Category: Opinion

By Ejeh Josh

In its recent report released on 13 of December, 2023, the World Bank presented a graphic image of a country receding deeper into the pit of poverty as a result of years of accumulated mismanagement, bad governance and poor system of leadership. The report shows an economy plummeting despite reforms by the present federal government to salvage the situation. This has sent, at least, 104 million Nigerians to the dungeon of extreme poverty, rapidly moving away from 79 million people living in poverty in 2018, according to the World Bank release. An attempt to understand the meaning of “extreme poverty” would have a recourse to the World Bank’s September 2022 adjustment to global poverty lines which benchmarks any person living below the sum of $2.15 per day as living below poverty line or held in extreme poverty.

The above figure is not new to Nigeria as the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), in its 2022 National Multidimensional Poverty Index Report, squared 133 million Nigerians as multi-dimensionally poor. The reports noted that the reasons for the increase in poverty were not unconnected with the sluggish growth and hyper-inflation the country is going through. This has implications to the overall well-being of the country. First, more Nigerians will face a scourge of hunger as their purchasing power falls. Second, there is pressure and stress on those outside the poverty line for maintenance, and this may probably drag them down the line of poverty. Third, crime rate will increase among the youth. Fourth, high incident of school dropouts are expected. Fifth, human capital flight, known otherwise, as the “Jappa syndrome” which is a brain drain to Nigeria and its economy, will be on the rise. The list goes on almost without end.

Appreciating the above terrific throes Nigeria is presently mired, the Enugu State governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, threw down the gauntlet, first in his statement of purpose or manifesto which boldly has its vision statement as “making Enugu one of the 3 top states in Nigeria in terms of Gross Domestic Product, and to achieve a zero percent rate in the poverty headcount index.” This vision, although, sounds lofty, could only be achieved with focus, dedication, resilience, discipline, and “intentional” drive of disrupting the norm and its prevailing status quo. Like Mr. Mbah keeps reminding himself and his team, “we are in a hurry to achieve our humongous promises to the people of Enugu State”. A study of some of the policy and economic reforms being undertaken by the state government would reveal a government truly in a hurry to deliver on its mandate.

First has been the intention of the Mbah administration to peg a timeline to every project undertaken and enjoin the citizens to participate in the process of execution by holding the government to account. Matching up these timelines are the core internal policies in which one is called, key performance indicators (KPIs). KPIs are measurable and quantifiable metrics used to evaluate and assess the performance of an organisation as to the extent its objectives or goals have been achieved. This adopted term is basically used in the private sector and development space to rate performance and award credit or sanction. With this, each appointee is under pressure to deliver within time allotted. Mbah has shown that governance is no longer a space for merrymaking. Every dime is accounted for and must be judiciously put to use for the benefits of the people. Underperformance, inefficiency is shown the way out, and this has become a KPI dashboard for self-assemment before general assessment.

This little deviation is necessary to underscore the discreet action behind every success story that the people of the state are telling about this government. In most states, the past six months had been dedicated for euphoria excitement of clinching to office. However, this government has remarkably moved from policy formulation to policy and projects execution. This permeates both the tangible projects such as road execution, provision of potable water, payments of salaries and other emolument to workers, training of youths on digital skills for global competitiveness, upgrading and building of new hospitals, construction of primary and secondary school blocks including the state-of-the-art smart schools with centres for robotics, artificial intelligence, creative studios, modern science laboratories, and a shift in the curricula of tertiary institutions to meet today’s needs with a view to thinking about future technologies. This gives credence to the gale of accreditations and upgrade some of the state institutions have received. From schools of nursing to colleges of nursing and degree-awarding institutions.

On the intangible aspect of the feats, the administration is championing a leadership role in digitisation and automation of all the ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) as a way of strengthening the state’s institutions, creating a viable social order that would allow citizens transact businesses in the state without necessarily having a physical interface with any of the MDAs. This is creating the much promised conducive environment for business and investment. A cursory look at the mission statement encapsulated by the administration will aid the better understanding of where the government is headed. In his mission statement, Mbah tersely captured it this way: “To deliver quality, people-focused governance by making Enugu the preferred destination for investment, business, tourism and living “. There is no magic that could make the state an investment hub without the deliberate reforms the administration is now undertaking. This could basically be seen as the process of derisking investment and guaranteeing that investors have flexible and friendly access to information needed for a start-up and other investment prospects.

This being at the verge of completion, the governor had thrice hosted economic and investment summits, outlining pipeline projects that would activate the interest of investors given their promising return on investment worth over $2.1 billion. The recent trips to Lagos State, United States, Indonesia, Egypt, Abuja, for investment summits, economic talks among others, the administration had optimally maximised the opportunities afforded to woo investors to Enugu with their clear outlays of what the state has got to offer. Enugu is an unmined territory of gold the administration has laid out for exploration. There is no more any excuse for willing investors to have their presence in the state and have their return.

Huge reforms had been carried out in the agro-allied space, with many now returning to agriculture in a modern way. With thousands of hectares of land earmarked for agriculture, and some already farmed, Enugu is poised to announce to the global market, its presence and products. Visits to different local government areas and their farmlands cultivated for rice, cassava, yam, special species of pepper, vegetables, and other staple food, the end of poverty is near in the state. Being passionate and committed about agriculture, the state seizing every opportunity to liaise with international agencies and donors by paying its counterpart funding boost the chain of food production. The target population includes women and youths. This accounts for the training and retraining of the population on the use of modern farming tools.

