Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, has said his administration is deliberately rebuilding Enugu into a modern, competitive, and crime-free state anchored on security, productivity, transparency, good governance, and strong partnership with the Church.
The governor made the declaration at the Fourth Enugu Diocesan Synod of the Catholic Diocese of Enugu on Monday at the Holy Ghost Cathedral, where he delivered a keynote address on the theme, “Promoting a Productive Economy in Enugu State.”
Speaking before the Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Most Rev. Callistus Onaga; the Auxiliary Bishop, Most Rev. Ernest Obodo; the Archbishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of Abuja, His Eminence, John Cardinal Onaiyekan; the Archbishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of Owerri, Archbishop Anthony John Valentine Obinna; priests, religious leaders, the laity, as well as other cardinals and bishops outside the diocese, Mbah said he approached the Synod not as a political leader but as “a son of the Catholic Church,” shaped by its discipline, compassion, and deep moral foundations.
He stressed that leadership to him is stewardship and that government and the Church share a common mission such as building a just, humane, and thriving society for the progress of humanity.
The governor, who described the Synod as a sacred moment for introspection, particularly as his administration approaches its third anniversary, added that the central question was whether the government had honoured the trust Nigerians and the people of Enugu placed in them through the Citizens’ Charter of accountability, measurable progress, and transparency.
“Two years down the line, the direction is clear. We pledged to build a productive economy, and we have stayed faithful to that covenant,” he said.
Mbah explained that the resolve to grow Enugu’s GDP from $4.4bn to $30bn, place the state among Nigeria’s top three economies, and drastically reduce poverty was never political rhetoric but a necessity for sustainable development. He noted that recent economic statistics already place Enugu among Nigeria’s top-tier states, while the benefits of the reforms are visible across sectors.
Listing key achievements, the governor announced that Enugu’s internally generated revenue has grown by over 450 percent within two years, insisting that the growth did not come from new taxation but from plugging leakages and reviving long-abandoned state-owned enterprises, including Sunrise Flour Mills, United Palm Products, Nigergas Company, Hotel Presidential, and other assets.
According to him, the resuscitated assets and other newly founded businesses are now contributing to the state’s economic expansion and job creation.
Speaking on security, which he described as “the foundation of a productive economy,” the governor said his administration has delivered one of the most dramatic security turnarounds in the region. “By confronting the illegal sit-at-home order and deploying advanced surveillance technology through the Command and Control Centre, violent crime has reduced by more than 80 percent. Today, Mondays are fully active; investors are returning; and our streets are safer,” he said.
The governor also highlighted massive infrastructural renewal, including the construction of over 1,300 kilometres of roads, introduction of 200 CNG buses with digital ticketing, establishment of five modern transport terminals, the Enugu Air project, which took flight by mid-2025, and an ambitious housing programme expected to deliver 15,000 units next year. The Enugu Smart City, fibre-optic connectivity, and green energy systems, he noted, are positioning the state for modern competitiveness.
In agriculture, Mbah said the 300,000-hectare land bank and the establishment of farm estates across all 260 wards are transforming the sector from subsistence to commercial agribusiness.
“Similarly, the administration’s massive investments in education, including 260 Smart Green Schools, and healthcare reform have placed Enugu at the forefront of human capital development, reducing maternal and under-5 mortality by over 80 percent,” he added.
The governor explained that none of the gains made by the administration stands alone. “They are threads of a deliberate tapestry – security, education, roads, healthcare, agriculture – woven around one priority: the people of Enugu.”
He praised the Catholic Church for being an indispensable partner in education, health, morality, and youth development, calling for closer collaboration, while maintaining that a productive economy requires ethical leaders and honest citizens whose values the Church continually nurtures.
He concluded by urging the Church and the wider society to stay steadfast in supporting the state’s transformation agenda. “We are rebuilding Enugu together. And with God’s grace, we will leave behind a legacy of peace, productivity, and shared prosperity.”
