Mbah Presents Scorecard, Lists Improved Security, Infrastructure Renewal as Key Achievements

• Cites milestones in aviation, roads, schools, hospitals construction •I’m ready to continue the work ahead with you, governor tells Enugu people Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, yesterday listed improved security, extensive road construction, expansion of aviation services and investments in education and healthcare among the major achievements of his administration since assuming office in May 2023. Presenting his administration’s scorecard at the Godfrey Okoye University, Enugu, Mbah said the state had moved from a period of insecurity, economic disruption and deteriorating public infrastructure to one of renewed economic activity and growing investment interest. He particularly highlighted the restoration of normal economic activities on Mondays, following years of sit-at-home restrictions that had crippled businesses, disrupted education and deprived residents of their daily earnings. “There was a time when Monday was no longer an ordinary working day in Enugu. Shops remained closed. Roads were deserted. Parents were afraid to send their children to school. People who depended on their daily earnings had to surrender an entire day’s income because others had decided they should remain indoors,” he said. Recalling the economic consequences, the governor said that for women selling food in the market the development meant that customers were at home, while her produce was deteriorating, and the money she needed to support her family would not be earned that day. He added: “Today, people are going about their business with a freedom that had been denied to them for far too long. A trader can plan a full working week. Children can attend school. Businesses can receive customers, move goods and keep their employees working.” According to him, the restoration of normal activities was one of the most important foundations for the state’s economic recovery. “It may seem strange that we should celebrate something as ordinary as being able to go to work on Monday. But anyone who lived through those years understands its importance,” he stated. On infrastructure, Mbah said his administration had undertaken substantial road development and was introducing a more organised transport system, including new buses and terminals, to improve connectivity and make movement across the state safer and more dependable. He explained that the administration’s infrastructure programme was designed not merely around kilometres of roads constructed but also the economic opportunities that improved connectivity could unlock for residents. “Most people experience it rather differently. They know the road that used to damage their vehicles, the journey that took too long, or the difficulty of getting produce from a farm to a market. These are the experiences that matter,” he said. In aviation, the governor disclosed that Enugu had moved from barely two incoming flights daily when he assumed office to more than 15 in the administration’s recent review. “When we assumed office, Enugu had barely two incoming flights a day. In our recent review, we counted more than 15. That change tells us something about the renewed interest in our state,” he said. He said the establishment of Enugu Air and the administration’s wider aviation plans were intended to strengthen connections between the state, other parts of Nigeria and international markets. On education, Mbah said his administration was investing in 260 Smart Green Schools, designed to bring improved learning facilities and opportunities to every ward in the state. He described education as one of the most important investments required to secure Enugu’s future, arguing that children must be equipped with skills to navigate an economy increasingly shaped by technology and changing patterns of employment. “This is the thinking behind our 260 Smart Green Schools, designed to bring a new standard of education to every ward in Enugu State,” he said. “We want children in our rural communities to have access to the kind of learning opportunities that parents might once have believed were available only in the most privileged schools,” he added. He said the investments were intended to prepare young people for opportunities in engineering, software development, agriculture, technology and other emerging industries. On healthcare, Mbah said his administration was working to improve primary healthcare facilities and strengthen medical services across the state, while acknowledging that more needed to be done to ensure that the improvements reached every community. He added that healthcare investments must ultimately be measured by whether residents could access quality treatment without travelling unreasonable distances or placing an unbearable financial burden on their families. The governor also identified agriculture, industrial development, tourism and electricity as critical components of his administration’s economic transformation agenda. Speaking on electricity supply, the governor said reliable power supply was essential to improving the productivity of small businesses, attracting manufacturers and reducing the cost of doing business. “A tailor can work more efficiently. A food processor can preserve produce. A manufacturer can operate equipment without constantly depending on expensive alternative power,” he said. He said the administration had set ambitious targets for increasing electricity generation and attracting industrial investments, stressing that some of the initiatives would take time to deliver their full benefits. Mbah also reiterated his administration’s ambition to grow Enugu’s economy from approximately $4.4 billion to at least $30 billion within eight years, with the ultimate objective of making the state one of Nigeria’s three leading economies. He said the administration’s original Statement of Purpose was built around security, education, healthcare, infrastructure, productive industries and stronger public institutions. According to him, achieving the targets would require simultaneous investments in infrastructure, human capital, electricity and productive sectors rather than isolated interventions. He also highlighted opportunities in agricultural processing, arguing that local value addition would create jobs beyond primary production and enable farmers to earn more from their investments. “We want to build an agricultural economy in which more of that value remains here,” he said, explaining that processing agricultural produce locally would create employment in equipment operations, maintenance, packaging, transportation and marketing. The governor further identified tourism and hospitality as areas with significant economic potential, noting that major investments could generate business for smaller enterprises and service providers. “A new hotel can bring visitors and create demand for food, transport, maintenance, laundry, construction and many other services. A tourism destination can support local businesses. Better electricity can make investment in manufacturing more attractive,” he said. However, he stressed that the government must ensure that the benefits of large investments spread to ordinary residents through skills acquisition, access to finance and opportunities for smaller businesses. Mbah acknowledged that some communities were still waiting for promised infrastructure and improved public services, insisting that the administration would continue to listen to complaints and address areas where delivery had fallen short. “I know that some people listening today are already experiencing the benefits of the changes we have made. Others are still waiting for a road to be completed, a facility to become fully operational, or a new economic opportunity to reach their community. “I understand that frustration. A government must be judged by the experiences of all its citizens, including those who have yet to see the full benefit of its work,” he pointed out. He said the next phase of the administration’s programme would focus on deepening existing investments, completing projects and extending their benefits to communities still waiting for improved services. The governor also called for greater citizen participation in governance, urging residents to demand accountability while contributing ideas and skills to the development of their communities. “Government can create the conditions for progress, but the energy that sustains it comes from the people. It also comes from citizens who ask difficult questions, demand accountability and contribute their ideas to the decisions that affect them,” he explained. Mbah, who described the present period as a defining moment in Enugu’s development, said the state had an opportunity to consolidate the foundations already established and accelerate its economic transformation. He urged residents, businesses, investors and community leaders to work with his administration to realise its development ambitions. “My fellow citizens, the morning is upon us. There is much work ahead, and I am ready to continue that work with you,” he said. Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of Godfrey Okoye University, Prof. Christian Anieke, recalled that Mbah had presented his manifesto at the same venue in 2022, ahead of the 2023 governorship election, which he subsequently won. Anieke commended the governor for returning to the university to render an account of his stewardship nearly four years into his administration. He urged other political leaders entrusted with public office to emulate the practice of returning to the people to explain their performance and account for their promises. The vice chancellor said the accomplishments of the Mbah administration were evident and verifiable, arguing that many of the projects and interventions were visible to residents.