When Gov Mbah Flagged Off Multiple Road Projects
Governor Mbah has kick-started the process of changing the face of Enugu State and enabling investment through massive infrastructural development, reports Gideon Arinze
Roads construction, reconstruction, and maintenance are the new normal in Enugu State today as the rains gradually fizzle out; and the people are the happier for it. Citizen journalist and an engineer, Evangelist Hilary Ayichi, who resides in Idaw River captured the developments in one of the many trending video of the ongoing road projects.
“The work in this place is progressively and massively going on. God has remembered us through Dr. Peter Mbah. Of a truth, nobody has ever remembered this particular area for the last 48 years, except during campaign period. That is why we appreciate you. Our prayer is that God will preserve you and keep your government; that he will continue to give you wisdom, understanding, and all the grace needed to make sure that your regime will be the best because nobody has ever remembered this place even for the past 24 years that democracy returned”, he said. But he is just one out of many.
Indeed, when Peter Mbah took the oath of office as the 5th Governor of Enugu State on May 29th, he restated his administration’s resolve to grow the state’s economy from $4.4 billion to $30 billion and make it the preferred destination for business, investments, tourism, and living.
In furtherance of his administration’s desire to grow the state’s economy, Mbah also vowed to embark on massive infrastructural development as one of the key enablers of investment inflow that will change Enugu’s narrative from a public service state to a private sector-driven economy. He set a 10,000km of road target for himself. It is in keeping with these this that the governor flagged off the first phase of the construction and reconstruction of 400km of road consisting about a fortnight ago. They include 71 roads in Enugu capital city, apart from other roads around the state.
At the Premier Layout where he carried out the symbolic flag-off for the 71 urban roads, Mbah said that his administration would ensure that the roads were constructed in a way that there would not be need to return for rehabilitation after some years. He equally assured that the urban roads would be simultaneously executed and delivered before the end of December, as funds had been secured, adding that his administration would not entertain any variation, delay or time overrun.
Massive road construction, reconstruction
True to his words, every corner you turn in Enugu city today, you are certain to meet one road construction/reconstruction project ongoing, apart from the many road maintenance work taking place across the Enugu urban. In Idaw River area, for instance, there is massive road construction and reconstruction work going on at Emeka Ibila, Umuchu, Omachi Agu, and Ilo Franco streets. In Awkunanaw Area, residents of Odudukoko could hardly believe their eyes as serious-minded construction is ongoing, including the excavation and exportation of soil the highly problematic road. At Abakpa area, work is ongoing from Texaco Bus Stop to Ifo and from Abakpa Market to Nowas. In Trans Ekulu, work is ongoing at Damija. In Camp area, serious work is going on at Asata Mine Road to Agric Quarters as well as Nkpor Street to Peace Park Junction. Asata area is not left out as work is ongoing on at Nwafor Orizu – Lagos Street. At the same time, erosion-prone bridges and culverts (washouts) such as those around Maryland-Timber Shade in Achara Layout and Agbani Road by Royal Palace are being reconstructed.
The New Enugu City
Also flagged off was the construction of a 17km dual carriageway feeder roads and other infrastructure, marking the beginning of the construction of the New Enugu City. Sitting on 10,000 hectares of land, off Enugu-Abakaliki Road, the New Enugu City, which traverses Enugu East, Enugu North, Enugu South, and Nkanu West LGAs, is expected to boost the tourism sector.
The project, which is being handled by China’s CCCC, is expected to have a dedicated power project, a central sewage system, high-speed internet, and every facility that is present in any modern smart city.
Commenting on the New City project, Mbah said that the first phase would cover 26 square kilometres comprising the Happy Island, the Vitality Bay, and the Innovation Park in line with the purposes the New City is to serve.
Mbah said: “We will have a functional New Enugu City between now and the next 24 months. The New Enugu City promises to rub shoulders with any other great cities in the world, thereby restoring Enugu to its number one position in Nigeria and beyond.
“All the things that we experience when we travel overseas, Dubai, Singapore, to other major cities in the world, that is what we are about to bring to you here in Enugu State because we believe you deserve nothing but the best.”
