Author: Editor

…Reiterates Enugu’s zero tolerance for political violence

The Tricycle Riders Association of Enugu State has endorsed the state governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, for a second term in office, citing improved security, road infrastructure, and social amenities in the state.

The association, popularly known as Keke Riders, also endorsed President Bola Tinubu, citing the Enugu–Onitsha Road, Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway, New Artisan Bridge, Obinagu Flyover, and strategic appointments.

This was even as Governor Mbah scrapped the N750 daily payment by tricycle operators and also extended their operational time from 9pm to 10pm.

Mbah also said they would continue to operate at no cost at all the state’s modern transport terminals.

Leading the endorsement at Okpara Square, Enugu, during the conclusion of a “One Million March” event on Saturday, the state Chairman of the Tricycle Riders Association of Nigeria, Comrade Kingsley Edeh, said the endorsements were predicated on achievements, especially those that have impacted the lives and businesses of tricycle riders, their families, and the people of Enugu State in general.

“Which will we reel out and leave the other? Is it the security and good roads, which now enable us to ply our trade without any problems, the 267 Smart Green Schools, the completion of long-abandoned projects such as the International Conference Centre, Nigergas Limited, Sunrise Four Mills, Hotel Presidential, and many more?

“We can also see the infrastructure President Tinubu is building in the South East and the support he is giving to our governors.

“So, we will vote APC from top to bottom come 2027,” he declared.

Corroborating the position of the Tricycle Riders Association in Enugu, the body’s National Secretary, Comrade Sunday Enang, described Mbah as a ‘magician’ in the art of governance, stressing that no governor anywhere had done what he was able to accomplish in three years.

“Your ‘Tomorrow Is Here’ vision is evident in the construction of modern transport terminals, the establishment of Enugu Air, investment in an asphalt plant, intra- and inter-city road construction, and efforts to improve traffic flow and urban transportation.

“These initiatives are promoting safer, more organised, and more efficient movement across the state.

“We also commend the policy allowing tricycle operators to use designated terminals without paying toll fees. This support recognises their contribution to the economy and the livelihoods of thousands of families.

“These practical policies reflect disruptive innovation and demonstrate how effective leadership can turn vision into tangible opportunities,” he said.

In his response, Mbah described tricycle operators as critical players in the state’s economy, stressing that while his administration was focused on growth, it was equally determined to eradicate poverty, hence the various interventions to increase their disposable incomes.

“You are the powerhouse of our economy because you set out early in the morning, working long hours, navigating traffic, taking our workers to work, taking our students to school, moving our people from urban areas to rural communities, connecting businesses, and helping traders get to their businesses. A lot of people earn their living because of what you do.

“But we also see your struggles. So, I have started engaging with your executives on how we can make life better for you. As the Managing Director of the Transport Terminal just said, no more payment by our tricycle riders at any of the transport terminals.

“Let me also recognise something. Our government, as you know, is not just about growth. We are also interested in ending poverty and making sure that you have more money or disposable income to take care of your family. And so, the issue of tickets is sealed. No more tickets for you.

“Again, when we came into the office in 2023, we inherited a curfew on tricycle operators such that they could only operate from 6am to 9pm. There was a sit-at-home, but we have ended that with your support. Today, Enugu State is safe. So, we will be shifting your operational time limit from 9pm to 10pm,” he said.

While acknowledging their commendation for the rapid construction of roads, Mbah said this was part of the government’s deliberate steps to increase their disposable incomes by reducing their spending on repairs, assuring them that his administration would construct and reconstruct all the remaining 1,022 urban roads in the state.

“Because I understand how bad roads can be terrible, not only for your tricycles and the money you spend on repairs, but also for the time you spend at the mechanic, all the roads in Emene, Abakpa, Idaw River, Trans-Ekulu, Awkunanaw Area, Coal Camp, New Haven, Thinkers Corner, Uwani, among others, are paved or being paved.

“I can assure you that there will be no road in our city that will be unpaved. We are going to pave all the remaining 1,022 roads,” he emphasised.

Meanwhile, Mbah has vowed that his administration would take every step within the law to preserve the security and peace that the people of Enugu had worked to build in the state.

“You must treasure it. You must protect it. Enugu is on an upward trajectory. We will not allow those deceptive voices and politicians who campaign in poetry but only govern in prose. With our government, you have experienced real development and real growth.

“Let me also warn that we have worked extremely hard to establish a safe state. Nobody, no matter their ambition, will take that away from us. And we will not stop at anything, deploying all means necessary within the law to bring to book any violator or anybody who tries to import thugs to disrupt the peace and public safety we enjoy in this city and this state. We have zero tolerance for violence.”

He enjoined the people to make good their endorsements by getting their PVCs ready for the 2027 elections and voting massively for him, all APC candidates, and President Bola Tinubu, whose policies, he said, ensured the availability of resources to execute the numerous projects they listed.

Other speakers at the event were the Enugu State Chairman of the APC, Dr. Martins Chukwunweike; Grand Patron of the Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council, HRH Igwe Greg Ugwu; and the Managing Director, Enugu East Zone Transport Terminals, Dr. John Egbo.

The Enugu State Government has approved the payment of about ₦32 billion in outstanding legacy gratuities owed to retirees, with the first tranche of ₦10 billion scheduled for release from next week.

The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, disclosed this on Friday while briefing journalists at the Government House, Enugu, after the State Executive Council meeting.

