would often wonder the craze by our modern day political leaders insatiable quest to access the foreign countries at the expense of their state’s groaning economy. Citizens were often guiled by these politicians while making their frequent visitations to the oyinbo countries that it is in the interest of the people.
For instance, we were often lied to, that the visitation has become necessary to hobnob with the foreign investors first hand in order to drag them down to our clime to support our developmental efforts. Secondly, we might be told that it is important to visit the foreign land to understudy their system to be able to replicate such life lifting ventures in our clime. But we have often been disappointed by these self acclaimed messianic leaders. For instead of being truthful to their many reasons for frequenting the European cities, they would rather crush further the scarce foreign reserves in addition to stashing their routine sleazes in the foreign banks and inadvertently growing the economy of these nations at the expense of theirs. One however, may not be able to exhaust the sleaze that has become the lot of our many political leaders who claim to love us more than our God in a single piece as this. Suffice it to mention however, that in spite of all the stories and observations about our contemporary political leaders, keen watchers of political culture in Enugu post 2015, would readily agree to the fact that Rt. Honorable Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has dared to be different in the discharge of his leadership responsibilities.
Today, not quite a few regardless of their political inclinations would be willing to defend Ugwuanyi in the court of public opinion that six years down the road in the saddle of Enugu political headship, he has more than infused confidence, transparency and accountability in his government. Analysts are roundly agreed that the reason why government the world over fail to rise beyond mediocrity is traceable to the unprepared nature of the leaders. Sometimes, they are imposed on the people by self appointed king makers. These set of people often present weak links between their capacity and the thrust of governance. They make poor decisions and often do not bother to take wise counsel or at best will be willing to deal with dissent voices and their perceived collaborators.
One can go on and on. Again it is important to remark that causes of project failures in our system is largely tied to poor leadership. Poor government intervention in critical areas of societal development attests to poor preparation by the government or it’s agencies. They develop poor documentation and tracking for initiated projects. Parameters are not often properly defined let alone enforced. Costs estimates are not properly articulated. Instructively, project management are often left in the hands of inexperienced hangers on without the requisite knowledge.
Deriving from the above, one would not fail to observe that governor Ugwuanyi has what could be described as the ethical alignment to reign in the most people oriented and developmental trajectories since he came on board. No doubt, Ugwuanyi is most prepared for leadership and has demonstrated this over time. His appointments of tested, experienced and trusted technocrats in various sectors of the state economy to achieve his government objectives points to this fact that Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is an astute leader of men and resources.
Another pointer to the fact that Gburu-Gburu takes governance seriously can be located in the manner he has initiated so many developmental projects. Today, every project of his administration is running concurrently despite the lean resources at his disposal. It is equally important to remark that none of these projects are designed to lay wastage after 2023 as it is the lot of most contemporary politicians who delight in taking the glory of starting a project without as little as taking into consideration the risk factor or the completion schedule. The many reasons for many abandoned projects all over the developing world. A fact to also remark is that governor Ugwuanyi not only initiates developmental projects with proper cost analysis but ensures proper monitoring and evaluation of the projects to ensure timely delivery and value for the money budgeted for it. I may not be able to recall all of these projects whose periodic updates on them have helped to assure Ndi Enugu that governor Ugwuanyi is to be trusted to deliver on his promises any day. The ongoing flyover construction at the popular T-Junction, Abakpa-Nike and the 90 percent completion of the comprehensive rehabilitation of the 9th Mile Crash Programme with installation of solar powered boreholes for availability, sustainability of water supply in Enugu are just few of the lurid cases in point.
Truly, Enugu State is in the hands of God.
Bibian Anekwe News added; “Leaders instill in their people a hope for success and a belief in themselves. Positive leaders empower people to accomplish their goals.”
©Austin Okechukwu Chijioke.
Public Affairs Commentator.
Media Team Member of ENUGU DI N’AKACHUKWU MOVEMENT
