…Says Enugu-Nsukka rail line in the pipeline

Stakeholders and groups across the six Local Government Areas of Enugu North Senatorial District, also known as Nsukka Zone, have endorsed Dr. Peter Mbah of Enugu State for a second term in office yet again.

The stakeholders, comprising traditional, political, and community leaders, professionals and various groups, said the governor had shown sincerity and determination in addressing the major challenges facing Nsukka Zone through visible projects, while also facilitating the appointment of a son of the zone as the Vice Chancellorship of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, for the first time since the founding of the institution in 1960.

This was as Mbah revealed that he was already in the process of feasibility study for a rail line that would reduce trip from Enugu to Nsukka to 15 minutes, saying he was just starting.

The people of Nsukka zone bared their minds during Governor Mbah’s working visit to Nsukka at the weekend, which featured the foundation laying for a 5,000-shop capacity Nsukka International Market, meeting with traditional rulers of the zone at Edem Ani, and a well-attended meeting with stakeholders of the zone.

Speaking, the Chairman, Enugu State Council of Traditional Rulers, Igwe Samuel Asadu, said the zone had presented three major requests before Mbah ahead of the 2023 election, namely; the dualisation of the 44km Abakpa Nike-Opi-Nsukka Road, appointment of an Nsukka Zone indigene as Vice Chancellor of UNN, and support the creation of Adada State.

“Today, the governor is already dualising the Enugu-Opi-Nsukka Road. Just last week, he, through his good relationships with President Bola Tinubu, ensured the emergence of Professor Simon Ortuanya as the Vice Chancellor of UNN. While the creation of Adada State is not for him to decide, he has given us all the support to push for it.

“It means that he has met almost all our demands in just two years. So, tell me why we will follow another person other than him?”, he said.

In his remarks, the Chairman of Nsukka LGA, Engr. Jude Asogwa, said Mbah was unstoppable, as far as Enugu north was concerned, saying he had surpassed their expectations.

“Our people said that I should inform you that you are unstoppable. We thank you for the 20 Smart Green Schools in Nsukka, 20 Type-2 Primary Healthcare Centres, and the Modern Transport Terminal in Nsukka, just to name a few, all in just two years.

“So, we want to tell you that we are committed to your cause. In fact, it is as though Enugu just started two years ago. We don’t engage in frivolities and we are on ground for you,” Asogwa stated.

In his opening remark at the townhall meeting, which held at the UBA Hall, UNN, Member representing Nsukka/Igboeze South Federal Constituency, Hon. Chidi Obetta, said Mbah had shown that leadership was no rocket science, noting that the essence of the townhall meeting was for the governor to get undiluted feedback from the people.

“The Enugu North zone is saying thank you because I know a lot of projects across various sectors you have told me in our private discussions that you were planning to bring to Nsukka” he said.

Mbah, while responding to their requests which were mostly in appreciation for the projects done and request for more roads, assured the zone that he would get even more aggressive with roads construction in 2025 by which time he would have been done with the 260 Smart Green Schools and the 260 type-2 Primary Healthcare Centers.

“I know you are all excited about the Abakpa-Opi-Nsukka Road. But you ain’t seen nothing yet. We are also going to do a rail line from Enugu to Nsukka. We don’t think that travelling from Enugu to Nsukka should take you more than 15 minutes. We are still doing the feasibility studies. But this is something we will do,” he said.

Other eminent personalities of Enugu North at the events, which featured a question and answer session with the governor, include the Deputy Speaker, Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Ezenta Ezeani; Member representing Igboeze North/Udenu Federal Constituency, Hon. Dennis Agbo; Labour Party candidate in the 2023 governorship election, who has also returned to the Peoples Democratic Party, Hon. Chijioke Edeoga; and Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Enyinna Franklin Ogbonna.

Also present were members of Enugu State House of Assembly representing the zone, the six Council Chairmen of the zone, among others.

The founder of Human Capital Africa, Dr Oby Ezekwesili has emphasized need for a fresh constitution that will help address all the imbalances and the inequalities and appealed to the media to be in forefront at the vanguard of the demand

Ezekwesili made the call on Thursday while speaking on the topic “Reworking Nigeria’s Federalism: Perspectives on Restructuring and Fiscal Federalism” at the 7th Penpushing Media anniversary and annual lecture held in Abeokuta.

