The recent working visit by President Bola Tinubu to Enugu State, where he commissioned completed projects of the state government, may have lent credence to the call for the right people in leadership positions. LAWRENCE NJOKU writes.

Nothing could have delighted President Bola Tinubu more than the plethora of completed and ongoing projects he saw in Enugu State during his recent one day working visit. Seeing these projects first hand were enough convictions that there are governors who are passionate and committed to changing the cause of things in the country if given the opportunity.

The president, who was visiting the state for the first time since he assumed office, was overwhelmed with joy over the level of achievements made by the Governor Peter Mbah administration in less than two years in areas of security, road construction, education, health, agriculture, among others.

Under Mbah, no fewer than 90 urban roads have been rehabilitated. These roads, which are wearing new looks, elicit joy in the residents. They are designed to boost agriculture and ease traffic flows. In his desire to improve education in the state to conform to global standards and changing technology, he has built 30 smart green schools out of the 260 which he promised to deliver in the state. He has completed a multi-auditorium and multifunctional Enugu International Conference Centre; a state-of-the-art Command and Control Centre as well as purchased 150 patrol vehicles fitted with AI-embedded surveillance cameras.

Aside from these completed projects, there are ongoing projects, which include the modern Interchange at Gariki market, Holy Ghost Park, and Ogige market in Nsukka. There is also the world-class 300-bed specialist hospital; a five star hotel and rehabilitation of abandoned industries such as the Hotel Presidential, Nigergas Company and Sunrise Flour Mill. He had earlier leveraged the efforts of the immediate past administration to restore a more regular supply of potable water to urban residents.

Mbah, who took the president and his entourage, which included some of his appointees and members of the National Assembly from the Southeast region round, to commission the completed projects, had stated that the modest accomplishments across sectors in the last 18 months had reinforced the conviction that although true development might yield some discomfort, it always creates an outcome that benefits all and makes the pain felt at its gestation period worth enduring.

He recalled that Enugu was the first sub-national in which regulatory oversight of the local electricity market was ceded. He stated that the Smart Green Schools were his administration’s response to challenges in the education sector “where it seemed pupils were merely going through the motions of learning – barely able to read even after six years in primary school.” He added that such scenario meant that students risked being behind in a globalised and dynamic workplace defined by cutting-edge skills and knowledge.

“This reflects our conviction that a qualitative early education is an enduring foundation for the robust human resources necessary for the growth of any society,” he stated.

He disclosed that the state was committing one-third of its annual budget to funding education in two budget cycles; a development he added underscores the resolve of the administration to build an education system that is fit for purpose.

“This translates to roughly twice UNESCO’s recommended benchmark of 15 per cent-205. What this means is that for every N100 spent, N33 goes into funding the education sector,” he said.

At the International Conference Centre, which is an imposing edifice in the three arms zone, the governor stated that it was part of the desire to make Enugu the “Conferencing Capital of Africa”. The main bowl of the centre sits about 3000 persons with other mini conference centres and a shopping mall.

On why his government has embraced infrastructure improvement in the state, Mbah told the president that it was in line with the goals of his administration to grow Enugu State from a $4.4 billion economy to a $30 billion economy in the next four to eight years, adding that it includes making Enugu one of the three top states in GDP terms.

“That is why one of the first actions I took as governor was to stop an illegal sit-at-home order imposed across the Southeast by a criminal gang, which almost literally held the public hostage,” he explained.

Apparently elated that Enugu has worked under Mbah in spite of the security threats in the region, the president described Mbah as “a great thinker”. Tinubu particularly singled out the Command and Control Centre as “exceptional”, explaining that, “there is no better investment than investment to secure lives”.

The Centre, which is the first in the Southeast region, is domiciled in the Government House premises. It is fitted with cameras that enable it to monitor the entire state and report crimes anywhere they are committed.

Commissioning the Centre, Tinubu added: “Mbah is proud of Nigeria. He is doing everything possible to provide security, attract foreign investors and other investors locally. I saw those cars, the Distress Response Squad. It is the way to go”.

