•He came, saw and will be remembered
From Magnus Eze, Enugu
It was a beehive of activities in most Nigerian state capitals on May 29, 2023, following the change of baton in government in those states. Twenty-eight state governors, alongside President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, were sworn in, 10 of them were re-elected while the others were new.
Their stepping in marked the exit for some others. This set of immediate past governors now have the next phase of their lives to face but the issue is where history locates them after managing the destinies of their states for eight years.
Chief Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who bowed out of office and left Lion Building, Enugu State Government House, is one of the ex-governors that are seemingly on the good side of history.
His record of achievements is self-evident as all sectors bear the imprint of his turnaround. These achievements began soon after he became governor on May 29, 2015, and unveiled a four-point agenda anchored on employment generation, social services and good governance, rural development, security and social justice.
That was also when he proclaimed that “Enugu State is in the hands of God.” With that as the anchor, he began massive infrastructure development and reforms across the state. It was on the basis of his good performance that the people of Enugu State re-elected him for a second term in 2019.
Opinions may be divided regarding the overall rating of Ugwuanyi’s performance as governor but even the worst critics of the ex-governor would agree that he worked assiduously for his people and impacted their lives immensely through many life-changing projects.
There is hardly any sector where the Ugwuanyi administration did not leave some landmark: he built roads, opened up rural areas and had sleepless nights to ensure that Enugu State remained peaceful till his last day in office.
His inclination towards “politics without bitterness,” which had encouraged political tolerance and harmony, irrespective of political party affiliation, also added to the peace in the state. He is reputed for his political ecumenism because of the uncommon manner in which he embraced people of all political colorations such that the concept of opposition was almost non-existent in the state. For eight years, Enugu politicians operated in an atmosphere devoid of squabbles and rancour.
There is no doubting the fact that the peaceful atmosphere and harmonious co-existence impacted positively on the business environment such that the state became an investment haven.
In addition, the Ugwuanyi-led administration sustained the urban renewal programme and several initiatives to promote ease of doing business, which attracted numerous investors to Enugu State.
Worthy of mention is his administration’s reconstruction of the Milliken Hill Road, which remains an “engineering wonder,” given the difficult terrain; not forgetting the dualization of the Opi-Nsukka road, and construction of a flyover at T-Junction, Nike Lake Road, to ease the perennial gridlock in the axis. That was the first flyover to be constructed by the state government.
Ugwuanyi’s commitment to an enduring turnaround of the education and health sectors was remarkable and evident in the construction of the State University of Medical and Applied Sciences (SUMAS), Igbo-Eno.
As governor, he understood the importance of improved access to healthcare and reduction in infant mortality. So, he made robust investment in the health sector across all layers, from the primary health care level to the tertiary.
He built and renovated hundreds of primary school classrooms, provided learning and teaching facilities and recruited more than 6,000 teachers. As earlier mentioned, one of the flagship projects of the Ugwuanyi-led administration was the Enugu State University of Medical and Applied Sciences, Igbo-Eno, which stands in majesty today.
The administration supplied and installed computers in 209 secondary schools and science equipment in 294 others.
The Ugwuanyi era witnessed gigantic infrastructure transformation of the state-owned tertiary institutions, including the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu, and Enugu State University of Technology (ESUT). These institutions got new blocks of 15 ultra-modern classrooms on two suspended floors with seating capacity of 1,224 students, and block of modern offices for the registry division (exams and records), with accommodation for a minimum of 75 staff.
Many have wondered how Ugwuanyi was able to make these giant strides across sectors since he became governor when the state’s purse grew even leaner and Nigeria’s economy was in recession.
Nevertheless, his era never witnessed non-payment of workers. In fact, it was not just a priority but the administration paid the new N30,000 minimum wage and its consequential adjustment to the state civil servants. His worker-friendly posture earned him accolades from the workforce; even in the twilight of his administration, the workers gathered and paid tribute to their darling governor.
One striking thing about the Ugwuanyi administration was its determination to mitigate rural-urban migration in the state. So, from the outset, it embarked on aggressive rural development, concentrating development more in the rural communities than in the urban areas.
According to him, special attention was paid to rural development “because the majority of our people live in the rural areas.” In pursuing this, the government equipped and modernised Nsukka, a university town founded over half a century ago. His administration executed most of its development projects in Nsukka zone and the rural areas.