One of those issues usually raised as concern by investors is security. No business thrives in a swamp of insecurity. Mbah understood this immutable principle of a safe state for a thriving economy when he came in as governor. His series of security reforms alluded to it. First, he declared war against insecurity and the now forgotten illegal sit-at-home orders which had become a sub-culture of notoriety in the southern part of Nigeria, particularly the southeastern zone. Like the National Security Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Mr. Nuhu Ribadu, admitted last week, Governor Mbah was at the forefront of the battlefield against insecurity beyond Enugu State to the entire southeast region. With his resolute spirit, he dealt with the incidence of sit-at-home, eradicated the then looming unknown gunmen, flushed out kidnapping, and ensures that security and normalcy was returned to the state and the region by extension. The above was also corroborated by the Federal Minister of Works and Infrastructure, Engr. David Umahi, when he gave testimony of how peace returned to the zone. The message is clear; Enugu State is ready for business!

Following all these efforts, investors have started scrambling for space, drilling down on the mission and vision of the administration. While the battle against a depressing economy continues at the national level, Enugu State has made some significant gains. First, some of the institutional mechanisms that would lead to a zero percent poverty headcount rate in the state are beginning to gain attention not withstanding that the state is also cushioning the effect of the “sluggish growth and high rise in inflation”. The 2023 to the second quarters of 2024 wage award the administration had outlined for workers in the state would increase the purchasing power of majority of the people in the state. Workers have received the first payment of such, boosting their capacity to invest from what they are earning. This welfarist policy has the tendency of impacting on the socio-economic status of workers leaping further upward the rung of the ladder of the economy.

These deliberate policies are geared towards upscaling the people’s economic welfare, insulating them from the national economic crunch. With the policies transforming into deliverables, and the economy rebounding from the shock of national economic crisis, eradicating poverty in the state could only happen sooner than projected.

Merry Christmas and a prosperous new year ahead!

e-mail: ejehjosh@gmail.com

By Ikechukwu Nwobodo

By Mazi Omife I. Omife MON (Mbuze Mbaukwu) omifelord@gmail.com

Some say he is arrogant.
Some say he is defiant.
Some say he is autocratic.
Yet others say he is stubborn.

His first shocker to Anambrarians was on the very day he was elected when he forbade Anambrarians from addressing him as “His Excellency” but simply as Charly Nwa Mgbafor.

This stunned most Anambrarians.

Charly gini?, you could hear many people ask?

As if this was not enough shock, the governor cancelled his public swearing-in ceremony. Not that he refused to be sworn-in as governor, but that he rejected the ‘traditional’ pomp and pageantry that characterized a governor’s swearing-in ceremony in Nigeria.

The organizers of the swearing-in ceremony had come up with an initial budget of N800 million to cover various expenses for the event, subject to upward review.

• Transportation arrangements for invited dignitaries across Nigeria and overseas.
• Hotel accommodation – bed and board for special government guests.
• Food and drinks for estimated two million people.
• Cultural troupes and top musical celebrities.
• Canopies and seats.
• Security operatives, name it.

They submitted the budget to then Governor Obiano, and waited for a prompt approval of the “modest budget, as it used to be. In the meantime, they were salivating at the millions of naira each of them would make from the traditionally padded budget.

Then a bombshell! Soludo got wind of the whopping N800 million and reportedly shouted in astonishment. He opted to self-sponsor a low-key swearing ceremony, devoid of fanfare. The event organizers and political godfathers were shocked.
“This is not the tradition.”

Correct. It is not the tradition, neither in Anambra or Enugu State or anywhere from the time of Zik, Okpara and co.

Navy Captain (later Commodore) Joseph Abulu did it, not minding that he was a military governor.
Chukwuemeka Ezeife did it.
Chinwoke Madinuju did it
Chris Ngige did it
Peter Obi did it.
Virgy Etiaba did it
Willie Obiano did it.

Why must Soludo be different? Why would he break such a long-standing tradition?

Tradition indeed. Tradition when Anambra State government treasury is in red and there is no money even to pay civil servants.

The governor went ahead to make history in the annals of Anambra State governorship inauguration by personally sponsoring a simple low-key swearing-in ceremony inside the government house, with abacha and ngwo palm wine for refreshments. What a stubborn governor!

The ceremony had scarcely come to an end when the governor’s convoy lined up at the event arena. As guests were wondering what the set-up was all about, Soludo rushed into his waiting car and off the convoy went, leaving people to .guess where he might have gone to. What type of stubborn governor is this?, some people asked.

Few minutes later, information filtered in that the governor was already at Okpoko, making some wondering if the governor went there to look for some fresh fish which you find in abundance in Okpoko.

It least occurred to them that Soludo decided to start his work as governor with the rehabilitation of Okpoko, referred to as “the biggest urban slum in the South East” .

The governor had directed the State Ministry of works to assemble caterpillars, bull dozers and trucks for the historic visit.

That same day, the liberation of Okpoko from decades of filth, disease and abandonment commenced. “Our government is for those who are left behind. For the less privileged. For the poor and the vulnerable”, the governor declared at Okpoko. Not for social wining and dining.

The governor was at Okpoko every day for nearly one week to ensure that all the mapped out projects took off according to plan. Everything by direct labour. Some contractors who had been milling around the governor at Okpoko, hoping to secure some of the projects went home angry and distraught. It ws no longer business as usual.

A few days after, the governor came up with another clincher. He announced government’s plan to employ thousands of new teachers into the State primary school system.

The bureaucrats and godfathers might have sensed another gold mine opportunity, hoping Soludo would use this opportunity to compensate them. But the stubborn governor came up with a another bad news.

All applications were to be made online by each applicant. That way, every qualified applicant can have a chance without ‘IM’ – ima mmadu.

The godfathers were bewildered.
“This method is not the tradition in Anambra State.”

They were right. The tradition is for the State government to share employment quotas to top government functionaries and political godfathers who will in turn send the names of their applicants.

