Hon. Chukwuemelie Lambert Agu Transforming Housing Development in Enugu: From Civil Service to Private and Profit Oriented Perspective

The people who wish to achieve something are always action-oriented. When they feel like work needs to be done, they do it without asking too many questions and ensure that the work is done on time.

Driven by the outcome and the determination to always keep moving, high achievers try to figure out all the possible solutions for their work beforehand.

This analogy perfectly describes the personality of Honourable Chukwuemelie Lambert Agu General Manager/CEO, Enugu State Housing Development Authority (ESHDC).

Background Check:

Hon. Chukwuemelie Lambert Agu, until his appointment as the GM/CEO of Enugu State Housing Development Corporation (ESHDC), was a successful business manager/administrator. He was recruited into the public sector by the present Executive Governor of Enugu State, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to be the GM/CEO of ESHDC April 2016.

He attended St. Patrick’s Secondary School, Emene, Enugu; University of Nigeria, Nsukka and Enugu State University of Science & Technology.

Hon. Chukwuemelie has over 20 years of choice management experience from various positions held in top flight Businesses.

For high achievers, optimism comes naturally. They focus on what is good and offer good vibes in return. Being optimistic leads to a better mindset that everyone needs to fulfill their goals.

No wonder, on his assumption of office as the General Manager/CEO of Enugu State Housing Development Corporation, Hon. Agu swiftly and almost simultaneously embarked on the development of more than 6 estates within 18 months! Starting from Transparency Estate to Heritage, WTC-Citadel 1&2 to Rangers 1&2 and many others, all he  and the team have done simply implies enabling people to develop these estates themselves. They provide them with communal living- gated-apartments, water, electricity and other facilities.

ESHDC under Hon. Agu’s leadership also gives them little time to develop; therefore, within one year to two years. The transformation he brought to bear ensures the Corporation now works with only the willing and capable people to develop these estates.

The Impact:

High achievers create a plan for long-term goals and focus on it. You will find them going back and forth from the present to their planned future quickly.

Before now, we were seeing heavy congestion in Enugu which was not there when we were young and growing. Thus, ESHDC under Hon. Agu’s dispensation initiated projects developing the outward parts of the metropolis. They wanted a situation where value is added to the out-sketch of the State. In places like the United States, you see people drive 30minutes to an hour to go to work and still go back. That is the intent with projects located to aid people who can come from Abakpa, Awkunanau, Four-Corner, Nsukka to attend to their daily activities in the metropolis and still go back for a 20 to 30minutes drive.

The future is bright; “basically, we are laying the foundation for those coming after us to think and develop better”, Hon. Chukwuemelie Agu said in one of his interviews with the press. “Technology has improved in the housing sector too. However, you can’t do much without adequate funding. With the number of estates we are developing during my dispensation is going to add values to what my predecessors have done. Many of them we have served in this capacity did creditably well. What this means is that with time, people can afford to have enough funds to maintain the old estates and dig into the future.

“Because land is a scarce commodity, currently, we are trying to discuss with communities where lands are sold at N200,000 or N400,000, so we want to develop estates around them which will automatically add value to the remaining lands. This will also accord them security; normally, we have armed security personnel for all our estates. Apart from that, you are bringing people from different spheres of life to the communities.

“With that, the economy of that community will go up; shops, markets, schools, hotels, and other demands will come up. So, the future is bright for the housing sector in Enugu State. Already, we have 36 estates. With the grant rents, service charges, there will be enough funds to maintain existing estates and develop new ones.

From the foregoing, it is obvious that Hon. Agu came prepared. His well-drafted plans have added value to the Enugu State economy at large.

There is no stopping for high achievers. They deal with exponential growth because they do not like being slowed down!

Hon. Agu has pushed the boundaries. He has pursued projects, building for everybody depending on what the market says. ESHDC under his leadership has developed some ‘nucleus apartments’ in some of the estates. Also, in some estates, people have not started developing their property; they have encouraged them by building in some of them. That shows the human face of this government.

ESHDC has built some 4-bedroom terrace apartment; which is not common in the country. In some they are developing 2-3bedrooms terraces.

The cost of land is high now which could be chief among the reasons they are building terrace forms which will give us more houses in small portions of land.

Before our eyes, Hon. Agu is leading a housing revolution based on his dream of developing a new city entirely. The partners- investors must be appreciated too for selecting Enugu; assisting the government to achieve this.

If you ever wonder how someone gets from the lower level of the hierarchy up to the top, it is all because of their attitude towards opportunities.

Never underestimate what the world has to offer you. Be keen on availing different chances since you never know how they can benefit you.

High achievers are always on a lookout for new and better opportunities for themselves, and you need to follow their lead!

Let’s keep supporting Hon. Chukwuemelie Lambert Agu for the development of our State.