Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State on Thursday received more endorsement ahead of the 2019 general elections.
This time, the Forum of Former elected local government chairmen in the State have thrown their weight behind him.
The former council chairmen made the endorsement during a ceremony at the ALGON office in Enugu.
Speaking at the ceremony, Hon. Mathias Ekweremadu, the Chairman of the group said they resolved to support the Governor because of his sterling performance in office.
Ekweremadu, who was chairman of Aninri LGA, said Ugwuanyi had made his mark in the past four years and built legacies across all the 17 local governments and 260 wards in the state.
“Democracy is working in Enugu State. Gburus (Ugwuanyi) is our man for 2019. We want to let our people to know that government is what you can do for your people and not what your people can do for you.
“We celebrated the payment of 13 month’s salary in Enugu State. We have also celebrated infrastructure development. There is peace and security in the State,” Ekweremadu said.
While throwing more light on the endorsement, Ogbonna Idike, the secretary of the association, noted that Governor Ugwuanyi had within a short period in office transformed the state by the provision of infrastructure developments in the three senatorial districts of Enugu State.
Idike, who was chairman of Igbo-etiti LGA, said Ugwuanyi has since the inception of his administration, run an all inclusive administration, which manifests itself in key appointments and other political zones of Enugu State.
“That the Governor has continued to lubricate and maintain the state apparatuses, especially the public service by ensuring the prompt payment of salaries to civil and public servants, resulting in the payment of one extra full month salary to every civil and public servant in Enugu State to celebrate the 2017 Christmas.
“The gradual liquidation of the severance allowances owed to former council chairmen, councilors and other former political office holder in Enugu state, appointment of members of the association to the political offices in the state, are highly commendable.
“The maintenance of peace and security in the state, which has ensured that Enugu State continues to be ranked as the safest state in Nigeria as currently pronounced by the Inspector General of Police and the recent provision of patrol Hilux vans, equipped with sophisticated security gadgets are proofs that the life and security of every resident of Enugu State, are the primary concern of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s administration,” Idike said.
The former council boss equally lauded other giant strides of the Governor, such as encouraging investment through tax holidays, as a catalyst for job creation and N100 million endowments for the neighbouurhod watch, resulting in the procurement of patrol vehicles in the various communities in Enugu Stae in line with international standards on community policing.
Idike praised the Governor for reaching out to other political parties, apart from his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the firm belief that governance is about the people and not based on only political leanings.
He described as unprecedented, the construction of five ultra-modern fire stations across the state, employment of 2000 primary school teachers and another 2000 post primary school teachers in Enugu State.
He applauded the Governor for the revitalization of Enugu State Star Printing and Publishing Company, publishers of Daily Star, which had gone moribund for over 20 years and immediate release of N5 million to each of the 450 communities in Enugu State as part of the N10 million grant for the execution of projects that are dear to the hearts of the people.
He added that the empowerment of Market women with the sum of N50,000 to each of them and the recent directive for the reconstruction of market stalls gutted by fire at Timbre Shed Uwani Enugu showed that Governor Ugwuanyi’s democracy dividends know no boundaries.
Responding, Governor Ugwuanyi said he was humbled by the endorsement he received from the former council chairmen, pointing out that the foundation of the peace enjoyed in Enugu State today emanated from the local governments.