‘Tradition my foot’
There are so many Charles nwa Mgbafors out there who need to be protected against this social malaise.

Today, you find so many qualified umu Mgbafors and umu Mgboyes in the State civil service. Which has never happened before. What a stubborn governor.

The same stubbornness took him to Nzam in Anambra West LGA

The same stubbornness took him to Awba-Ofemmili in Awka North

The same stubbornness took him to Olumbanasa.

These are places that no governor had ever visited in history. Soludo went there and gave them roads, gave them water, and other amenities for the first time. All by direct labour.

The bureaucrats and godfathers are angry. The tradition is for the government to hire professional contractors to build those roads and amenities, at the rate of one kilometer of road for one year to allow for upward variations in contract cost. But this stubborn governor would not respect tradition.

Well, for me, if being stubborn means doing what is good and proper and in the interest of the greater majority of Anambrarians, for goodness sake, let Soludo remain stubborn.

Let us see how his stubbornness will not see him through.

By Barr. Abonyi Uche Levis

The appeal court sitting in Lagos state has, over the weekend, upturned the decision of the election tribunal which had earlier upheld the election of the Labour Party House of Assembly candidate for Ezeagu state constituency of Enugu state, Udefuna Chukwudi over the case filed at the tribunal by the PDP candidate in the 2023 election, Barr. Chima Obieze.

The Judgement of the appeal court has reversed the decision of the tribunal and restored Obieze as rightfully elected member of the state house of assembly, thereby nullifying the election of the Labour Party Candidate.

It will be recalled that on September 28th, 2023, the National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Enugu state had given its Judgement that left many, including senior lawyers stunned in the petition of the Peoples’ Democratic Party and her candidate for Ezeagu state constituency, Rt. Hon. Barr. Chima Obieze.

While the petition was on three grounds- invalid nomination; non-qualification and disregard for the 2022 Electoral Act, the position of Hon. Justice Adie Attoe led panel on the qualification of the Labour Party’s candidate; Udefuna Chukwudi is not only contrary to the 1999 constitution as amended, it’s also at variance with an existing Judgement of the Supreme Court on a similar matter.

Obieze in ground one of his petition said that Udefuna was, at the date of the election, not qualified to contest the election, in that he did not have the minimum academic qualification “school certificate or its equivalent” as stipulated by the constitution {Section 106 (c)}.

“The issue of the SSCE certificate submitted by the Labour party candidate and how the same allegedly forged certificate developed wings and flew out of the custody of INEC is a subject for another day”

The provision of Section 318 (1) of the constitution ((i.e.) the interpretation Section), defines “school certificate or its equivalent as used in Section 106 (c) as follows:

(a) A secondary school certificate or its equivalent, or Grade Il

Teacher’s Certificate, the city and guild’s certificate; or

(b) Education up to secondary school certificate level, or

(c) Primary six school leaving certificate or its equivalent and:

Service in the public or private sector in the federation in any capacity acceptable to the Independent National Electoral Commission for a minimum of 10 years, and

Attendance at courses and training in such institutions as may be acceptable to the Independent National Electoral Commission for periods totaling up to a minimum of one year, and

(iii) The ability to read, write, understand, and communicate in the English language to the satisfaction of the Independent National Electoral Commission, and

Any other qualification is acceptable to the Independent National Electoral Commission.

From the above explanation, it’s evidently clear that a Primary Six School Leaving Certificate, simpliciter, does not qualify as a School Certificate or its equivalent, within the meaning of section 106 of the Constitution, as defined under section 318.

The petitioners had argued that any person relying on a Primary Six School Leaving Certificate, or its equivalent, as his qualification to contest for a seat in a State House of Assembly in Nigeria, must, in addition, satisfy all the three conditions listed under sub-paragraphs (i), (ii), and (iii) of paragraph (c) of section 31 8(1).

The PDP had stated that it was instructive to note that as much as section 318 makes INEC the major determinant of Compliance with the above 3 conjunctive additional requirements to primary school certificate, the onus lies on the Respondent to a petition, once issues are joined on qualification and compliance with the provisions, to adduce evidence of Compliance with those provisions with INEC.

To drive home its point, another source of concern is the total disregard for a Supreme Court judgment by the tribunal which was cited by the petitioner. The apex court in Lado Anor vs. Masari Ors (2019) LPELR-55596 (SC), expounded the provisions of section 318(1)(c)(i)(ii)(iii) of the Constitution, and clarified that once a person who is relying on a Primary Six School Leaving Certificate or its equivalent can show that he also satisfied the conditions itemized under sub-paragraphs (i)(ii)(iii) of paragraph (c) of the definition of School Certificate in section 318(1) of the Constitution, such a person qualifies to contest any election in which the prescribed minimum qualification is School Certificate.

In that judgment, the Supreme Court held that Masari was qualified having obtained a TCII certificate and having also served in the public institution for more than 10 years reinforcing the provision of the constitution.

With the recent appeal court Judgement on the matter, the PDP and its candidate are able to reclaim their mandate following the court’s decision.

Impunity, duplicity and deceit are negative attributes of personal character. When these are wittingly contrived to become attributes of our national character, then we are as a nation mired in a quagmire. Edmund Burke, along with some great philosophers, offers insights as to why terrible things happen to good people and nations. In principle, they agree that “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” That is the state of our nation. The scope of our national deceitfulness has become a pandemic.

Present-day Nigeria is a manifestation of Socrates’ postulation on the rise and fall of democracy. Here is the contingent and pertinent fall factor: “Thieves and fraudsters will want important government functions, and democracy will give it to them,” resulting as it were, in “worse dictatorship than in the time of any monarchy or oligarchy.” Indubitably, Nigeria is now a nation in captivity. State capture is now in full glare and play. Over the past 64 years, we have debated ambivalently our national existence, bona fides and existentialism, without much success. The core reason is that we are a nation steeped in self-deceit. We have watched helplessly as national, state and institutional resources were captured by vested interests.

