(Ugoachataberu)
When Hon. Dr Chinedu Nwamba of Enugu State House of Assembly said in an interview with me as published in Chijioke Edeoga's LG News Magazine that Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi was the highest rural developer in Nigeria, Hon. Nwamba had drawn that conclusion from empirical premises. As a matter of fact, Ugwuanyi's policy thrust apart from its anchor on peace and security seems channelled to rural development.
Ugwuanyi has given rural dwellers in Enugu State a breath of fresh air, a sense of belonging, by means of which they now enjoy such amenities as they had not so much as heard of nor seen all their lives. Never in the history of Enugu State had rural roads been so much opened up and linked to urban centres as witnessed between 2015 and now under the watch of Dr Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. He had leveraged RAMP road programme by his abundant provision of counterpart funding for it, and so ensured all rural communities in the state benefitted from it. Many of such roads were asphalted.The once yet to be asphalted are contained in the 2023 budget of consolidation and transition which is tied to the completion of inchoate projects in the state.
Incidentally, some of the rural roads on which RAMP earthwork was done were depleted by the rains. Realizing this while RAMP second phase is being awaited, Ugwuanyi took proactive measures to ensure the roads are sustained for use. The target is to asphalt all the rural roads already reconstructed through the second phase of RAMP which would take off next year. Impatient with the second phase of RAMP, Governor Ugwuanyi rather unleashed repairs on these rural roads to make for ease of movement, especially during this yelutide season when people return from cities to their villages in celebration of Christmas and New Year. As a matter of fact, no rural community is left out in this gesture. Virtually all the 260 wards in Enugu State are enjoying these repairs and maintenance.
While some of the roads are awarded to contractors for full reconstruction and asphalting, some communities got funding for direct labour. Some of such roads awarded, for instance, are Lejja-Aku Road and Okpozi Edem-Okuje Road, to mention but two. Work has begun on these roads. Opi Agu Road, Ikwoka/ Ajuona Obimo Road and many others all over the state have all received funding for maintenance, and work is ongoing on these village roads all over Enugu State.
The people of Akpozi Edem in Nsukka Local Government are mighty happy about the reconstruction of Akpozi Edem Road which connects to Okpuje, another community in Nsukka Local Government. To this end, and in expression of gratitude to the workaholic governor, they were led by their son, Chief Dan Onyishi, the Executive Secretary Economic Planning, to pay a solidarity and thank-you visit to Governor Ugwuanyi for wiping away their tears over that road that had received no attention over the years.Speaking during the visit, the Igwe-elect of the proposed Umuoko Autonomous Community, Akpozi Edem, a well-known illustrious son of Edem, Engr. Chief Alloy Onyebuchi Enete, on behalf of Akpozi Edem, expressed boundless gratitude to His Excellency, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, for cleansing the Aegean stable. He said that Ugwuanyi was a silent achiever with unrivaled mastery of the art of good governance. According to him, no government had done for his people what Ugwuanyi was now doing for them, saying that the parlous state of the road had been a nightmare to his people.
Soon after the visit, Engr. Enete called for a town hall meeting of the people of Akpozi Edem where it was agreed by the people to vote PDP in the 2023 general election. Enete made it clear to his people that PDP showcased the best of candidates ranging from Governor Ugwuanyi for Enugu North Senatorial seat, Barr. Peter Mbah for Enugu State governorship, Engr. Chief Vita Abba for Nsukka/ Igbo-Eze South Federal Constituency and Hon. Amos Amadi Agbo for Nsukka West State Constituency. The people of Akpozi Edem resolutely agreed to cast all their votes for the PDP in appreciation of the various good the administration of Ugwuanyi had done them.
Corollary to this is the resolution of the people of Lejja Community in Nsukka Local Government to collapse all their voting and political interests to the PDP in appreciation of Governor Ugwuanyi kindness to them. Members of the APC and Labour Party in Lejja have all moved to the PDP in repentance. Ugwuanyi has awarded the reconstruction of Lejja-Aku Road, and work is ongoing on that all-important road that connects Lejja to Aku in Igbo-Etiti Local Government. That road also leads to Federal Government College, Lejja. At a time when it looked as though the road was neglected, some had grumbled bitterly without knowing that Ugwuanyi is methodical in his approach to good governance. The mouth that spoke evil now speaks good. Governor Ugwuanyi is minded to touch everywhere and bring to perfect conclusion all his administration had begun and even those yet to begin but are found necessary.
The People of Opi Agu who themselves like Ndi Akpozi had lamented the parlous state of the Opi Agu Road and the difficulties they encountered trying to move agricultural produce to urban centres are now smiling. The road is currently being reconstructed.
Ndi Obimo Asebere who on a solidarity and thank-you visit to Ugwuanyi in September 2022 had expressed immense gratitude to Governor Ugwuanyi for the many appointments made their sons.They had lamented the state of Ikwoka-Amagu-Ajuona-Akabusiyi Road which though benefitted from RAMP programme had been depleted by erosion for want of asphalting. Governor Ugwuanyi heeded their cry and made provision for the maintenance of the road, pending the asphalting when RAMP shall have returned.
We have just cited a few cases. Meanwhile, rural road maintenance is ongoing silently in many rural communities in Enugu State and this runs into hundreds of millions of naira. Governor Ugwuanyi is not a noise maker. Ordinarily, any other person would have appropriated it for political selfish political gains. Governor Ugwuanyi is rather interested in making life better and easy for the people rather than political leverage. The joy of the season is there, but Governor Ugwuanyi has caused it to overflow in Enugu rural communities.