She pointed out that a new constitution is a matter of life and death, stressing that having it in place defined the current constitution in Nigeria, and that there must be a constitutional conference that will enable citizens to have honest conversation

“The media should take the front seat and be at the vanguard of a demand for new constitution. We must have a constitutional conference that enables the people of this country to have honest conversation around things that will make us make progress and make Nigeria work for all of us’, she stated.

“If there is anything that will come out of this annual lecture it must be that the media should be at the vanguard of a push for a constitutional conference, one that will enable the constituent part of this country, a constituent assembly elected by the people, they go, they sit, they have the discussion on the basis of the issues that makes fiscal federal system of government to work and come out with issues that are eligible for constitution which is put before the people to vote in form of referendum.

‘This is what Kenya did after almost collapsing, and since then, you never hear them talking about break-up, they will talk about the need for good leaders’, the humanitarian and an activist stated.

The former Minister, pointed out that only a new constitution that prioritises devolution of powers, justice, equity, and fairness to all irrespective of tribes and ethnicity will solve the agitation for secession by some part of the country, the problem of insecurity, the challenge of unemployment and poverty, and maladministration.

The advocate for transparency, accountability, good governance berated the National Assembly efforts on the ongoing constitutional amendment, stressing that it is nothing but a charade and a conduit pipe to waste public funds.

 Ezekwesili, that accompanied by her husband to the well organized and attended ceremony added that hijack of the nation’s political space and, by extension, that of the continent by a set of criminal enterprise gangs who now sit at the table and slice governance in the direction that best suits them while the larger interest of the people suffers is worrisome.

She added that the National Assembly decided to embark on a venture that will do little or nothing to help address the need to restructure the country along the practice of true federalism, stressing that a fresh constitution that will help address all the imbalances and the inequalities.

‘The ongoing constitutional amendment cannot work, it cannot address our problem, it is a charade and sheer waste of resources. The demand for a new constitution is a matter of life and death’, Ezekwesili said

“For instance, when the engineer tells us that the foundation of a building is structurally defective, is it not to take the whole building down because it will continue to constitute an endangerment to the people’, she noted.

“You won’t say, Oga, can we just do some little adjustment to the building, no, it won’t work, and this is same with nation building. So, this expensive charade that the National Assembly is embarking on and spending money on won’t take us anywhere’, Ekwesili stated.

Penpushing further reports that she explained that there is nothing mysterious about good governance, as it has been done in other parts of the world and could be replicated in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.

“Unfortunately, today’s politics has been hijacked, what we now have is a criminal enterprise gang and this is not only in Nigeria but across the continent. A criminal enterprise gang has taken hold of politics and excluded the society and these people just sit at the table and just slice governance in the direction that suits them but that must not be made to continue’, she said

The human capital development expert said there is a strong connection between the quality of African politics and its economic performance and prosperity, adding that this sad reality may, however, not change for a long time to come if nothing is done to improve the quality of its politics and the political leaders.

The true practice of fiscal federalism will foster greater regional autonomy and collaboration, satisfy the demand for self-determination without breaking up the country, boost productivity and accountability, and improve leadership capabilities, among other things.

The founder of Penpushing Media, Prince Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji earlier in his welcome speech explained that the essence of the annual lecture is aimed at elevating conversation around issues that could further enhance the greatness of the country.

She disclosed that the media outlet, which is the first online newspaper to start operations in Abeokuta, the town where journalism started in Nigeria in 1859 said the organization has continued to grow in leaps and bound.

The founder added that the establishment has been contributing significantly to changing the narrative of the country through qualitative reportage and offering philanthropic gestures that are deliberately designed to uplift humanity.

 Kayode-Adedeji explained that Penpushing Media as part of its policy, has trained over mass communication undergraduates from various tertiary institution, to contribute to their growth in the profession

The Founder added that in addition to the developmental growth of the undergraduates the media organization has equally instituted an annual award honour for the best graduating mass communication students in the higher institutions.