With the incremental ascendancy of precepts and political expediency, we are also witnesses to scofflaws and persons indicted for grand larceny copping plea deals with the ruling APC party, in which their indictments are either quashed or literarily swept under the carpet, once they agree to join the ruling party. Some indictees have been invested with high traditional honours and titles, to national consternation. We are unleashing forgers and racketeers, and grandfathering them into the corridors of power and governance.

We are now a nation where in matters of leadership the “Christian Character” and “Moslem Character” as defined by the ethos of both holy books, have regressed badly. Prosperity and power are no longer contingent on righteous leaders.In the civic realm, the Constitution, that Holy Grail of the rule of law, is consistently eroded and undermined by its custodians. The diminution of fundamental ordered liberties enshrined in the Constitution has become routine.

Our expansive deceit culture fuels unfettered distrust. The followers and led don’t trust the leaders. Ethnicities distrust each other. The religious and civic proselytizers are hardly believed, since they market and promote untruths and fake news. Those media activists who once wrote scathing editorials and told truth to power are now convenient revisionists; and those who summon courage to tell the inconvenient truth publicly are branded traducers. Self-deceit has become our national pastime, so much so we are averse to discuss restructuring. Hence, Nigeria is now in the post-truth era, with discernible risk-filled realities. Indeed, we are in an era in which “Nigeria’s so-called leaders now deceitfully teach our children nonsense: the judiciary accepts forged certificates, INEC fraudulently declares losers as winners and parents ask children to bear the pains of pure nonsense, even as they know full well they are teaching them nonsense.” Amid all these, there are strains, fissures, fractures and expanding societal chasms. As we have become acutely aware, to presumably win an election is not to govern.

Nigerians spend money they don’t have to impress people they don’t like, or people who don’t like them. The benchmarks for measuring the scope of our national self-deceit are distinctly clear. We can’t correctly count our population, or count our election ballots, our oil output and our dysfunctional national institutions. We can’t count our out-of-school children or those trapped in multidimensional poverty. We borrow for consumption, and contrive subsidies, but never disclose the beneficiaries. Oil from Bayelsa is commonwealth: but gold from Zamfara is state-owned.

We crossed the rubicon with the 2023 general election, which invariably became the denouement of the unfolding crass morality of our leaders, as well as the undergirding affirmation of our national scope and comfort with self-deceit. In fact, the 2023 elections unfurled our capacity to indulge in self-deceit, without qualms, remorse or remonstration.

By Uche Anichukwu

When Governor Peter Mbah unveiled his Statement of Purpose ahead of the 2023 governorship election in Enugu State, his promise to grow the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) seven folds from $4.4 Billion to $30 Billion generated mixed reactions, as many saw it as a tall order for a state renowned as a public service state. Five months down the line, however, Mbah is gaining more converts as he presses towards the target with the right policies, structures, and both local and international partnerships in place.

From tackling the security challenges headlong, including putting an end to the illegal sit-at-home, to improving ease of doing business, hosting the first Enugu State Investment and Economic Growth Plan Stakeholders Roundtable, introducing e-ticketing and automating revenue collection, and the recent flag off of the construction of a New Enugu City and 400 kilometres of various roads to bolster infrastructure needed to attract investments, the governor is not leaving any stone unturned.

Last week, Mbah took his quest for investments to southeast Asia where he marketed Enugu to investors at the Nigerian-Indonesian Investment Trade Forum in Jakarta, Indonesia. Themed “Rediscovering Business Potentials in Nigeria and Indonesia”, the event, which was facilitated by the Nigerian-Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NICCI), came after the first edition in 2022 attended by the then Vice of President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo. It is an outcome of more than five years of previous trade missions and bilateral business expos by the business communities of both nations that continued this year with the 38th edition of the Nigerian Indonesian Trade Expo. Recently, Nigeria became Indonesia’s largest trade partner in Africa, overtaking South Africa.

But is Indonesia a worthy direction to look in search of economic cooperation and FDI? Yes. In 1967, Indonesian GDP stood at $5.67 Billion, while that of Nigeria was $5.20 Billion in 1967 and $6.37 Billion in 1966. Fast-forward to 2022, Nigeria’s GDP stood at $477.39 Billion, while that of Indonesia stood at $1.319.10 Billion (approximately $1.4 Trillion), driven by the production sector that sees the southeast Asian nation export machinery, steel, textile, footwear, among others. At the same time, Indonesia is doing so well in agriculture, exporting palm oil, rice, rubber, coffee, cocoa, among others, while Nigeria has declined from a net exporter of palm oil to an importer. Nigeria imports about 800,000 metric tons of palm oil annually estimated at over N500 Billion.

Indonesia has done so well for itself despite serious disadvantages imposed by geography. It is the world’s largest archipelago, consisting of 17,504 islands of which only 6,000 are inhabited. These have made it extremely difficult for the country to exploit its 2.5 Billion barrels of crude oil reserves, producing about 0.3 billion barrels only in 2018, according to Worldometer.

Obviously, a return to 1956 to 1966 mentality, Nigeria’s most prosperous era, also known as the golden era of Nigeria’s federalism when the federation units unleashed their potentials in a competitive manner, unhindered by an overbearing, over-bloated, and resource-expropriating central government becomes imperative. Despite the debilitating constitutional constraints, there are a lot the states could do to turn things around. Nigeria’s exit from the present economic quagmire lies in the states reinventing themselves from the status of spoilt, indolent, and uncreative appendages to resourceful sub-nationals. And that is exactly how Mbah’s effort in Enugu and his investment pilgrimage to Jakarta could best be understood.