He also attracted a federal polytechnic to Nsukka zone, in Ohodo, Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area, constructed a befitting state secretariat annex, conference centre, 5,000-seat township stadium and network of roads fitted with street lights and traffic lights, including the 12km Opi-Nsukka dual carriageway with underground drainage and the 31km Udenu Ring Road, among many others.
He deployed his brinkmanship in securing oil-producing status for the state. This heart-warming development would be a lifeline for future administrations in the state.
It would be unwise to bore people with every detail of Ugwuanyi’s eight years in office, but it is important to highlight some of his indelible imprints in some strategic sectors with direct bearing on the life of Ndi Enugu.
Roads/bridges
One of the administration’s giant strides was in the area of roads and bridges. It constructed the Ebonyi River Bridge, Ikem, Isi-Uzo LGA; the 8.8km Nkalagu-Eha-Amufu road also Isi-Uzo LGA, neglected for over 35 years, the 26.66km Ukpabi-Nimbo-Ugbene-Ajima-Eziani road in Uzo-Uwani LGA (RAMP-2) and the 22.443km Neke-Mbu-Ogbodu Aba-Obollo Etiti inter-community road linking Isi-Uzo and Udenu LGAs (RAMP-2) and the 13km Nike Lake Junction-Harmony Estate-Amorji Nike-Adoration Pilgrimage Centre-Orie Emene road linking the ever-busy Abakpa Nike with Emene satellite town in Enugu East LGA.
The administration further rehabilitated the Iva Valley roads in Enugu North LGA, reconstructed the Nike Lake Road and Abakpa Nike Road in Enugu East LGA, constructed the Amaeke-Ngwo-Nsude-9th Mile and Amankwo-Amaeke-Amah Brewery Junction-9th Mile bypasses in Udi LGA.
Also worthy of mention is the construction of the 8.2km Inyi-Akpugoeze road in Oji River LGA, the Ituku Road in Awgu LGA and the Amurri road in Nkanu West LGA.
Truth is that Ugwuanyi’s footprints in road infrastructure are there for all to see as further exemplified by the reconstruction of the Agbani Road from Police Detective College, Garki Flyover, by Enugu Port Harcourt Expressway; Ugbaike, Enugu Ezike – Obollo Afor link road, with smart solar streetlights; Eke Amala-Otukpo Old Road; Amadi-Agbougwu-Amajioke road and Umuokere-Igugu Road, Phase 1, Udenu LGA, just to mention a few.
The administration equally took bold steps in environmental reclamation by carrying out emergency erosion control and protective works at Atavu Stream, Amaechi-Amodu-Umueze Road, Nkanu West LGA; Neke/Mbu-Ogbodu Abba/Obollo Road at Chainage 3+210 in Isiuzo LGA; Asata River, Lagos Street, Enugu North LGA; Agu Orba and Imiliki Etiti in Udenu LGA; Ogui River at Works Road, GRA; University Road, Nsukka; Works Road at Works Layout, GRA, among others.
Health
The administration of Ugwuanyi left enviable footprints in the healthcare sector, beginning with the completion of the state-of-the-art Enugu State Medical Diagnostic Centre, Enugu, which was started by his predecessor. The facility was recently handed over to the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) as “Medical Diagnostic and Oncology (Cancer) Treatment Centre, Enugu,” to provide comprehensive medical, diagnostic and oncology treatment services to the people of Enugu State and beyond.
At the handover on May 2, Ugwuanyi was upbeat that the partnership with NSIA would go a long way towards contributing to healthcare security in the state.
“With this, our state will be one of the few states equipped with world-class healthcare infrastructure and amenities,” he said.
The administration also constructed and renovated district hospitals and health centres in the state, especially in the rural areas, under the primary healthcare programme.
It in addition, it upgraded Udi District Hospital and Poly Clinic, Asata, to general hospitals, after massive rehabilitation.
Other remarkable achievements in the area of health were construction of new buildings/remodelling of the Colliery Hospital, Enugu, now known as the Enugu State Infectious Disease Hospital, Enugu, for isolation and treatment of patients with infectious diseases, and seven units of model Type 3 primary healthcare centres in seven LGAs.
Work was ongoing on three additional model Type 3 PHCs in three LGAs, while General Hospital, Ogrute, Enugu Ezike, and Nsukka District Hospital, among others, were upgraded.
It should be noted that the Ugwuanyi-led administration constructed a specialist hospital at Igbo-Eno and re-designated it as SUMAS Medical Centre.
