Category: News

…We’ll align with Gov’s policies of disruptive innovation – Council bosses

Enugu State Governor, Dr Peter Mbah, has charged the newly elected Local Government chairmen in the state to be creative and innovative in their performance while focusing on optimising values that will create solutions through lean spending.

This is even as the council chairmen pledged to align their administration’s goals and objectives with the governor’s robust policies of disruptive innovation to bring quality governance to the grassroots.

The governor, who gave this charge, over the weekend in Enugu, at an ongoing three-day Enugu State Local Government Executive Leadership Retreat, with the theme, “Aligning Strategy for Sustainable Economic and Infrastructure Delivery at the Local Government Level”, reminded the council chairmen and their deputies that the euphoria of honeymoon was long over, saying it’s time to hit the ground running in their respective local governments.

Advising the participants on effective leadership, the governor said everybody in the council areas was looking up to them to deliver on their promises which should take the path of fast-paced governance model for their impact to be meaningful.

“When you develop your strategies, what will keep you moving is your love for your people. You must have a clear action plan. As a leader you must have measurable indicators. Your vision and action plan must be strategic and borne out of a framework that will guide your structure. In the private sector, you must have your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis. The same applies to the public sector,” Governor Mbah added.

While tasking them on transparency, prudence, accountability and accessibility to the people, the governor reiterated that public money, which is not their personal property, must be used for the collective interest of the people.

Speaking on optimal performance, Mbah said the only way council leaders could transform their areas was through disruptive innovation, target setting, key performance indicators, frequent review and evaluation management and thinking outside the box to disrupt the status quo.

Insisting that the world is rapidly evolving through technology and innovation, the governor said his administration was clear on its envisioned goals through its Statement of Purpose which embodied the ongoing 260 Smart Green Schools, 260 Type-2 primary healthcare centres,10,000km road construction, eradication of poverty through human capital development and empowerment programmes, deliberate state policies on making Enugu an investment destination, and huge investment in other capital projects that will make the state a hub of investment opportunities for youth.

According to him, the little resources from the federal government were only a fraction of what the administration required to execute its ambitious plans leading to creative alternative financing model where the government mobilises domestic revenues, radically cuts overhead costs, revamps dormant assets and eliminates waste in governance.

Earlier in a welcome address, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Chidiebere Onyia, said the training was aimed at communicating Gov Mbah’s agenda and vision to drive accelerated economic growth and achieve a zero percent poverty headcount in the state.

He said the administration’s GDP target of $30b would be driven by inclusive and sustainable economic growth, resilience, and restoration of peace and security for the people through alignment of all the levels of government in the state.

The retreat, he said, was designed to equip council leaders with the leadership skills, strategic tools and collaborative frameworks necessary to deliver on infrastructure and economic development in a way that aligns with the state priorities.

Speaking with newsmen on the benefits of the retreat, the chairman of Nkanu East council area, Hon Sydney Edeh, said they had already aligned their policies and programmes with Mbah’s strategic values and state objectives after painstaking and thorough study of the policies and governance philosophy of the state government.

Edeh, who is the State ALGON Chairman, pledged to work closely with his colleagues to fulfill their promises to the people, saying they would emulate the leadership orientation of the governor for sectoral integrated development.

The chairman of Enugu East Local Government, Pastor Beloved-Dan Anike, while lauding the leadership retreat, said Enugu East, with about 10 percent of the population of the state, were mostly youths that needed urgent empowerment such as entrepreneurial skills, digital skills, start-up capital and other trainings that would help in eradicating poverty and improving standards of living.

On his part, chairman of Aninri Local Government, Hon. Ugochukwu Nwanjoku, said some of them had already hit the ground running having been equipped to embark on the journey by the governor, whom he described as his mentor and role model.

“In line with the governor’s template, I have developed a five year policy, and in no distant time we will begin to implement it. We are determined, prepared and ready to work. We are going to replicate what the governor is doing in the state. Aninri will be a place where the governor will come to commission projects”, Nwanjoku said.

Also speaking, Chairmen of Igboeze South and Isi Uzo local councils, Barr. Ferdinand Ugwueze and Hon Obiora Obeagu, described the retreat as a practical step to development, adding that governor Mbah had equipped them with tools to reposition their council areas.

In a bid to create conducive environment for the Judiciary, Governor Alex Otti has flagged off the construction of model court buildings across the 17 LGAs of the State.

Speaking while performing the foundation laying ceremony at the Umuene Magistrate Court, Isialangwa South LGA, Governor Otti said that the modern court buildings would be replicated across the remaining 16 LGAS of the state.

The Governor noted that the project speaks volumes of his commitment to building a community with access to justice, assuring that he will work with the Judiciary and other stakeholders to build an ecosystem where justice is the order of the day.

He stated that the project is in fulfilment of his campaign promise to institute an effective judicial system that responds to the 21st century demands of judicial service delivery.