Speaking at the Forum, Mbah observed that whereas the growth of trade volume between both nations to $4.7 Billion was commendable, they could actually do much more. He went on to enumerate the abundant investment opportunities in the state, spanning agriculture, mineral resources, logistics, aviation, tourism, real estate, mineral resources, ICT, to name a few.

Delivering the keynote address at the gathering, he said: “In the area of Agriculture, Enugu is blessed with 100 per cent arable, fertile land with a high factor of productivity and good access to both surface and subterranean water that makes all year-round agriculture possible.

“The State is climatically disposed to the production of key produce like Cassava, oil palm, Cashew, spices of various types.

“These areas offer not only the opportunity for primary agricultural production, but also the opportunity to invest in industrial facilities to add value to these produce for local consumption as well as export.

“The State is also blessed with significant deposits of minerals. In the area of petroleum, Enugu State has proven deposits of oil but more importantly has extensive deposits of natural gas.

“Other minerals within the state include Coal, gold, kaolin, gypsum, clay and limestone, among others. This makes Enugu ideal not only for mining, but also for the siting of key industries”.

However, while anchoring his $30 Billion GDP target on heavy private sector investment and utilisation of strong local and international partnerships, Mbah, being a successful businessman himself, having founded and nurtured Pinnacle Oil and Gas from ground zero to leadership of the Nigerian downstream petroleum subsector, understands and has also often emphasised that businesses/investors are not philanthropists or Father Christmases. They are in it for profit. They go where the business environment is better de-risked and where ease of doing business is higher.

Consequently, while declaring to the government and business community in Indonesia that “Enugu is open for business”, the governor equally outlined some of his administration’s deliberate steps to improve the investment and business climate of Enugu State. They include expansion of security networks for improved security, functional One Stop Centre for speedy processing of investment interests and needs, massive urban and rural infrastructural development, establishing about 300,000 hectares land bank for both for corporate farmers and special agro-processing zones, establishing of Free Zones, the recently signed Enugu State Electricity Law to create a free market for electric power, and the effort to build a Tier 4 HyperScale Data Center, far-reaching reforms towards stronger contract enforcement, ease of procurement of land titles, which would now take 48 to 72 hours, among others.

The Ambassador of Indonesia to Nigeria, Dr. Usra Hendra Harahap, while acknowledging Mbah’s determination to make Enugu State the preferred destination for business, investment, living, and tourism, said there was an ongoing discussion between Enugu State Government and Pertamina, the national energy company of Indonesian to build a gas power plant in the state. He emphasised the need for greater cooperation between Nigeria and Indonesia for greater mutual prosperity.

“In 2022, the trade volume between Indonesia and Nigeria reached USD 4.7 billion, with the majority of Indonesia import in oil and gas. However, the untapped potential for trade and investment in other sectors are massive and open for future development as long as we all have the commitment to our mutual benefit.

“Last week, we had the Trade Expo Indonesia 2023 (TEI 2023) and we invited 133 businessmen from around Nigeria like Abuja, Lagos, Sokoto, Kano, Enugu, to name a few. They were able to see the other untapped potential of our both countries’ trade relations. Last we heard, there is $12.5 Million of potential transactions made in the TEI 2023.

“The other good news is that we are planning to bring together the potentials between Enugu State and West Java as well as welcoming the cooperation between Enugu and Pertamina in developing gas power plant. We hope there will soon be a team formed to achieve this collaboration with the related stakeholders”, the Ambassador said.

On his part, the Governor of Jakarta Province, Mr. Heri Budi Hartono, said Jakarta presently contributes 15% of Indonesia’s GDP, but was still hungry for growth given her numerous ongoing projects and infrastructure programmes. The Governor said the future was bright for collaborations among leading cities like Jakarta, Lagos, and Enugu, which he said had lately come to the consciousness of Indonesian businesses and government through Mbah’s investment outreach.

In his remarks, Nigeria’s Ambassador to Indonesia, Usman Ari Ogah, reiterated federal government’s commitment to strengthening bilateral economic ties between the Nigeria and Indonesia, while the President of the NICCI, Ishmael Balogun, expressed his strong belief that such ties hold tremendous promise for both nations, paving way for economic growth and prosperity and strengthening bonds of friendship and cooperation.

Among the Igbo, it is said that you do not sell a he-goat standing in one spot. You need to move it around the market square. Likewise, the English say that if you do not say “Here am I”, it is not likely that anybody would say, “There you are”. This point can be gleaned from the statement by the Governor of Jakarta and other investors, who were happy to now know the great potentials and investment opportunities that Enugu possesses.

If things go as planned; if the several meetings held by Mbah and prospective investors are anything to go by, then Enugu is the next big thing to happen in Nigeria. Thanks to Mbah’s focused and investment-oriented government.

Does President Bola Tinubu have the right, and duty, to make appointments; in the exercise of his powers as president? The answer is yes! Is it his prerogative to determine whom to give what position in government, to the extent that he deems such a person qualified to hold the position? The answer is yes! Is he also duty bound to respect some stipulated provisions for such appointments, given the religious and ethnic plurality of the nation? Again, the answer is yes!

We must also ask whether individuals, and groups, who are dissatisfied with his appointments are free, and even duty-bound, to raise observations, complaints and objections. It would still be a resounding “yes”! Are such persons best advised to be guided in their reaction by the constitution, political practice and a sense of history? I wager that the answer is a still yes.

Since the sudden and successive global economic recession which followed the sudden crash in the price of crude in 2014, coupled with the outbreak of the Covid 19 pandemic in 2020 that crippled the global economy, most economies of the world, including that of the developed countries have been struggling to stay afloat.