Turning to the governors and other leaders of the region present at the event, he urged them to “cooperate and collaborate with your son, brother and friend, Mbah, who is really committed to push the development of Enugu State and be a good symbol of south eastern states.”

Insisting that Mbah remains his friend irrespective of political party differences, Tinubu stated that he was focused and doing well, adding: “You have encouraged me on the technological advancement of the state.”

The president challenged other governors from the Southeast region to emulate the Enugu example, explaining that they were bound to achieve more working together for the betterment of the zone.

Although the president had used the opportunity offered by the working visit to engage with leaders of the region, many believe that the level of commitment being demonstrated in the governance of Enugu State could pave the way for the entire development of the Southeast region and also address agitations and rising insecurity if sustained.

Drawing from the security measures that have been put in place in Enugu, a political analyst, Dr. Christopher Ibezim, insisted that other governors should follow suit to check insecurity in the region.

“Enugu has successfully checkmated Monday sit-at-home by improving security around the residents. What this means is that other governors can draw from what the state has done to wipe out the ugly trend in the society. A situation where the majority of the people can no longer do their businesses effectively for fear of attack is a serious problem for the growth of our economy.

“We have been talking about sit-at-home since 2021 and if we are asked to review the impact, anyone who is not economical with the truth will agree that the region has not benefited from it. So, it is a call for action. There is a need for the governors to look inwards and solve the problems threatening the unity of the Southeast,” he stated.

It was gathered that since the Command and Control Centre was commissioned, it has assisted the operations of security operatives even in Anambra State, who have leveraged it in search of residents abducted in parts of the state in recent time and hideouts of crime perpetrators.

Commending Mbah’s developmental strides, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State, Humphrey Nwodo, told The Guardian that only determination to engage in what seems impossible could lift Southeast out of its current economic difficulty.

He stated that what Mbah has done in the last couple of months is an indication that the attitude of the leadership had not helped the advancement of the country.

“If all the governors in the country had come to realise that their election is a call for service, Nigeria would have been moving smoothly. Imagine the level of transformation that has taken place in Enugu State in 18 months; such will show you that if those elected are working at the same frequency, we will have a better country,” he said.

Nwodo praised the governor’s initiative on security with the installation of CCTV cameras and the establishment of the Command and Control Centre, explaining that many countries of the world are now embracing technology to solve their security challenges instead of the current practice in the Southeast region.

“We still block roads because we want to arrest those who have committed crimes. This is not so any longer with what is going on in Enugu State. The state government has really leveraged technology to solve her security needs. This is why when you look around the Southeast, you will discover that Enugu remains the most peaceful state. So, our governors should embrace technology and solve insecurity in the region”.

What governor Mbah has done is an indication that they should not rely on the Federal Government in tackling insecurity. They should devise a means towards tackling the issue. You may wish to know that Enugu currently has the lowest crime rate. The implication is that this will encourage people to invest in the state and do other businesses. If we can have a Southeast region that works, the leaders should be able to rise and do what is needed for the good of the place,” Nwodo stated.

Nwodo stated that the visit of President Tinubu has changed the negative perspective about the region being a no go area due to insecurity, stressing that “even with the ugly narrative, Governor Mbah has shown that the region remains the best and can do better if encouraged to do so.”

While appraising the visit of the president, the Initiator of Daniel Ukwu Leadership Foundation, Mr. Dan Ukwu, stated that the general acclamation about Mbah’s strides vindicates the position of his group that inept leadership was a big challenge in the Southeast region.

“You can see that with the right leadership as demonstrated by Governor Mbah, Enugu is fast moving from a civil service state to one of the biggest economies in the country. It takes one who has the political will and intellectual sagacity to achieve this. This is what the Southeast needs.

“The entire cry about marginalisation is because the right people have not taken over leadership. If what we are seeing in Enugu presently is replicated in other parts of the Southeast region, it will be difficult for anyone to shout about marginalisation. Now we have a wonderful conference centre that will provide jobs to numerous people; the schools are coming up; the industries are being revived and the government is even undertaking to provide energy. What will make anyone not find a job in a state of this nature? That is exactly the message my organisation is propagating and we are very appreciative that Mbah has taken up the initiative,” he said. (The Guardian)