The Enugu State Executive Council (EXCO) has approved a raft of initiatives spanning agriculture, education, healthcare, infrastructure, housing and tourism, including the distribution of free agricultural inputs to 63,000 smallholder farmers, the recruitment of 4,698 additional teachers for Smart Green Schools, the activation of isolation centres over the Ebola outbreak in parts of East Africa, and the commencement of major road, housing and tourism projects across the state.
The approvals were reached at the State Executive Council meeting held at the weekend and disclosed by commissioners during separate briefings with Government House correspondents.
Those who addressed journalists included the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Dr. Malachy Agbo; Commissioner for Agriculture and Agro-Industrialisation, Dr. Patrick Ubru; Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ndubueze Mbah; Commissioner for Health, Prof. George Ugwu; Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Ben Osy Okoh; and Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dame Ugochi Madueke.
They said the approvals align with Governor Peter Mbah’s vision of transforming Enugu State into a $30 billion economy through strategic investments in human capital, infrastructure, agriculture and tourism.
Speaking on agriculture, Ubru said the state government had increased the number of beneficiaries of its farm input support programme from about 40,000 last year to 63,000 registered smallholder farmers this year.
According to him, beneficiaries will receive free fertilisers, agrochemicals, rice seeds, maize seeds, pepper seeds and tomato seeds to reduce production costs and improve agricultural output.
He said Governor Peter Mbah will officially flag off the distribution on Tuesday, July 21, after which supplies will be distributed across the state’s 260 political wards under strict monitoring to ensure only duly registered and verifiable farmers benefit.
“It is targeted at reducing the cost of agricultural production and ensuring that our smallholder farmers increase their income and improve their livelihoods,” Ubru said.
On education, Prof. Ndubueze Mbah announced the approval for the recruitment of 4,698 additional teachers to fully staff the state’s 267 Smart Green Schools.
He also disclosed that the government had intensified efforts to operationalise the Centre for Experiential Learning and Innovation (CELI) at the Enugu State College of Education (Technical), describing it as a critical institution for sustaining the Smart Green School initiative.
According to him, CELI will ensure continuous training and retraining of teachers while also supporting young innovators with patentable ideas and technologies to commercialise their innovations.
In the health sector, Prof. George Ugwu said the state government had ordered the immediate reactivation of all isolation centres established during the COVID-19 pandemic following the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and parts of Uganda.
He explained that the decision was a proactive measure, especially as Enugu now receives direct international flights.
“Because countries are now regarded as a global village and considering the fact that Enugu is now a gateway state receiving direct international flights, the state government has now directed that all the isolation centres established during the time of COVID-19 should be immediately reactivated and made ready for service,” he said.
Ugwu also disclosed that EXCO directed contractors handling expansion works at state-owned hospitals, including the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (Park Lane) and the State University of Medical and Applied Sciences (SUMAS) Teaching Hospital, to accelerate work for completion before the end of the year.
He added that the Enugu International Hospital would be commissioned within the next few weeks.
On infrastructure, Engr. Ben Osy Okoh announced the approval for the completion and remodelling of the long-abandoned Wings C and D of the Enugu State Secretariat Complex, alongside the rehabilitation of Wings A and B.
He explained that the project would modernise the entire Secretariat with contemporary facilities.
The council also approved the immediate construction of the 10.5-kilometre Igogoro-Amachara-Ikpamodo-Okpo-Amaada Road, as well as comprehensive flood control works on the major road in Nsukka and five adjoining streets through drainage rehabilitation and desilting.
Okoh further announced the approval for the procurement of more than 30 pieces of light construction equipment for the Ministry of Works to strengthen direct labour operations, emergency interventions and maintenance works across the state.
On housing, the commissioner disclosed that the government approved the construction of 1,000 fully detached four- and five-bedroom terrace housing units within the Enugu Smart City, following the completion of the first phase of the 6.5-kilometre dual carriageway serving the new city.
He added that government also approved the development of an additional 18,000 mass housing units at the Gateway Estate to address the state’s housing deficit.
According to him, the estates will be fully serviced with roads, electricity, water supply and other supporting infrastructure.
Speaking on tourism, Dame Ugochi Madueke announced the approval of several flagship projects aimed at positioning Enugu as a leading tourism destination.
They include the Ovu Lake Golf Resort at Akpawfu in Nkanu East Local Government Area, the Akwuke Tourism Development Project in Enugu South, the Attakwu Ecotourism Project in Nkanu West, and the Okpatu-Awhum Cable Car Project.
She explained that the Ovu Lake Golf Resort would feature an 18-hole championship golf course, a luxury hotel with over 100 rooms, a 600-seat conference centre, boat regatta, landscaped gardens, clubhouses, children’s playgrounds, lawn tennis and basketball courts, among other world-class recreational facilities.
According to her, the Attakwu Tourism Project will harness the area’s virgin forest and natural lake to create an ecotourism destination complete with an animal sanctuary and nature-based attractions.
She added that the Akwuke project would feature a modern sand beach, theme park, water park, scenic boardwalk and a comprehensive recreational park for families and visitors.
Madueke further disclosed that the approved Okpatu-Awhum Cable Car would span approximately 5.32 kilometres from the iconic Cross of Hope on Okpatu Hill to the Awhum Waterfall.
She said the project would have three stations located at the Cross of Hope, Awhum Monastery and Awhum Waterfall, where visitors would also enjoy facilities including a rotunda, experience centre and food court.
“Rather than climbing the hills on foot, visitors will be able to enjoy a safe, scenic and comfortable cable car ride from the Cross of Hope directly to the Awhum Waterfall, creating a truly unforgettable tourism experience,” she said.
The commissioners maintained that the approvals demonstrate the Mbah administration’s commitment to sustaining governance and delivering transformative projects across all sectors despite ongoing political activities in the state.