By Daberechukwu Egbo, Ag. Editor-In-Chief

63 years ago, on 1st October 1960, in the heart of Africa and at the centre of its western region, there was a country with great potential, which gained full independence from Great Britain and received its freedom charter on a racing track turned Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) at its former Capital. There was a country rich in human and natural resources whose journey to independence started with some constitutional developments which made provisions for attaining self-rule in some quarters in 1957 and total independence on 1 October 1960.

Nigeria’s first Prime Minister, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa announced the country’s independence in his speech read at the TBS before a representative of Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Alexandra of Kent, who handed Nigeria’s Constitution to him and the former British Governor-General of Nigeria, Sir James Wilson Robertson.

Nigeria’s new green-white-green flag was hoisted officially for the first time, replacing the Union Jack at the midnight flag raising ceremony under the command of Lieutenant David Ejoor, who would later become Chief of Army Staff. 

 

60 years ago, 3 years after independence on the same date, Nigeria became a Republic with late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe assuming the role of a ceremonial President.

But unfortunately the honeymoon was short-lived. The golden period that began in 1960 ended abruptly in1963. Things began to fall apart after the political crisis in the Middle Belt and Western Region, with the first military coup on 15th January 1966, almost 6 years after independence, which saw the assassination of Balewa, followed by another coup the same year which plunged Nigeria into a three year civil war that claimed over three million lives. After the war ended, 30 years of coups and military dictatorships followed.

Nigeria’s journey to independence had its struggles, trials and challenges some of which Chinua Achebe reflected in his story ‘Things Fall Apart’. Despite the struggles, the dreams of the founding fathers and giants of our history, late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, late Sir Ahmadu Bello and late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, among others, formed a united vision in the midst of diverse people, tribes, cultures, languages, and traditions. Their steadfast commitment to building Nigeria in peace and harmony despite the huge cultural diversity is a beautifully inspiring act of leadership. 

As Nigeria celebrates 63 years of independence, it is indeed important to take a moment and reflect on the nation’s achievements, challenges and development. Examining the country’s post-independence progress, there’s little political achievements and developments to celebrate.  One of them is the fact that there’s been no coup for 24 years, since 1999, although the country is believed by many to be authoritarian. The nation seems to be gradually surmounting retrogression in its quasi democracy.

Another is the fact that Nigeria has been able to remain united against all odds. Although Nigeria is one piece, it is not yet at peace. Therefore it is important to identify ways to keep sustaining this union and make it worthwhile. The country’s union as a nation needs to become more transparent and genuine than it currently is.

Nigeria should not only be undivided as a nation but should also make tangible progress. Unity without progress, development, and improvement is futile. True peace and unity cannot exist when the geopolitical zones are no longer at ease, when there’s rancorous relationships among zones, ethnic groups and tribes. We need to dismantle this rancor, this antagonism, this acrimony by ensuring a balanced distribution of resources, appointments, development.

There’s need for a Nigeria where everyone truly sees each other as equals, a nation where progress in one zone is seen as a progress for the entire country. Development should be evenly spread across the nation since there’s no part of Nigeria without diverse ethnic groups, every part of Nigeria embodies all tribes. When one zone develops, it benefits both the natives and migrants, thereby benefiting everyone.

Nigeria needs to eliminate the notion of favouritism and nepotism, the idea that one gains if their tribesperson holds a position of power. Leaders in positions of power should view Nigeria as a country, a united front, not a separated entity for ethnic favouritism.

It is important for every President to strive to balance appointments, this will ensure each zone feels included and will help dissolve the notion of separation. However beyond just getting a chance, regional representatives should demonstrate why they deserve it. It’s not just about balancing appointments, it’s also about appointing based on merit, capacity and performance.

And, so, good people of Nigeria, as the nation celebrates 63 years of independence, let’s not forget the fight against the many problems and challenges that still impede the progress of this great nation, from economic challenges to insecurity, leadership challenges, political instability, corruption, inequality, ethnic divisions, inadequate education, inadequate healthcare, infrastructure deficit, the list is enormous.

Daberechukwu Egbo is the Acting Editor-In-Chief of Pacesetter Frontier Magazine.

By Tony Udoh

When in 2022, a frontline support group for the governorship aspiration of Pastor Umo Eno was launched with the motto: “win for all,” some people dismissed it for the usual political gimmick, while others concluded that every politician is selfish and he would not be different.

However, 100 days after the inauguration of Governor Umo Eno following his win at the polls, many Akwa Ibomites, including the doubting Thomases have come to the conclusion that “Win For All” was not only an amazing and captivating political slogan, but a clairvoyance-induced summary of the Umo Eno led administration.

For the records, the concept of first 100 days in office is an initiative of the 32nd President of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt who in his inaugural address, signaled his intention to move with unprecedented speed to address the problems facing the nation. According to records, Roosevelt’s specific priorities, at the outset of his presidency were getting Americans back to work, protecting their savings and creating prosperity, providing relief for the sick and elderly, and getting industry and agriculture back on their feet.

Like Roosevelt, Pastor Umo Eno, in his inaugural speech as well as in his campaign promises, had pledged to be a governor for all Akwa Ibomites irrespective of political persuasions, strategically vote money for the payment of gratuities, run a labour-friendly government, demystify governance, sustain and further development through the economic development blueprint code named, the ARISE Agenda among others.

As the Governor marks his first 100 days in office, it is evidence that no one is left in doubt that it has indeed, been a win for all. For the few who may not be fully aware, efforts would be made to chronicle some of the wins which have indeed been for all Akwa Ibom people.