It also made laudable interventions in ESUT Teaching Hospital, Parklane, Enugu, where the Accident & Emergency building was constructed and upgraded.
The government procured various equipment for the teaching hospital such as laparoscopy machine, cardiotocography and ultrasound (CTG & USS) machines and feto-maternal patient monitor, among others, to enhance the capacity of the hospital in diagnosis and treatment of illnesses and antenatal care.
The administration launched the Universal Health Coverage Scheme, through the Enugu State Agency for Universal Health Coverage, to enhance the delivery of free healthcare to vulnerable persons, with a target to enrol all Enugu State residents in the scheme.
It released monthly capitation fund to 161 accredited primary health centres across the 17 LGAs for the provision of free healthcare to 42,000 registered vulnerable, physically challenged and indigent persons in Enugu State.
No fewer than 145,000 vulnerable persons, representing 3 per cent of Enugu State’s population, were registered for healthcare priorities for 2023 under the Universal Health Coverage Scheme.
Education
The State University of Medical and Applied Sciences (SUMAS), established by the immediate past governor recently matriculated its first set of students.
Still in the educational sector, the government recruited more than 7,030 primary and secondary school teachers and executed over 1,355 verifiable projects in different primary and secondary schools across the 17 LGAs of the state under Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board (ENSUBEB) and the Post-Primary Schools Management Board (PPSMB) to improve the learning condition of the students.
The administration further provided 22,150 lockers and 22,150 chairs for primary school children, 1,228 tables, 1,228 arm chairs and 2,456 armless chairs for the teachers, as well as 1,130 marker boards for teaching. It then provided 1,960 ceiling fans for conducive learning environment through the ENSUBEB.
In the same manner, the state government, through the ENSUBEB, procured and distributed 12,480 writing desks and chairs for primary school pupils in the state and 868 tables and chairs for teachers.
According to a government report, under Ugwuanyi, there was massive construction and reconstruction of classroom blocks, offices and hostels in the secondary schools across the six education zones of the Post Primary Schools Management Board, while over 151 secondary schools were provided with science equipment.
Another notable achievement of the administration is the establishment of the Enugu State University of Education in Ihe, Awgu LGA, for training of teachers for primary, secondary and tertiary education.
Security
Ugwuanyi supported the security agencies by providing vehicles, equipment and logistics, which boosted their efficiency. The former governor’s investment in security while in office had arguably made the state the safest in the country.
His administration procured and donated 100 units of Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM) patrol vans with communication gadgets to the security agencies to aid their operations.
It engaged 1,700 Forest Guards, the first of such in the South East, repositioned the Vigilante/Neighbourhood Watch groups and purchased 260 security vehicles for their Community Policing operations.
Ugwuanyi further distributed 260 motorcycles and 300 bicycles to the 260 electoral wards in the state, to complement and facilitate the operations of the Forest Guards
Aside from training, employment and deployment of Community Policing constabularies, the administration constructed the 76 Police Mobile Force Squadron facility at Ekwegbe, Igbo-Etiti LGA, consisting of the Commander’s house, deputy commander’s house, 2km perimeter fence, parade ground, sickbay with basic furnishing, canteen, access roads, quarter guard and car parks. Other amenities at the facility include borehole and water reticulation; supply and installation of external electrical engineering services infrastructure, as well as installation of solar streetlighting.
Buildings/other infrastrcuture
Ugwuanyi also enhanced the aesthetics and image of the state with some of the government structures he either built or renovated, for instance, the new Lion Building, Government House, Enugu, with landscaping and installation of floodlights and security lights.
He remodelled the old Premier Lodge into Zik Centre (an ultra-modern tourist centre today) in honour of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, first Premier of Eastern Region, renovated the House of Assembly Complex, rehabilitated and re-asphalted the Michael Okpara Square, Enugu, and renovated the Deputy Governor’s office, Abuja Building, within the premises of Government House, among others.
The administration then remodelled the Old Government Lodge, GRA, Enugu, and constructed an annex, built 10 units of executive guest houses at the facility for routine guests of the state government and also 24 units of guest flats, with a befitting banquet hall.
In addition, the Ugwuanyi government built the first Christian chapel of worship at Government House, reconstructed the Nigeria Union of Journalists building, Enugu, as well as built the Nsukka Press Centre.
