No matter how we view Democracy- slow, cumbersome, or imperfect, it is still the best system to emancipate the people from tyranny and oppression. Democracy offers each of us, no matter how feeble, or eccentric, liberty to voice h/her opinion. This even extends to choice of candidate during electioneering, however clueless or inhuman the candidate seems, or is painted to be.
This summarises reasons the people of Enugu stand-by their Governor, His Excellency Rt. Honourable Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; not because he is the perfect, not because he is excellent, and definitely not because all the challenges faced by the State and millions of citizens have all been solved. The people maintain the status quo simply because they believe in improvement through democracy, not autocracy; and that is where ‘Gburugburu’ resonates hope.
Where am I driving at? When the issue of reckless dumping of refuse in the State metropolis and subsequent overflow of litters on the streets, it becomes obvious to inform our people that the Government isn’t bereft of ideas on managing the situation.
Recently, voices of detractors seem to suggest that the present administration in the State is incapacitated or under-performing. One area they found pleasure is accusing the Governor of negligence of the environmental sanitation.
They keep vomiting venoms of frustration; casting aspersions on the Governor and his cabinet, accusing the Enugu State Environmental Management Agency (ESWAMA) of incompetence. Well, the truth is: let’s not doubt the Governor in a stint of fugacity nor play into the hands of political carnivores perching around to milk the scare recourses.
The environmental sanitation managers, at a point, failed to live up to His Excellency’s expectations. As a Government with people-oriented agenda, His Excellency quickly set up an Environmental Emancipation Committee, which in its findings reveal that; insufficient waste disposal facilities are the challenges encountered by ESWAMA in managing waste in the Coal City; also hog feeding, open dumping, incineration, resources recovering, composition and phrolysis are the waste disposal systems of ESWAMA; environmental protection and preservation are the prospects from waste management.
One thing about Governor Ugwuanyi: he tries to see the best in people; well, that could be a flaw; and by now, he would have learnt to ignore flaws, since the citizens see them so easily. So, he has taken bold actions to nib the issues in the bud.
He is not taking lightly the recommendation that ESWAMA management need to make every effort to safeguard the environment and reduce the hazardous effect which unhealthy environment can cause to individuals and society at large.
He is not just focusing on ridding the streets of refuse; he takes issues at abattoirs very seriously; as health sanitary inspectors have been given matching order to supervise and sensitization the people.
As a ‘grassrooter’, Gburugburu has also mandated ESWAMA to enhance the public enlightenment programmes meant to reach the grass root in order to secure and preserve the environment.
In his recent meeting with the environmental supervisors, His Excellency said, unequivocally, “Enugu Must Always Be Clean!” There is nothing to add. A little while we shall begin to see ESWAMA and their contractors refuse collection at night; this will prevent air pollution during the day.
Gburugburu isn’t perfect, but please lead me to the man who is! When I Governor Ugwuanyi, I see a man with the Citizen’s best interest at heart. We should not forget, transitorily, that things get worse before they get better.