Within one month in office, the obvious bitterness, segregation and disunity which had created some tension in the State has automatically been phased out as Governor Eno personally visited and presented a message of felicitation to Senator Godswill Akpabio of the APC, upon his election as president of the 10th Senate.

The Governor has for the first time in the political history of the state, brought all Akwa Ibomites across party lines under one roof during the ARISE Dialogue to discuss a developement plan for the state as was encapsulated in the ARISE Agenda.

As a compassionate leader, Governor Eno within his first few weeks in office instituted a N100 million intervention fund for physically challenged students in the state, sponsored a physically challenged graduate to the Nigerian Law School, and also appointed a personal assistant on physically challenged students to enable him regularly interface with this sensitive community and to make them understand that his wining was for all.

The Governor has at different occasions breached protocol by stopping to encourage and patronize petty traders at different locations including: Itreto Junction in Nsit Ubium, Airport junction in Ekpene Ukim – Uruan Local Government Area, Ewet Housing Estate by Mayflower, Etebi Idung Asang Junction in Esit Eket, Ikot Ekpene Aba Road by Ukana West in Essien Udim LGA, Nwaniba Fish Market in Uruan and others.

In line with the ARISE Agenda, the construction of model primary schools as well as primary health centers are in advance stages. Similarly, the governor had flagged off the construction of different road projects including: construction of Ndiya Street, Drainage and Solar Lighting Project in Akpan Andem Market within the Uyo metropolis, and Rural Access Agricultural Marketing Project, RAAMP, And Construction of Owot Uta -Nung Oku Ekere -Afaha Udo Eyop – Edebom 1 By Ekponwa Market Roads connecting Ibesikpo Asutan with Nsit Ibom Local Government Area.

Also in the list are; construction of 1.1km Spring Road project, the dilapidated access route to Goretti Secondary School, in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area, construction of 2.1km Ukpong Street and 2.1km Effiong Essang Street with 800M length of discharge drain in Oron local government area, and construction of 2.2km Tabernacle Road and its environs traversing Uyo and Itu local government areas with 0.97KM underground outfall drain.

About a fourth night ago, the governor sent four bills to the State House of Assembly with sundry prayers, especially a bill for a law to make the Chairmen of Local Government Councils in Akwa Ibom State to reside in their local government areas of operations during their tenure of office, to help advance the rural development drive of the administration.

In line with the agricultural revolution plans, the State Government recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Songhai Initiative for the management of a model farm in the state. This arrangement is geared towards enhancing food sufficiency, meaningfully engaging the youths, and make agriculture the main stay of the state’s economy.

Most recently, at the September edition of the State Covenant Service, the governor unveiled government decision to support different sectors of the state with palliatives to help cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy removal.

He stated that the state has received the sum of N2 billion and 7,200 bags of rice from the Federal Government, adding that 100,000 bags of rice will be distributed statewide; 40 bags per village to the 2, 272 gazetted villages and other strategic groups.

The Governor noted that the measure is in addition to the over two billion naira gratuity already released and paid to both state and local government retirees, as well as N2billion for government workers and pensioners to cover a period of three months. He said Fridays will become a ticket-free day for transport operators and traders in markets in all the local government areas up till December, 2023, while there will be bursary of N10, 000 each to Akwa Ibom indigenes attending public tertiary institutions across the country after verification as well as free exercise books for primary and secondary schools.

From all the above, there is hardly any group in the state either in the urban centres or the interior villages that have not felt the winning impact of Pastor Umo Eno. While it is true that most politicians are selfish, Pastor Umo Eno has shown, by a clear mark of distinction, that his governorship victory was indeed a “Win for All.”

By Prince Ejeh Josh

Over the past 100 days in Enugu State since Peter Mbah took the oath of office as the Executive Governor of the state, the people of the state, and by extension, interacting people within the global sphere of cybernetics, could have observed the glaring evidence targeted at redefining the historical trajectory of the state and shaping the shared values and common destiny of the citizens in terms of what the state could achieve in the next four to eight years that would span the tenure of the administration.

Rather than bask in the euphoria that associates with the ascension of office of the governor and the command he enjoys, Governor Mbah literally set agenda for his administration even long before his election as governor. He was clear as to what the shape of leadership his government would take. He understands that the journey to arriving at the destination which he had set for himself would be tortuous, rough and tough to navigate if he must reach there with his governance philosophy being achieved.

Before Mbah took over office as governor, the state and the Southeast zone had been brooded over by hydra-headed challenges arising from insecurity, economic comatose, alarming rate of poverty, infrastructural decay, dwindling revenue, youth restiveness and leadership deficiency. These were consequential issues that deserved immediate antidotes and determined political will to solve.

One would have no doubt that the hope of rescuing the state from this multifaceted asphyxiation was farfetched given the trend of leadership culture, self-glorification and primal accumulation over altruistic gesture and lack of empathy by leaders. However, for the governor, tackling these menaces would go beyond commitment to marshaling actionable plans phased with measurable indicators and citizen-participation in governance.

In the midst of this deeming hope, Mbah pulled the string in a swift move he called disruptive innovation. Keen watchers of the emerging development, although described the actions as an unpredictable shift in the norm of governance in the country, submitted that such audacity to confront the contemporary challenges frontally would figure out the governance as the “last man standing” who had refused to be cowed by monstrous threats consuming the state like a deadly cancer.

In order to leave nobody in doubt as to his resolve to bring an array of hope to his people, who had been plagued by the holocaust of insecurity fundamentally manifesting in different variants such as the illegal sit-at-home declared by some criminal non-state actors, frightening spate of kidnapping and terrorist activities, Mbah had spared no time to identify that as an elephant to be escorted out of the state.

