Press Conference: Ekweremadu presents 13 point agenda, as he declares interest in Enugu 2023 Guber Race
…Appoints Ogbo Asogwa as Campaign Director General
Chetanne Chinelo, Enugu
Former Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate and Senator representing Enugu West Senatorial Zone, Sen. Prof. Ike Ekweremadu, today, held a Press Conference at Best Western Hotel, Enugu as part of his consultation on running for Enugu’s top seat in 2023.
Before kicking off his speech and presentation of a 13-point agenda document titled ‘A Pathway to a New Enugu State’ he made it clear that the press conference wasn’t a governorship declaration.
Ekweremadu presenting his 13 point agenda document
Speaking further, he said the 13-point agenda was a way to develop Enugu State to an ultra urban city, having the standard of international cities like Dubai and others, if elected the governor. His agenda included:
~Industrialization in all the local government areas of the state
~Education
~Good governance which involved equal treatment to all
~Road infrastructure
~Housing/Urban Renewal
~Youth Employment and Empowerment
~Security
~Health
~Water
~Tourism
~Agriculture
~Energy Sufficiency
~Special Cities
On good governance, Ekweremadu promised to run an open door government, and to ensure the judiciary and civil service are technology driven. On the part of the local government, he pledged not to interfere at all. “On the local governments, I hereby pledge to not interfere” he said. On water, he was confident that if elected, he would restore pipe-borne water and build dams to ensure the problem of water scarcity is curbed completely in Enugu.
On Education, “I am willing to improve our schools, train our teachers to teach the students in a way that they can measure up to international standards. I promise to upgrade the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT) to a degree awarding institution”.
Sen. Ekweremadu reiterated that job creation would be at the heart of his government, reducing unemployment by 70% within the first four years of his administration.
On insecurity, he insisted that the major panacea to insecurity is decentralising the police system, “and this would be what we will do. To achieve more, we will have a database of everyone in Enugu, that way we will control crime” he added.
Ekweremadu promised that if elected Governor of Enugu State, he would complete all abandoned government projects in the state.
Asked directly if he would run in the 2023 Enugu Governorship race since he appeared to be declaring, despite saying he wasn’t declaring, he said, “Yes, I will run for governorship of Enugu State come 2023”. When asked about the issue of the popular zoning system in Enugu, he emphatically debunked the idea that there was ever a discussion about a zoning system in Enugu, “There was never any discussion about zoning system anywhere in Enugu. And I was never a product of any zoning at all” he said.
Ekweremadu reacting to questions from the press
When asked how he intended to achieve all he had listed, he said “The essence of this press interaction is to further my consultations and get the gentlemen of the press ask me questions on them. I had been to China, Dubai, Malaysia and others at the stage when they were working to build their system into what it is today. It’s not rocket science and I will follow their roadmap” he responded.
Ogbo Asogwa
He also appointed Ogbo Asogwa, a former Commissioner in Enugu State, as the coordinator of his campaign organization.