Enugu Disruptive Innovation: Gov. Mbah Reiterates People Centred Policies
Enugu state governor, Dr Peter Mbah, says his administration will continue to make the people the centre-piece of government policies.
Governor Mbah during a statewide broadcast on Wednesday to mark his one year in office, further assured that he would continue to focus on his promise to the people anchored on the three executive orders he gave on assumption of office as his development compass.
Further emphasising his administration’s people -driven policies, Governor Mbah says “You would thus recall that the first action I took barely one hour after I was sworn in as governor was the signing of three Executive Orders.
“The first such Order was in regard to the Citizens’ Charter, which essentially outlined our commitment to the provision of jobs, as well as quality amenities and services that substantially improve citizens’ living condition; transparent and inclusive governance; and the convening of consultative town hall meetings to present government’s plans and receive citizens’ feedback.
“Without the people democracy loses its defining ethos”.
The governor reiterated the commitment of his administration to the realisation of its economic target by increasing the Gross Domestic Product.
“From the outset, there was absolute clarity about our vision for Enugu State, which could be summed up thus: To make Enugu one of the top three states in Nigeria in terms of Gross Domestic Product and achieve a zero percent rate in the poverty headcount index. This also includes our resolute goal to grow Enugu State’s GDP from $4.4bn to at least $30b in the next four to eight years”, he recalled.
On security, the governor noted that the administration had shown zero tolerance to criminality and taken actions that clearly discourage activities of criminal elements. He said that on realisation of the security and economic threats occasioned by the hitherto sit- at-home, the government placed ban on the enforcement of the Monday sit at home.
Governor Mbah also explained that “our establishing of the Security Trust Fund yet underscores our determination to keep the entire state safe and enthrone a sustainable platform to pool resources to fund our security needs. This Trust Fund, which has been signed into law and also constituted, has helped in fostering citizens’ engagement and a sense of civic responsibility”.
While enumerating the overall development blueprint of his administration, the governor assured the people that all the infrastructural needs captured in the state ruling party’s manifesto would be delivered.
He noted that the infrastructure, ranging from road, water, power, among others have within the past one, received substantial attention of the government.
“In the past 12 months and across all the sectors, our fidelity to the Citizens’ Charter and courage to bring that vision to fruition has remained unbroken. Our efforts are vindicated by visible turnaround we see in public infrastructure, and sustained increase in annual IGR. We are not reinventing the wheel, but we have certainly created a suitable environment for the wheel to spin faster and unencumbered, in a way that meets the exigencies of our time.
“Indeed, the exigencies of our time demand that we attain the socio-economic minimum, where the provision of basic amenities is taken for granted by citizens. That’s because there can never be any plausible excuse for ineffectual leadership. People generally don’t expect to hear why a problem cannot be solved by their government. They expect to hear from them how – and when – problems that have blighted their living condition will be solved. That, in simple terms, is my motivating philosophy”, he added.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Sam Udekwe is a journalist working in the News and Current Affairs department, Enugu State Broadcasting Service (ESBS) Enugu. He is well trained in all genres of journalistic venture.
Mr Sam read Mass Communication, graduating all with Distinction in National Diploma, Higher National Diploma and Postgraduate Diploma at IMT, Enugu and Madonna University, Okija, Anambra state, while he is presently on his M.Sc programme also in Mass Communication, at National Open University of Nigeria.
He is currently the NUJ Chairman, Enugu state.
samowailo@gmail.com