He explained why his administration would not cower to blackmail or be deterred by social media terrorism in the efforts to rid the state of insecurity. That explanation directly went to the threshold of his governance philosophy and promise to drive the state out of economic doldrums, eradicate poverty through exponential growth, industrialise the state with the deliberate agro-allied policy the administration had put in place. All these lofty dreams would not see the light of the day if insecurity was not dealt a fatal blow.

This led to the immediate cancellation of the much dreaded illegal sit-at-home order by criminals who had been holding the people by the jugular. The governor rallied the security architecture by building a formidable synergy among the security agencies. Fighting and winning the war against insecurity, especially the self-inflicted sit-at-home order driven by propaganda, acute ignorance and indoctrination, could be stormy and exhausting. The governor was reminded of the attempts made by different states to dismantle the chain of slavery called “sit-at-home” and how they cowardly recoiled back to their shell. Mbah would not be deterred. It was no retreat! His passion to liberate his people from implosion, starvation, ignorance and extinction saw him pledging to make the ultimate sacrifice such as his personal comfort and the reputation he had painstakingly built as a global citizen.

The commitment to provide a safe, secure and peaceful environment where investors could find attractive, sink their capital, move the state away from public sector to private sector driven economy carefully delineated to meet the $30 billion gross domestic product has seen the new administration supporting security agencies for the emerging new state. Arguably, today, Enugu State is one of the safest states for business, tourism and living. Within a short period of 100 days, Mbah was able to turn things around—moving Enugu from a state of dystopia to a state enviously standing tall amongst its contemporaries.

Sit-at-home, from all indications, has become a thing of history not only in Enugu State, but in the entire Southeast region. Mbah cracked and demystified the myth and restored sanity to the region. However, he has refused to take the credit, attributing the success to the cooperation he enjoyed from the people who elected him.

In the area of water, the state had hitherto become notorious and archetypal of an oasis without hope. Water was a luxury. It was years of agony for the residents of the state. Hope of having water flowing again in the premier state had not only dimmed but had also dissipated over the past decades.

When Mbah assumed office and said he wanted to do things differently by giving the people of the state clean water that would be taken for granted within 180 days of his administration, many had described it as a political joke taken too far. That promise sounded strange to their hearing. Perhaps, it was factual impossibility because they were used to bad governance.

The governor said it was a promise he must achieve, in fact, in less than that 180 days’ timeframe. He assembled the best of the engineers who identified the issues and the quick fix remedies. He understood that the daily consumption rate of water in the state metropolis is about 100,000 cubic metres, and the capacity each of the sources of water in the state could produce. With the intervention so far, in less than 100 days in office, the state is generating over 125,000 cubic metres of water. At the Ninth Mile crash programme, the target of producing 60,000 cubic metres has been met through over 18 industrial boreholes of 150 horsepower pumps each. The Oji and Ajali water schemes had been activated to a capacity of about 60,000 cubic metres, with the Iva Valley producing between 5,000 and 6,000 cubic metres of water. Harvesting water from these sources could mean sending rocket to the space for those that had previously tried it. But Mbah has done it through another means by disrupting the traditional space.

Currently, massive works are ongoing at some of the reservoir facilities, which had been abandoned for years. With the Abaja Ngwo pressure tank housing about 10,000 cubic metres, High Pressure Tank at Ugwu Peak with 3,000 cubic metres, North East Tank at Emene with 12,500 cubic metres, Nsude Break Pressure tanks with over 2,500 cubic metres and Milliken Hill storing 20,000 cubic metres of water, all now restored to good working condition, the state is set for the industrial revolution.

Presently, the state-of-the-art model school, which would be constructed in the 260 wards in the state with its pilot scheme at the verge of completion, the Mbah’s administration has set the pace for what is termed digital revolution. The model of the school is targeted at exposing every child in the state who has attained the age of three to information and communication technology (ICT). The idea of the education policy is to have our children compete with students in developed countries. This is a foundation for a generation that would drive the needed development in the international digital space.

The governor had earlier bemoaned the increasing poverty among the citizens and made it a matter of state policy to eradicate poverty by bringing the index to zero percent. This process has been activated with the payments of arrears of pensions, which his government inherited. He is as well taking further steps to clear the over 17 years of gratuities the state and local governments are owing its retirees. The development economists are already describing this step as a policy that would radically transform the economy of the state in a matter of time.

Enugu environment is now second to none in the country. Few months ago, the state was an object of ridicule, decked with stench and foul-smelling refuse and garbage. Every street and corner had a fair share of heaps of rubbish. It appeared the state had lost sense of urgency to governance. But the governor reasoned that things would not continue in that trend. Health, he noted, is wealth. To do things differently, in that very week he took office, he declared a state of emergency on the environment with his crack team. In just three months, with modern waste management system, refuse disposal compactor trucks and trained personnel, Enugu is breathing back to life. The aesthetics is back. Night life is also back in the state with the attention the streets had recently got in areas of street light, proper policing system, decent traffic management and assurances of safety.

The governor is known for his policy on innovation and digital transformation of the public service through e-governance. This is a key to efficiency and proactive response approach to meeting the people needs. In only 100 days, Enugu State has joined the comity of states with a platform of e-governance and automation of services. Most of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies have migrated from traditional pipeline of offering services to modern method where anyone can access the state’s services in any part of the world. All thanks to the innovative digital governor.

Several reforms that would ensure accountability, transparency, traceability and prudent management of the state resources had been taken by Governor Mbah in the past months. At least, 81 roads had also been identified to be constructed and completed before the end of 2023. Mbah’s audacity to do things differently even in the face of resistance by norms that had stunted growth is beaming an array of hope. Gradually, the state is inching closer to the tomorrow, which is already hovering around us.