When Bar. Sullivan Chime held sway as the Executive governor of Enugu State, speculations were rife if ever Enugu State will have the benefit of a good leader who will deliver good governance to Ndi Enugu. Perhaps Barr. Chime was just another John the Baptist laying a solid foundation for Rt.Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who over time, has come to be adjudged as another Messiah of Coal City State(who took over the reins of government from Sundiata) not of Mali but the Coal city State.
Governor Ugwuanyi from all indications, has exponentially turned to another Mandada in Enugu State. Lest I am misconstrued, not all leaders performs creditably in administration. There would always be exceptions—just like other issues in life, but the rule of the thumb is that expectations are usually high when such people are given tasks at the summit level. In the same breath, even my ideals here may not be exemplars to a few hypercritics who naturally have the inalienability of personal reservations and grouses about men of accomplishments in the eyes of a larger spectrum of the society.
It is germane to underscore these facts as we holistically examine what makes Enugu taciturn revelation tick. Enugu state government have received unparalleled commendation courtesy of Ugwuanyi’s leadership trajectories since the last six years albeit in an era and country where political leaders have largely lost their credibility due to mis-governance.
Since the revalidation of democracy in Nigeria in 1999, the South East has been unfortunate with the caliber of leaders who bestride our political firmaments like colossus. On a comparative note with other regions in the country, this axis seems to be the worst in terms of virtually all parameters of development, particularly social infrastructure institutionalization. Apart from self-help human capital transformation, there is probably nothing else to cheer about in celebratory satiety. It is important to note that, unlike the more loquacious governors who celebrate sinking of boreholes in their states (which a few Youth Corps members could undertake as part of their exceptional community service) in this age with all the superfluous funds, particularly unaccounted security votes at their disposal, Gburu-Gburu does not engage in propaganda, obscenity of transnational wealth acquisition and other forms of audacious revelry and executive banditry. You can now comprehend the correlation between the foregoing prefatory lines and this obviously dispassionate article in toast to a man that has the inclination to make a difference and even irrefutably better the records of the industrious and illustrious beacon mentioned earlier. His achievements since becoming the governor of Enugu State inimitably speak volumes. It is doubtful if there is any governor—serving and past—who has the kind of creditable public perception, across-the-board endorsement and pan-Nigeria/universal aplomb that Ugwuanyi has.There is no doubt anywhere about the quality and quantum of governance in Enugu State, the magnitude of infrastructural renewal, interventionist disposition to natural disasters, investments in the education sector, public healthcare, agricultural transformations, housing and urban development cum security that has made the state the most peaceful in the country.
Youth upgrade, mass employment opportunities and sporting upscale are many of the issues that have made the 57-year-old governor (MR. FULFILMENT) a referential leader who incontrovertibly towers above all his colleagues.The unassailability of his leadership manifestations makes him especial among his peers. Ugwuanyi’s leadership credentials are so ingenuous that most people would wonder endlessly, what is it that makes this man tick and uniquely different from the pack.
Another interesting aspect of this amazing leader is that even people in the rural areas of the state testify to the man’s beneficence as much as the urbanites. He certainly is not one of those governors who manage to give a semblance of leadership in the state capital to the exclusivity of other critical components of the state.
If any corporate citizen or entrepreneur is looking for a place to reap fortunes from their investments, Enugu State remains the destination of choice. Ugwuanyi’s service to Enugu State, the South East and humanity is testamentary and unparalleled. His, is a life dedicated to public good in all spheres of existential humanism. It has never happened in the South East particularly and Nigeria generally. Ugwuanyi deserves daily toast for his indelible footprints of unprecedented latitude that remains incomparable.
The fifth Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Most Rev. Henry Chukwudum Ndukuba, expressed the church’s confidence in Governor Ugwuanyi’s administrative competency: “You are one of the young men in politics we can look up to and have confidence that this nation has a future…through your leadership, this state will continue to grow from strength to strength.” He has an unquenchable thirst for the meaningful transformation of his state. His hunger for the rediscovery and renewal of Enugu State is unprecedented. If I take other avowals on Gburugburu, this whole article cannot definitely contain the serial avalanche. From all indications, we have the conviction that this exemplary governor will distinguish himself from all his South East fossilized predecessors with the exclusion of Obi and Chime, both of whom left indelible marks, in an era of political charlatanism, power rascality and ludicrous personalization of public wealth. It is this insatiable domestication of patrimony that has left the zone almost beyond the point of redemption despite the arduous re-engineering efforts by the likes of Ugwuanyi.
