PETER MBAH: My Government Will Be Lean, Agile, Transparent, Focused on Productivity

INTERVIEW

•I’ll Raise Enugu’s GDP from $4.4bn to $30bn by 2031

Astute maritime lawyer, key energy sector player and governorship candidate of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in Enugu State, Dr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, shares his governance vision with Louis Achi, revealing he will leverage the considerable development grounds covered by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuany to the upscale transformation of the Coal City state

 You have traversed the arenas of law, finance, public administration, energy, and philanthropy and now aspiring to govern Enugu State. How do these fields align with politics and governance?

These arenas you listed all fundamentally address human development. Energy, for example, is a key driver of human civilisation. Politics and good governance set the stage for a positive transformation of the human condition. So I did not choose this course lightly. Today, Nigeria and Africa stand on the brink of substantial disruptions – and of considerable opportunity as new political and economic models challenge traditional templates. This gripping scenario also applies to Enugu State, an entity whose governance trajectory will indisputably impact both region and country – and this should be positively. Conventional governance playbooks pivoting on traditional templates will ultimately be upgraded to sync with the governance imperatives of the 21st century. Politics and governance are serious responsibilities. Only tested pathfinders with vision, knowledge and courage can provide the critical and inclusive leadership to ensure stability and progression going forward.

The recent development history of our sub-nationals shows significant gaps in both leadership and vision. What will you do differently in Enugu State as governor?

First, Enugu State has, over the last 23 years, but particularly in the past eight years, enjoyed appreciable growth on account of prudent and creative management of resources by the current administration. In this period, the state has been able to engage in a massive buildout of new infrastructure as well as maintenance of existing facilities. It has also fulfilled its obligations to teeming workers in the state civil service through timely and full payment of periodic emoluments. Above all, this administration which I aspire to succeed has ensured the provision of a high level of security within the state. This has made Enugu arguably the most peaceful state in the country. Sustaining these gains and building on them in the quest for greater heights requires not only an appreciation of the state of things but a commitment to selflessly harness the human and material resources of the state in order to provide and guarantee our people the best quality of life in dignity and true happiness. The demands of our time require a good head, someone whose experience in both public and private life, as well as whose commitment to the general good, cannot be questioned.

This is essentially an overview. What are the key pinions of your vision to transform Enugu State?

We aspire to deliver quality, people-focused governance by making Enugu the preferred destination for investment, business, tourism and living. We shall transform Enugu into one of the top three states in Nigeria in terms of GDP and achieve a zero per cent rate in the poverty headcount index. The core of our governance vision and mission entails moving our GDP from its current $4.4 billion to at least $30 billion in the next eight years. This will be achieved through a three-pronged intervention. The first is an integrated programme to accelerate youth employment for all Enugu citizens. The second prong is integrated rural development programmes, and the third is community policing and the inclusion of all citizens in the governance of the state. This integrated approach is informed by the empirical evidence that youth unemployment and poverty engender insecurity in communities everywhere. Development history has shown that the best way to achieve peace and security in societies is to address the root causes of fragility and insecurity in communities, create opportunities for productive employment for youths and women, lift people out of extreme poverty and build prosperous societies: peace, progress, and sustainable prosperity.

Expanding on the earlier grounds I have laid out, we will grow Enugu State’s GDP sevenfold in the next eight years, from the current level of $4.4 billion in 2022 to $30 billion by 2031. This will be achieved through targeted policy incentives that enhance public-private investments in key growth-enabling sectors – namely: energy and natural resources development, agro-allied industrialisation and rural development, private sector development, and integrated, productive infrastructure inextricably linked. Without sustainable peace, there can be no sustainable development. We need urgent programmes to turn our youths into productive assets for economic growth and social progress, not sources of fragility in our communities.

Our goal of inclusive economic development will be achieved through inclusive servant-leadership, transformative governance reforms, economic diplomacy, and preventive diplomacy with the singular objective of improving the quality of lives of the citizens of Enugu State. Founded on the core principles of transparency, accountability and the rule of law, my government will be lean and agile, transparent, inclusive, and focused on enhancing productivity and value addition in all sectors of social, economic, and environmental progress of the state. On the agricultural front, the objective of our programmes is e to feed Enugu State and turn it into a food basket for Nigeria and a hub for the export of cash crops. The target is to eliminate food insecurity in the state by 2031 through massive investments in technologies for agricultural productivity in the state, technology-enabled agricultural extension services, implementation of specialised agro-allied industrial zones in all senatorial zones of the state and accelerated technologies for agricultural systems transformation in Enugu State.

To transform Enugu State and align it with the human development imperatives of the 21st century certainly requires a significant level of organisational cultural transformation, especially in a milieu that has long been driven by traditional metrics. More, it requires bold, game-changing leadership. You can connect the dots yourself as a senior media practitioner. But I must state that these challenges have been made reasonably easier because considerable development is on the ground already. We intend to considerably upscale it.

Enugu citizens are reputed to be some of the most republican in the region to govern. Isn’t this a tough call, or how would you engage them to achieve your set socio-economic targets?

Mind you, I am also a product of the construct you described – Enugu State. To build confidence and de-risk investment flows, my government shall foster a sense of belonging and unity among Ndi Enugu through proactive and transparent engagement with all stakeholders, seamless and periodic sharing of information on policies, programmes, projects implemented and their impacts on the quality of lives of citizens. We shall develop and launch an electronic dashboard that will host reports on government actions, contracts, policies, programmes, and projects accessible to all citizens of the state. We shall develop, codify, and publish an Enugu State citizen’s charter, which shall define our promises to Ndi Enugu regarding fiscal responsibility, public financial management and economic development. Through proactive community engagement and the use of digital technologies, we shall execute a performance-based social contract with the citizens of Enugu and be fully transparent and accountable to them on a continuous basis. Trust flows from transparency and accountability.

What’s your message to the Enugu people?

I have, with all humility, heeded the call to serve my people, Ndi Enugu. I seek your mandate and support as we journey together. My life’s journey has taught me courage, to persist and to give my best in whatever endeavour I embark on. I, therefore, offer myself to serve as governor of Enugu State on the platform of our great party, the PDP, for the 2023 general elections, so we can build on the achievements recorded to move our state from Good to great. Together, we can create wealth and prosperity for all. Ndi Enugu, tomorrow is here.