“What we have gathered to witness is not just about the erection of new blocks of court rooms from where those who work in the temple of justice can perform their day to day activities. We have come to fulfill a major campaign promise that under our watch, centres of justice administration in the State shall have a more functional appeal”.

“This project is in line with our vision of working closely with the judicial arm of government to create robust channels for the speedy dispensation of justice”.

“This initiative is anchored on the common understanding that access to justice is an irreducible minimum in a democracy, Gov. Otti stated.

The State Chief Executive assured that the project would be delivered as scheduled, warning that he would not accept short falls from the designed work, while maintaining that mechanisms have been put in place to monitor the work.

Governor Otti charged the host community to ensure that the court halls and all the facilities to be provided are not vandalized. He thanked the Chief Judge of the State for her zeal and commitment to transparency and in repositioning the judicial system of the state.

“This court hall that we are erecting here is first and foremost the property of the community and they must do everything possible to ensure that the halls are not vandalized” The Governor stated.

Speaking during the ceremony, the Chief Judge of Abia State, Justice Lilian Abai said that the flagging off of the new court halls by the Governor is unprecedented in the state judiciary, saying that it would enhance productivity among judicial officers.

Justice Abai commended Governor Otti for his commitment towards justice delivery in the State and assured that the Judiciary would uphold the rule of law.

In his speech, the Chairman,
House Committee on Judiciary and Public Complaints of Abia State House of Assembly and Member representating Umuahia North, Barr. Anderson Akaliro lauded the efforts of the Governor and said that it would it improve in the service delivery of the judiciary.

Also speaking, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Ikechukwu Uwanna recalled the status of the court halls in the State and its neglect for decades and said that the project is a testament of the Governor’s commitment to efficient justice delivery.

He said that when completed, the court halls would have a lobby room for lawyers and a room for inmates from the correctional facilities with provision for Judges or Magistrates as well as legal assistants, natural light, ventilation, solar energy among others.

In his address,the Mayor of Isialangwa South, Dr. Elelenta Nwambusi Elele, noted that the court was nothing to write home about before the intervention of the Governor.

While appreciating Governor Otti for the project, he said that the need to provide conducive environment for magistrates and judges cannot be over emphasized.

In their speeches, the Chairman NBA, Isialangwa Branch, Barr. Eze Nwaegoro and his Aba Branch counterpart, Charles Onuchukwu described the event as an epoch one.

They said that the feat is not only a step in the right direction but would make the members of the NBA proud in the state and commended the Governor for the project.

…Tours security infrastructure, other Projects

…As Mbah reiterates commitment to boosting MSMEs

Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima has lauded Governor Peter Mbah’s development strides in Enugu State, noting that he was turning the state around through multiple projects across all sectors.

Shettima, who was in Enugu on Tuesday to commission the Enugu State Garment and Fashion Hub as well as unveil the 5th Expanded National Micro, Small, and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSME) Clinics, which are collaborative efforts of the Federal Government and Enugu to boost MSMEs in the state, also used the opportunity to tour some of the infrastructural projects by the Mbah Administration, such as the Command and Control security infrastructure and the International Conference Centre.

He stressed that time for politics was over and stressed Federal Government’s readiness to work with visionary leaders across party lines to move the country forward.

“Let us put politics aside. We are now in the phase of development. Politics is over. We have to coalesce into a single force and face the challenges of underdevelopment in our Nation. Governor Peter Mbah means well for the people of Enugu State and he is humble.

“I am specifically enamored of his security project. I am happy for his investment in supplying water to Enugu. Most importantly, education is the greatest changer. Within a generation, the son of a peasant can become a celebrated icon. The investment of Peter Mbah in Smart Schools will yield a bountiful harvest in the coming years.

“If I say I was impressed by what I saw in Enugu, it is an understatement. I was overwhelmed by the giant strides recorded by Governor Mbah and his team. He has embraced modernity. He has embraced digital technology. Most of the things I saw are avant-garde technology, state-of-the-art security infrastructure, and beautiful road network. He is doing excellently well and he is worthy to be emulated by other governors across the length and breadth of this nation.

“He is one of the few CEOs, who are versatile in the potentiality of the Information Technology industry. I want to join all of us here in thanking Governor Peter Mbah for taking charge of the opportunities that abound and incidentally the Minister of Science and Technology is here and he is a son of Enugu. I want you to join forces to see that Enugu occupies its rightful place.

“Enugu is an equivalent of Kaduna and Ibadan. But till the emergence of Governor Peter Mbah, Enugu was sleeping, a town that did not even have water supply.

“Your Excellency, we want to commend and identify with you. We have to sustain that brotherhood and relationship for the good of our people, both in development, infrastructure, we can change the narrative from negativity to positivity,” he said.

The Vice President emphasised that MSMEs were critical to economic growth, noting that the garment and fashion hub would serve as “a stepping stone to the economic highways, providing an exchange in support of manufacturing in Enugu State, boosting production capacity and in enabling economy of scale.”

Shettima said the hub was capable of creating about 48,000 jobs and announced a N150,000 outright grant to all the MSMEs that distinguished themselves during the MSME clinics.

