It is not everyday that one gets to encounter a leader who wants to walk his talk in every sense of the word. Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah while providing insight during one of his strategic engagement since assuming office as Governor has promised Ndi Enugu a robust turn around of its economic fortunes. He specifically envisioned that his administration will grow Enugu state economy from its present state to a 30 billion dollar economy before the turn of his first term in office. Not quite a few took such audacity of vision with a pinch of salt. The pessimism could be premised on the perennial failed vision and non practical means or manner of actualization and most extensively, the political will to birth such mouthed visions by many a political leader. Citizens believe that such promises of lifting the economic buoyancy of a state and such other political inanity are just products of political ejaculations that tends to fizzle out with the passage of time.
As a man who came prepared for leadership, it could not be dismissed that Dr. Peter Mbah did not weigh in his political promises during and after his campaign to govern Enugu visavis the strategic pathways to implement his agenda. One noticeable and striking trait about the Governor is his love with the essence of time factor. Time appears to be his greatest challenger. Citizens have equally began to link this essential with his mantra of “Tomorrow is here”. Governor Mbah appears to be a man in a hurry to bequeath his campaign promises to Ndi Enugu without batting an eyelid. Shortly after his assumption of office, he did a diplomatic shuttle to the seat of government in Abuja where he went to specifically request for the release of the leader of the Indegenous People of Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu. Gov. Mbah did this in the realization of the fact that the continued incarceration of Mr. Kanu will continue to have deliibitating effect on the economy occasioned by the illegal sit at home declared initially by Kanu’s supporters to agitate over his detention by the federal authorities and which has refused to fizzle out. Governor Mbah also reasoned that if the economy of the state is going to grow substantially, then all efforts must be made to reverse the ugly trend of illegal sit at home orders and enforcement by non state actors. Change as we all know does not come easy. Those who are deeply entrenched in the status quo has maintained less than a passing commitment to put a stop to all the challenges identified as breaching the economic growth of the state. Governor Mbah must however be commended for managing these change efforts magisterially while remaining focused in his objectives and vision for Ndi Enugu.
In my previous commentaries on the new administration of Dr. Peter Mbah, I had laboured to ginger him to wake up to his responsibilities as if his tenure will end up in the next hour while also admonishing him to sincerely seek out those impediments to the investing publics. I have equally pointed out striking investor killers which exist in the form of many touts who prowl the streets of Enugu especially along the gateways to extort money crudely especially from transporters who bring in goods to the state.
Today, I am happy that governor Mbah is about to do something in that regard all geared towards making the coal city state investment friendly. It is therefore gladdening to read in the news that the administration of Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah have put measures in place to shift from mechanical and analog means of collecting government revenue to a digital method. The new digital method will not only discourage and eliminate crude touting, multiple taxation, financial leakages but will also improve transparency and encourage investors and citizens to put in their best in the government quest to improve the economic base of the state.
Implementing government policies and programs is as important as making the pronouncements in the first place. The introduction of Enugu State Unified E-Ticket Scheme to improve government Internally generated revenue is therefore a welcome development.
All well meaning citizens of Enugu should therefore accord Hon Mrs Angela Chilotam Nnamani the helms-person of the Enugu State Internal Revenue Service a deserving support to succeed in her assignment.
The unified e-Ticket is an electronic ticket for collection of taxes from the formal sector such as road taxes, including tickets from tricycles, buses, tippers, emblems and passenger manifests. Others are revenues from markets and Artisans. This payment scheme has been introduced to make tax payment easy and convenient for all citizens while eliminating harassment and loss of government revenue. All payment and enforcement shall be done using online and agency banking role. All paper ticketing and other forms of harassments stand banned in the state.
It is equally important that government should no longer bow to pressures to either non state actors or pander to political patronage to entrench measures detriment to investment and growth of Enugu State economy.
Thank you Governor Peter Mbah for birthing our tomorrow today.
*BIBIAN ANEKWE NEWS… added…Good governance is the art of putting wise thought into prudent action in a way that advances the well-being of those governed*
©Austin Okechukwu Chijioke.
Public Affairs Commentator and
Media Team lead for ENUGU DI N’AKACHUKWU MOVEMENT.
