As I read with frenzied attention, the document detailing Gov. Ugwuanyi’s 2022 budget estimates to the State House of Assembly on Tuesday, the 7th of December, 2021 which totaled N186.64 billion, so many things kept crouching in my subconscious. One of such is the seeming ease with which Ugwuanyi has managed the affairs of Enugu State since 2015, yet we know that leading a group of people howbeit homogeneous in nature but with sharp contrasting interests can not be regarded as a tea party. Behind his calm dispositions is a man who have laboured like the proverbial deer which it’s hairs has prevented us from seeing the drippling sweats.
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi one may readily agree have no reason not to labour for a group of people who himself offered to serve but that is beside the fact. The fact is that many of his ilk in the political leadership positions have remained less than inspiring both in their governance style and approach. I can bet that so many of them were ill prepared for governance and only interested in boosting their bio-profile and acquisition of stupendous wealth while their foray in government lasts.
I may also not need to inform those who have criticized the Governor’s unshakable belief in God to look beyond the political mantra about Enugu being in the hands of God and pause for once to admit that if not for God, Enugu could not be compared among the top performing states in Nigeria despite dwindling economic fortunes. Governor Ugwuanyi has maintained focus because he has continually courted the grace of God. Ugwuanyi may not have achieved much in the eyes of his political opponents but in the eyes of the greater number of the citizens, a combination of zeal, grace and belief in God has kept him and his eyes on the ball over his modest accomplishments. For now, what is uppermost in the minds of Ndi Enugu as 2023 draws closer is who will continue from where Ugwuanyi will be leaving off and even surpass his accomplishments while in office. Only time will tell!
The 2022 total budget estimates as presented by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to Ndi Enugu will be seeking to consolidate on the accomplishments of the previous years beyond his administration and charting of new Vistas for sustained growth of the Enugu State economy. Ugwuanyi may not be a Prophet but he is a humble visioner. There are indeed which cannot be denied many developmental projects scattered across the state which he has tackled since his assumption of office courtesy of his vision and diligent mission to accomplish them. Some of these legacy projects at their various stages of completion would receive their final budgetary allocations when the 2022 fiscal policy comes on stream.
The huge sum of One Hundred and Eighty-Six Billion, Six Hundred and Thirty-Five Million, One Hundred and Thirty-Five Thousand, Seven Hundred and Seventy Naira
(N186,635,135,770.00) representing about 9.9% slight increase from that of 2021 is not only audacious but confirms Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi as a leader bent on leaving Enugu in 2023 better than he might have met it. We must therefore admit that Ugwuanyi’s administration is a progressive government in words and action.
Beyond policy document proposals, another fact which cannot be denied is Ugwuanyi’s knack for implementation of his policies which earned him the sobriquet “Mr. Fulfilment”. From 2015 till date, a common feature of his administration is the payment of worker’s salary as at when due including additional month during the month of Christmas called the 13th month.
It is no surprise then that of the total budget estimates for 2022, the sum of N71,477,449,812.00, representing 38% has been earmarked for Recurrent Expenditures while the sum of N115,157,685,770.00 representing 62% would be chaneled towards completion of existing projects while new ones might be considered. Another hallmark of Ugwuanyi’s administration is his uncommon prudence in the management of scarce resources. He does not just embark on execution of projects simply for political reasons, but the expediency for such projects and then ensuring that there are enough funds to pursue the project to its conclusion. This attribute much endears him to the king of the Nollywood, Chief Pete Edochie when he commended Gov. Ugwuanyi at the level of work being executed at the popular T-Junction where the first ever fly over constructed by any government in Enugu. Chief Edochie noted and I qoute “This boy (Ugwuanyi) is doing wonders here. I am confident that he will complete this project in record time because he must have set fund aside for its completion”. The import of this commendation by chief Edochie is a function of Ugwuanyi’s avowed diligence, humility and articulacy when it comes to the management of men and other resources.
Yet another heart warming take away from Ugwuanyi’s budget proposals is his thinking towards making Enugu State self sustaining in agricultural and food production through the purchase of 10 tractors and other agricultural equipment to assist mechanized farming, the provision of agricultural inputs and infrastructures as well as upgrading of wet markets for production and enhanced food processing (NG-CARES); using the Agro processing, Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support (APPEALS) for Capacity Building, Women/Youth Empowerment, and Development of Farmers’ Aggregation and Processing Centres.
Again Ugwuanyi in agreement with the popular saying that cleanliness is next to godliness (after all, for a whole city to be in the hands of God, a clean environment must be provided to enable God and His children dwell in ambience will also consolidate on the waste disposal efforts to make Enugu a cleaner city in addition to the rehabilitation and upgrading of parks and recreational centers scattered across the city which have been paid less than inspiring attention in the past.
While it may prove a bit herculean in this piece to thoroughly identify the key deliverables promised by the 2022 budget proposals of governor Ifeanyichukwu Ugwuanyi, it is important to mention that his name implies that “what God cannot do does not exist”, in the same vein Ndi Enugu should pray for their leader who understands the enormity of leadership and for God to keep him focused so that he does not derail especially as he enters the last lap of his last term in office. Ndi Enugu should truly stand as a watch dog to observe these and more noble objectives of Ugwuanyi’s administration come to fruition to the glory of God.
May God grant us all discerning minds. God please do not abandon us. We remain in your Big Hands.
Bibian Anekwe News added; “All of the great leaders have had one characteristic in common: it was the willingness to confront unequivocally the major anxiety of their people in their time. This, and not much else, is the essence of leadership.”
Written by
Austin Okechukwu Chijioke.
Public Affairs Commentator.
Media Team Member of Enugu di n’akachukwu movement.