Interventions in state’s judiciary
This was another area that witnessed Ugwuanyi’s Midas touch in the state as he erected a magnificent edifice which serves as the first Enugu State Customary Court of Appeal headquarters in Enugu; 14 new court buildings and open registries in the judicial divisions and magisterial districts across the state and 34 modern customary courts across the state, two per LGA.
Some other achievements in this area were huge renovation of the state’s judiciary headquarters, Enugu, establishment of Multi-Door Court House in Enugu and construction of a befitting edifice for Enugu State Multi-Door Courthouse in Enugu, named after Honorable Justice Raphael Chikwe Agbo of the Court of Appeal.
The administration also built and equipped a Judiciary Health Clinic for the judges and other staff located within the high court premises in Enugu.
Empowerment/scholarship schemes
Ugwuanyi was committed to lifting the burden of economic hardship on the citizenry through grants and various empowerment schemes. He launched a novel system of empowerment long before the Federal Government came up with its TraderMoni project and with such reached out to 3,600 traders with N50,000 each, under the Enugu State Traders’ Empowerment Scheme.
He also ensured skills training for 750 youths under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) programme, offered scholarship to 680 indigent engineering students of Enugu State Polytechnic, Iwollo, Ezeagu LGA, and the IMT, Enugu.
Ugwuanyi further awarded foreign scholarship to 22 indigent students presently studying at Mewar University, India, and granted bursary to 246 students of the state at the Nigeria Law School.
As part of the ongoing mentorship programme for youths of Enugu State, admissions and scholarships were secured for seven persons with full funding into some of the best universities in the United States of America, through the State Scholarship and Education Loans Board.
There was also another set of fully-funded postgraduate scholarships for 40 students of Enugu State origin studying in various parts of Europe, America, Australia and Asia through the Mentorship Masterclass of the state scholarship board valued at over N3 billion.
The Ugwuanyi-led administration further established two tech hubs and youth innovation centres at Independence Layout, Enugu, and Obollo Afor, in Udenu LGA. These innovation centres have equipped several youths with skills in product design, front and back-end development, digital marketing, data science, gaming and animation, and cybersecurity amongst others. Some of the beneficiaries of the centre had already been poached by local tech start-ups and companies.
It is important to mention that, as a way of sustaining his pro-poor policies, the Ugwuanyi administration waived the payment of Personal Income Tax as well as Market Tax, for all traders in the major markets of the state, from inception in 2015 to May, this year.
The administration also engaged 1000 youths to clean up the state, under the Enugu Clean Team Project.
Small and medium-sized enterprises
The Enugu SMEs Centre provided pathways to employability and entrepreneurship development for Enugu youths.
The Centre instituted the innovative Human Capital Development Loan, a zero-interest loan to enable unemployed and underemployed access technical and professional training with job access or entrepreneurship support upon completion.
There was also the Enugu SMEs Construction Artisan Training Programme that provided youths with high demand construction skills for employment upon completion while the Enugu Auto Revamp Innovation Training Programme (AITP) provided comprehensive training in all aspects of auto body work including auto painting, surface prepping, metal works, interior finishing, among others.
Another innovation programme of the centre was the Enugu SMEs Hardware Garage Training (ESHG) Programme which provided the youths with first-hand technical knowledge in building of inverters, installation of smart solar home systems, and the general operations and maintenance of power, mobility manufacturing, computer-controlled systems, and agricultural technologies.
The clincher was the Enugu SMEs Access to Capital Programmes, such as the Enugu SMEs Business Support Cash Advance Programme and the Enugu Micro Credit Lending Programme, which boosted entrepreneurship in the state by addressing the challenge of availability of capital.
It would be unthinkable to just capture the eventful eight years of Ugwuanyi as governor of Enugu State in a single write up.
Notwithstanding, the various economic ratings of the state are pointers to how the ex-governor kept date with history as chief executive of the Coal City State.
Under his watch, Enugu was rated as the second most advanced state in Nigeria on the Ease of Doing Business by the World Bank Group; 9th best performing state in terms of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) for the year 2019, and listed alongside Lagos and Rivers as the only states in the federation that had fulfilled obligations to their workers (BudgIT).
Enugu was further listed as the fifth most competitive state in Nigeria, according to the National Competitiveness Council of Nigeria, the third most debt sustainable State in Nigeria and also the first state in Nigeria to publish its Audited State Final Account for consecutive three years.
About the most heart-warming is that Enugu is one of the 12 states in Nigeria that can survive without federal allocations.