Onyia, who briefed newsmen alongside the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Dr. Malachy Agbo; Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development, Barr. Chimaobi Okorie; and Commissioner for for Commissioner for Human Development and Poverty Eradication, Prof. Benedett Ekwutosi Okoli, said the payment was part of the commitment of the Governor Peter Mbah Administration to clear the inherited gratuity liabilities before the end of Mbah’s first tenure.

He explained that the outstanding gratuities were liabilities inherited by the present administration, adding that the state government had made provisions for the settlement of the gratuities in the 2026 budget, which had been approved by the State House of Assembly.

“This amount of money was put in the 2026 budget and approved by the Enugu State House of Assembly. So, it is in appropriation law,” he said.

The SSG stressed that the decision was not a hastily conceived measure but part of a planned process to address the state’s outstanding obligations to retired workers.

According to him, the government suspended the existing gratuity verification process in December 2025 and established a verification committee to review records dating back to 2000.

He said the exercise was designed to establish the actual liabilities by examining retirees’ records and supporting documents, adding that the amount approved by the Executive Council was based on the outcome of the verification.

Onyia disclosed that the first ₦10 billion tranche would be released to commence payments, after which subsequent tranches would follow until the entire verified liability of approximately ₦32 billion was cleared.

He said the government intended to complete the payment of the legacy gratuities before the governor leaves office as he does not want to the debt to his successor.

The SSG added that the administration was also addressing gratuity obligations at the local government level, where the outstanding exposure was estimated at more than ₦10 billion.

He said Governor Mbah had approved a meeting of the Economic Council to review the local government liabilities to enable local government retirees to start receiving their gratuities soon, alongside their counterparts at the state level.

He clarified that the current exercise focused on legacy gratuities, noting that the government had already commenced the payment of outstanding pension obligations following the verification of eligible beneficiaries.

“The gratuity owed to every retiree across the board from 2000 will be paid,” he said.

The SSG also disclosed that the verification committee, which he chaired, had reviewed the records of 66,783 persons across the workforce and pension-gratuity categories.

He explained that the verification exercise was necessary to guard against fraudulent claims and ensure that payments were made to legitimate beneficiaries.

He, however, clarified that retirees, who had concerns with the outcome of the verifications were free to submit their complaints to the verification committee for further review.

Onyia said that clearing the inherited gratuity liabilities was an important step towards ensuring that the state did not continue to accumulate unpaid retirement benefits for future administrations.

He reiterated that the Mbah administration was committed to settling the verified legacy obligations while sustaining payments to eligible pensioners and putting in place a more sustainable pension system for the state.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Ugwuanama Farms Ltd, Alhaji Sani Friday Nnaji, has commended Enugu State Governor, Dr Peter Mbah, for creating a secure and investment-friendly environment that is accelerating agricultural transformation, boosting food production and encouraging large-scale farming across the state.

Nnaji, who gave the commendation to mark the third World Food Day celebration under the Mbah administration, attributed the growing confidence of farmers and agricultural investors in Enugu State to the governor’s deliberate policies, security interventions and commitment to modernising the agricultural sector.

He said the administration had made significant progress in repositioning Enugu among Nigeria’s leading states in agricultural transformation through strategic investments, improved access to farmland, technological innovation and policies designed to attract private-sector participation.

According to him, the transformation of previously insecurity-prone forests and hinterlands into viable agricultural production zones represents one of the administration’s most consequential achievements, particularly for farmers who depend on safe access to their farmlands.

Nnaji praised the governor’s sustained efforts to dislodge criminal elements from forests and rural communities, noting that improved security has strengthened farmers’ confidence and created opportunities for commercial agriculture to thrive.

He highlighted the deployment of Forest Guards, community policing structures, a Command-and-Control Centre, security drones, AI-enabled surveillance cameras and other modern security infrastructure as critical components of the state government’s strategy to protect lives, secure rural investments and restore confidence across farming communities.

He noted that effective security remained indispensable to agricultural development, stressing that farmers could not achieve optimal productivity if they were exposed to harassment, attacks or threats while accessing their farmlands.

The Ugwuanama Farms chief executive also applauded the administration’s land reforms and investment-friendly policies, which he said had simplified access to land and strengthened the conditions necessary for commercial farming and agricultural expansion.

“We, the farmers in Enugu State, particularly Ugwuanama Farms Ltd, are successfully operating in the state today because of the governor’s deliberate policies designed to encourage investment, especially in land tenure, which makes commercial farming possible, as well as the flexibility in accessing land and other facilities,” he said.

Nnaji further commended Governor Mbah for promoting agricultural mechanisation, innovation and technology while encouraging young people to embrace farming as a viable source of wealth creation and employment.

He cited the Smart Green Schools initiative, which integrates agricultural activities into the learning environment, as a forward-looking strategy for introducing schoolchildren to modern farming practices and developing the next generation of agricultural entrepreneurs.

According to him, the growing emphasis on agricultural production is already contributing to increased food availability and easing food prices, while strengthening the connection between security, economic prosperity and food security.

He maintained that the administration’s approach demonstrated that securing rural communities and supporting farmers were essential to achieving sustainable food production and economic growth.

Nnaji congratulated Governor Mbah, farmers, agricultural investors and other stakeholders on World Food Day, expressing optimism that the state’s agricultural sector would continue to expand under the administration’s policies.

He urged sustained collaboration between government and private investors to consolidate the gains recorded, attract further investments and position Enugu State as a major agricultural hub capable of creating jobs, improving livelihoods and contributing significantly to Nigeria’s food security.