There can be no better way a public office holder can save cost of governance than to sustain, maintain, expand, renovate or remodel the existing infrastructural facilities that he or she had met on ground on assumption of office. This is far better and more economical than abandoning the old only to embark on the creation of new ones, an act tantamount to senseless duplications and abuse of the taxpayers hard earned money. Yet, this remains the major albatross of most of our public office holders today, particularly the political class who usually prefer to commission fresh projects in their own names at the expense of the existing ones initiated by their predecessors, particularly when the project initiators belong to the opposing political parties.
Across the length and breadth of the country, one is greeted with sorry sights of neglected or totally abandoned government projects, being freely inhabited by the rats and the lizards. Politicians mostly guilty of such project abandonment are those who are very desperate to score cheap political popularity to enable them win in the next future elections. This group of political class prioritise their personal gains above the interests of the people they took an oath to serve and protect. Most often such hurriedly commissidoned projects do not fall into the priority needs of the people meant to benefit from them.
The good news is that our own Governor, the Rt Hon Dr Lawrence Ifeanyichukwu Ugwuanyi is working to be remembered by posterity and not just for the purpose of winning future elections. His dream is to leave his foot on the sands of history by creating legacies for the present and the future generations, rather than to score cheap political points.
To demonstrate his statesmanship, Ugwuanyi has renovated many schools in the State to give them a new facelift just as he did to the premises of the recently remodeled Old Government Lodge at GRA Enugu, which now has a newly constructed Annex, with 10 Units of Executive Guest Flats and Dinning Hall for the routine guests of the State Government. He also constructed a 600-Seater state-of-the-art Banquet Hall within the premises of the remodeled Old Government Lodge with some basement offices, a standard Tennis Court, fitter Lighting facilities as well as Meeting rooms.
The efforts of the Governor to create befitting comfort haven for our esteemed teeming guests should be considered a right step in the right direction. Enugu State deserves to effectively continue to play her leadership role as the historic Capital of the South East Geopolitical Zone.
Unlike politicians that make many unfulfilled promises, Governor Ugwuanyi has made some significant landmark achievements since the commencement of his tenure. Notwithstanding that Enugu State has not benefited as an oil producing state, the Governor has been able to construct new roads, schools, health institutions, recreational facilities and massive housing estates in addition to carrying out expansions, renovations and rehabilitations of some existing infrastructures.
Consequent upon the above, The Association of National Accountants of Nigeria, ANAN, a global professional body of expert economic and financial managers, had recently affirmed that Enugu State enjoys a financial freedom without dependence on the Federal Government Allocations. The body described Governor Ugwuanyi as “a Governor with an uncommon stance and most economically prudent, thus unanimously approved him as “an outstanding performer in good public records and in management of the State’s lean resources”.
ANAN had earlier this year also conferred on Governor Ugwuanyi a deserving honour as a Fellow of Nigerian College of Accountants (FNCA). Thus for being such a reliable, prudent, trustworthy and transparent public office holder, Governor Ugwuanyi has earned for us the ANAN’s decision to establish its Regional Office in Enugu State. Kudos.
The good people of Enugu State highly appreciates you, our most diligent Governor, in your unrelenting efforts to give Enugu State all the necessary supports she deserves to sustain her fundamental roles as a worthy historic capital of the South East Geopolitical Zone.
Bibian Anekwe News added – “Leadership is working with goals and vision; management is working with objectives.” .
Written by
OBODO COLLINS OKOLO
Deputy Corps Commander retired
A Sociopolitical Analyst
Media Team member of ENUGU DI N’AKACHUKWU MOVEMENT