Already, some Nigerians are advocating presidential stint for Gburugburu based on his accomplishments in Enugu. While pondering the presidential demand, this is wishing Ugwuanyi more decades of divine health, athletic physicality, service to mankind and a well-deserved modest opulence as recompense for his years of diligence and anticipatory-cum-continual uplift of mankind. When the World Health Organisation (WHO) revealed that harms inflicted on patients due to inadequate healthcare worldwide results in 2.6 million deaths annually in low-and middle income countries alone; most Nigerians knew the figure could even be more. However, the state of health facilities in Nigeria remains pathetic as governments at all levels pay lip service to the health sector. The sector has degenerated so much that most elites in Nigeria embark on health tourism even for a minor ailment like typhoid fever because they no longer have faith in the Nigerian health system. Like other states of the federation where the health system has collapsed totally, Enugu was not an exception. But, all that has become history today, because the state governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi decided to change the narrative. Troubled by the WHO’s damning revelation, coupled with what was on ground for everybody to see before he became governor, Ugwuanyi swore to change the face of health sector in the state. On the day of his inauguration, he promised the people of Enugu that he would give them a health system that would guarantee their health safety and even attract patients from other parts of Nigeria. His massive and uncommon achievements in the area of health since he became governor speak volumes. No doubt, Ugwuanyi’s achievements in health sector are too numerous to mention but I will try to list very few of them, just so that doubting Thomases could visit the state to see for themselves. During an inspection tour of the School of Basic Midwifery and General Hospital Awgu, the governor ordered for the rehabilitation and upgrade of facilities at the health institution. The school which was established in 1951 by the Missionary and taken over by the old Anambra State Ministry of Health in 1977 has lost its glory before Ugwuanyi’s intervention. According to the Principal, Theresa Agbo, and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Ifeanyi Agujiobi, the school lost its accreditation after 2004 academic session, but regained it in 2018; 14 years after following Ugwuanyi’s interventions which included total overhaul of the facilities as well as provisions of a new coaster bus, basic Information and Communication Technology (ICT) equipment and clinical demonstration materials. In addition to giving the school a face-lift and restoring its lost glory, the governor has continually paid for the Accommodation fees of the first set of 50 students and second set of 81 students respectively. He has also given a similar order for total overhaul of facilities at the General Hospital, Agbani, Nkanu West Local Government Area of the state.
Following the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic which exposed the parlous state of the country’s health sector, Ugwuanyi was among the governors that swiftly rose and confronted the monster headlong. He reconstructed the Colliery Hospital Enugu and put up new structures, so much that it has now been designated as an Infectious Disease Isolation and Treatment Centre. Interestingly, Ugwuanyi’s administration would be remembered for awarding contracts for the construction of new Primary Health Care Centres in seven local government areas of the state, rehabilitation of 34 health facilities across the 17 local government areas, as well as upgrading and rehabilitation of General Hospital Ogrute, Enugu Ezike, and Nsukka District Hospitals, among others. As a matter of fact, works at Nsukka, Agbani, and Enugu-Ezike General Hospitals respectively, has been completed and ready for commissioning. The centres received additional structures, even as the old ones were reconstructed and properly equipped, so as to enhance medical care in those parts of the state.
It is also on record that Ugwuanyi’s administration has put in place three brand-new Primary Healthcare Centres at Abakpa-Nike, Oji-River and Obollo Afor, representing the three senatorial zones of the state. Poly Clinic, Asata, Enugu North Local Government Area, and Udi District Hospital, Udi Local Government Area, have both been reconstructed and upgraded to general hospitals by Ugwuanyi’s administration. They are now Poly and Udi General Hospitals, respectively.
The Enugu State University (ESUT) Teaching Hospital, Parklane, Enugu, which offers undergraduate clinical and post-graduate residency training for doctors, in addition to delivery of specialist care to the people, is not left out of Ugwuanyi’s Midas touch. The teaching hospital has continued to receive support and attention from the state government. Recently, the governor granted approval to the school to absorb 125 internship applicants and 102 resident doctors. There has also been continuous recruitment of consultants in different medical fields, accreditation and provision of medical equipment to sustain the hospital’s capacity to a high tech tertiary health institution. Gburugburu, is fully aware of the hell the people of Enugu North Senatorial zone pass through before they can access tertiary health facility. Most times, the people would have to travel for so many kilometers to Enugu, the state capital, and even to the neighbouring Anambra and Ebonyi States, before they can get tertiary medical help. Ugwuanyi’s response to this singular problem is the construction of a 200-bed specialist hospital at Igbo-Eno in Enugu North Senatorial District. The hospital, which its construction is ongoing, when completed alongside other proposed infrastructure at the site, would serve as facilities for the ESUT College of Medicine, which has been relocated to Nsukka. Ugwuanyi’s large heart and doggedness to bequeath a legacy of sound health infrastructure to the people of Enugu knows no bound. This is evidenced by his propensity to also add value not only to state’s health facilities, but also, the federal health institution located in the state. To this end, the Enugu State government rehabilitated the old University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Road and also assisting to establish a research and diagnostic center at the UNTH, Ituku/Ozalla; an action that informed the College’s decision to honour the governor.
However, upon the realisation that providing these health facilities would amount to nothing if the people cannot afford their services due to poverty, the White Lion keyed into the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) of WHO; a programme that enables all people and communities to use the promotive, preventive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative health services, which they need. The programme also ensured that the use of these services does not expose the user to financial hardship. The global health body’s demand for governments across the world is to ensure that people are not denied access to health services simply because they are too poor to afford it. To ensure that health is provided for all in the state, irrespective of individual’s financial status, the government of Enugu State under the leadership of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, has already fulfilled the requirements for the takeoff of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund. Government has also paid the mandatory N100 million counterpart funds, which will enable the people of the state to benefit from the healthcare services under the UHC.
As Gburugburu continues to blaze the trail in health sector, with full realisation that health is wealth and that a healthy nation is a wealthy nation, I can only commend his efforts and pray that he remains focused till the end, so that history will judge him well. With his stellar performance in the provision of health care for Enugu people, one cannot but agree with him that indeed……..
“Enugu is in the hands of God.”
BIBIAN ANEKWE NEWS .. ADDED..You can’t just sit there and wait for people to give you that golden dream. You’ve got to get out there and make it happen for yourself.”
Written by
Mactoni Okenna Amah
(OTUNKO)
MEDIA TEAM MEMBER OF ENUGU DI N’AKACHUKWU MOVEMENT