Speaking, Governor Mbah restated his administration’s commitment to boosting MSMEs, describing them as the lifeblood of economic growth and thanked the Federal Government for its continued support to Enugu in regard.

The governor, who is a recipient of the 2024 MSMEs Awards by the Office of the Vice President, observed that almost 90 percent of businesses in the country were small scale.

“But as important as MSMEs may be, their success is no chance occurrence. They thrive only through careful policies that enhance the ease-of-doing-business climate, comprising key enablers like the sustained provision of infrastructure, security, efficient legal and regulatory framework, among others,” he stated.

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, commended the collaborative efforts of the FG and Enugu State to grow MSMEs noting that what he saw at the Enugu State Garment and Fashion Hub was a clear indication that the youths of Nigeria had so much to offer if provided with the right opportunity and environment.

Earlier in their welcome addresses, the Special Adviser to Governor Mbah on MSMEs and Digital Economy, Arinze Chilo-Offia, and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Job Creation and MSMEs, Temitola Adekunle Johnson, thanked the FG and Enugu State Government for the collaboration and support that saw to the success of the initiatives.

Also present was the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji, as well as members of the National and State Assembly.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is set to depart Abuja today for a two-week vacation in the United Kingdom, as part of his annual leave.

This was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday, October 2, by the special adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

During his time abroad, the president will use the opportunity as a working vacation and retreat to reflect on his administration’s economic reforms.

This break will provide President Tinubu with a chance to recharge and reassess his economic strategies, ensuring he returns to the country refreshed and ready to tackle Nigeria’s challenges.

The President is expected to return to Abuja after the expiration of his leave, poised to implement new ideas and reforms.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja today for the United Kingdom to begin a two-week vacation, part of his yearly leave.

“He will use the two weeks as a working vacation and a retreat to reflect on his administration’s economic reforms.

“He will return to the country after the leave expires”, the statement said.

…Calls for national unity

Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has commended Nigerians for their resilience in the face of challenges, urging them to continue to keep hope alive, as the current effort to reposition the county would ultimately yield fruits.

Mbah also called for national unity, which he said, remained a major factor in moving the nation forward.

He stated these in his goodwill message to the people of Enugu State and Nigerians on the occasion of the nation’s 64th independence anniversary on Tuesday.

“On this milestone celebration of Nigeria’s 64th Independence Anniversary, I congratulate Ndi Enugu – and, indeed, all Nigerians.

“I commend them for their resilient spirit and patriotic fervor, and enjoin them not to feel downcast by the challenges of today. Challenges dissipate in the face of undying optimism.

“As the old saying goes: Hope springs eternal! There is certainly light at the end of the tunnel, especially given the strong determination of our dear president to turn the situation around for good.

“Let us continue to support the government and demonstrate absolute unity. Indeed, our independence – and the many decades after – stand as proofs of how much we can achieve when we stay united.

“Happy 64th Independence Anniversary to Ndi Enugu – and all Nigerians,” the governor said.

Isa Umar, Abuja

Following an attack on Saturday night at Maradun, the hometown of the immediate past governor of Zamfara State and Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun has been asked to investigate the attack and caution the alleged foot-dragging by the state government on the matter.

According to a statement made available to PACESETTER, an indigene of Zamfara state who wished to remain anonymous wondered why the attack was carried out within the neighborhood of the Honourable Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle’s hometown, asking “could it be that Matawalle and the Chief of Defence staff’s recent activities in the North west against bandits and terrorists has greatly hurt a cabal that has resolved for revenge?”

“A situation where criminals are sponsored to attack a community is highly condemnable,” the anonymous source claimed, a claim that cannot be independently verified by PACESETTER.

According to the statement, another native who gave his name as Mohammed Dogo, a retired school teacher said “…the attack is most unfortunate as 2 persons lost their lives and 5 villagers were taken away”.

A Premium Times report recorded that the attack resulted in the killing of two persons and the abduction of about 40 people.

Residents said the abducted persons in the incident at Janboka, a community in the Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State, are mostly women and children. The latest attack came a week after the terrorists released 10 abducted persons after collecting a N10 million ransom, residents said.

Recall that there has been bad blood between the current governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal and his predecessor, Bello Matawalle, making the political landscape in Zamfara State increasingly tumultuous.

This is as the two leaders publicly exchanged severe accusations and counterclaims, particularly on television platforms, raising the stakes of their conflict.

Matawalle appeared on Channels TV last Tuesday, apparently in response to the allegations made against him on the same station the previous week.

In a dramatic escalation, Matawalle not only refuted the charges but also challenged Governor Lawal to swear with the Holy Quran to prove his innocence regarding accusations of involvement in banditry.

“I was the only governor to swear on the Holy Quran that I have no hand in banditry,” Matawalle asserted.

“I challenged all politicians, including General Ali Gusau and Dauda Lawal, to do the same. None of them could take the oath, and if they don’t take the oath, that means they are part of it.”