In goodwill messages by Funke Fadugba(Chairman Editorial Board Penpushing Media), Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi (Chairperson Planning Committee), Femi Adesina former Presidential spokesman to the late Mohammadu Buhari, Justice Deinde Soremi(retired Justice admitted, Princess (Dr) Ronke Ogunremi, Maureen Chigbo and Chief (Dr) Joju Fadairo admitted the positive relevance of Penpushing Media in the media industry globally

The panelists at the well packaged ceremony include Sir Eddy Aina (former Director National Broadcasting Commission), Hon Adijat Adeleye (Ogun State Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development), and Prof Abgail Ogwezzy-Ndisika(Director Institute of Continuing Education, Mass Communication Department University of Lagos) and Fatai Owoseni(Retired Commissioner of Police)

The members of the planning committee include Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi (Chairperson), Sina Adefolahan(Secretary), Seun Sodiya, Otunba Gbenga Onayiga, Hon Remmy Hazzan, Toyin Ogunbomehin and Dr Adewunmi Alayaki

Meanwhile, the editorial board include Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji (Founder), Funke Fadugba(Chairman), Eddy Aina, Barrister Benjamin  Ogunmodede, Yemisi Fadairo and Femi Shodunke

Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, on Wednesday, rejigged his cabinet, swearing in a new Head of Service, six new Commissioners, and reassigning three others.

Mbah also assigned portfolios to the new appointees following the administration of Oath of Office on them by a representative of the Ministry of Justice, Chizoba Ogbodo, at the State Executive Council Chamber, Government House, Enugu.

The newly sworn-in appointees are: Dr. Godwin Anigbo, Head of Service; Engr. Benjamin Osita Okoh, Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure; Prof. Benedett Ekwutosi Okoli, Commissioner for Human Development and Poverty Eradication; Enyinna Franklin Ogbonna, Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources; and Dr. Samuel Ogbu-Nwobodo, Commissioner for Trade, Investment, and Industry.

Others are Prof. George Ugwu, Commissioner for Health and Engr. Ben Collins Ndu Jr., who was designated as the Commissioner for Water Resources.

Dr. Felix Nnamani was reassigned from the Ministry of Water Resources to the Ministry of Labour and Employment as Commissioner, Dr. Malachy Agbo was reassigned from the Ministry of Human Development and Poverty Eradication to the Ministry of Information, while the former Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Gerald Otiji, is now the Commissioner for Housing.

Speaking on the occasion, Mbah charged the appointees to hit the ground running, stressing that there would be no honeymoon period for them.

He said the administration had in two years steered high expectations among the people of the state as well as Nigerians in general and could not to lower the its performance across sectors.

“You would soon notice that here in Enugu, we have steered such a high expectation among our people. And everyday it feels as though we are presenting a scorecard.

“Therefore, you have to hit the ground running, as there will be no honeymoon period for you, unfortunately.

mongous goals that we have outlined. And your various Ministries will play critical roles in accomplishing those goals.

“We set targets, we set goals, and we have key performance indicators, we have measurable indicators, hence, we have to measure and we have to constantly take analysis of where you are in respect to the set goals and what your results are. Those key performance indicators are key to us and we will measure you based on these outcomes and results,” the governor stated.

He further charged the appointees to work as a team, in line with the established cultures of the administration.

“We also recognise teamwork champions. We do not encourage working in silos. You have to work as a team, we believe that by working as a team, we are able to accomplish our collective goals. You should not see your colleagues as rivals. They should actually complement your efforts instead.

“Our modest accomplishment in the state so far is not done by a single champion. We like to recognise our successes as team efforts,” he added.

Speaking on behalf of other appointees, Dr. Ogbu-Nwobodo thanked the governor for finding them worthy out of the many other highly qualified Enugu citizens and beyond, assuring that they would not let him down.

“Since you chose to entrust us with this sacred duty as you make history on a daily basis. We will keep faith with our Oath of Office. We will be loyal and dedicated in the discharge of our duties. We will strive to contribute to the nationally acknowledged success that your government has become,” he said.

The swearing-in ceremony was witnessed by the Deputy Governor, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai; Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia; Chief of Staff to the Governor, Barr. Victor Udeh, several commissioners and senior appointees of government as well as the spouses of the appointees.