He thanked the various communities that have played a role in the locations to build the brand-new city, while also calling on them to cooperate with the contractors, as they go in to do their work.
The 40km dual carriageway
Governor Mbah was also in Owo, a town in Nkanu East to flag off the construction of the 40-kilometer Owo-Ubahu-Amankanu-Neke-Ikem dual carriageway, which is expected to lserve as a gateway to the North Central region and open up rural areas.
The governor said that it became necessary because the people – who are predominantly farmers – had suffered post-harvest losses over the years because of a lack of access to good roads through which they could move their crops after harvest.
“We plan to unlock our rural economy and the best way to do that is to ensure that we have access roads to our farmland and we will also create special economic homes in our rural areas. We believe that our rural dwellers cannot be left behind in this journey to Enugu’s greatness”, he said.
Mbah explained that his administration recognised the agricultural potential in the state, hence his commitment to scale up the sector to an industrial level so that crops are not only planted and harvested for consumption but also as export commodities.
“We expect that this 40km road will be ready and functional in the next 18 months because we believe that the contractors will adhere to the timeline, we have agreed with them to execute this project”, he added, reiterating that his administration would not fail the people of Enugu State who had given him the mandate to serve.
Sourcing funds for projects
During the flag-off events, Mbah told the crowd that his administration intends to spend about N3.3 trillion naira on massive infrastructural and other projects in the state in the first four years, saying that he had often been asked questions regarding where and how exactly he intends to get the money.
“We are not depending on the federation account. It is impossible because what is available for us to spend from the account on FAAC is about two hundred billion within the same period, which is less than 10% per cent of our projected spending in the next four years.
He noted that his administration had drawn up plans to disrupt the status quo by creating alternative financing models that would generate the funds needed to execute these projects.
“We have financial institutions, who believe in our model and are willing to give us money for investment. We have also grown the internal revenue by over 200 per cent in this short period and the target is to move that to over 500 per cent before November.
“We also did commit to making sure that we block all leakages and all the loopholes we have in our revenue so that we will be able to mobilize these funds for the benefit of the people.”
What the projects mean to the people
Meanwhile, across the three locations where the flag-off events held, residents of various communities, their leaders and local government chairmen took turns to express their gratitude to Mbah for remembering them and for his unflinching determination to turn around the fortunes of Enugu State.
At the Premier Layout, the council chairmen of Enugu North and South, Emeka Onunze and Robinson Nkwuo, respectively, thanked Mbah for putting smiles on their faces, noting that the efforts to rebuild Enugu infrastructure would trigger economic revival in Enugu urban and beyond.
On his part, a leader in Umunevo Nike, one of the benefitting communities, Emeka Edeh, said that residents of the community would cooperate with the contractors to execute the projects according to specifications.
Reacting to the construction of the New Enugu City, Council Chairman of Enugu East, Livinus Anike said. “We thought we were dreaming when we heard of the planned construction of a new city to decongest Enugu city and give us a feel of great cities like Dubai. But today, our joy is greatest because it has become a reality with this flag-off.”
At Owo, council chairmen of Isi-Uzo and Nkanu East local governments, Obiora Obegu and Sydney Edeh, respectively, said they were particularly excited because the areas had suffered years of neglect from both the state and federal government.
“But Mbah has manifested through his actions that he is a promise keeper, he has given us a sense of belonging and we will forever remain grateful and shall continue to support his government. He has also shown us that you are a visionary leader,” Obeagu stated.
Traditional rulers, including the chairman of Nkanu East Traditional Rulers Council, Hyacinth Edeani, and traditional ruler of Mbulu Owo, Godwin Okeke Arum, said that the time had come for the areas to witness unprecedented economic growth.
Meanwhile, Mbah’s efforts at infrastructural transformation, has also caught the attention of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) in the South East.
“We are proud and happy that Enugu State has got a governor, who would transform its economy with his innovative and proactive ways of thinking. He is already taking the right steps by de-risking the business environment for investors,” the chairman, MAN, Southeast, Ada Chukwudozie, stated. She said they were highly relieved by the new things the governor was doing with governance in the state.
