His declaration statement read...
A New Dawn for Awgu: My Vision for a Prosperous and United Local Government Are
Fellow citizens of Awgu Local Government Area!!!
I, *Engr. Ikpeamaeze Elvis-Chris Success,* from Ihe ward in Awgu LGA, Enugu State, humbly write to express my interest in running for the position of Awgu Local Government Area Chairmanship. As an engineer by training together with my experience in local government administration (SSA to two former Awgu local government chairmen on Media and Publicity and Supervisor on Information, Communication, and Culture, respectively), and also in line with the *"Disruptive Innovation Agenda"* of our dear governor and leader of our great party (PDP) in Enugu State, Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, I am committed to transforming Awgu LGA into a hub of economic growth, social prosperity, infrastructure development and Security. My target is to empower our communities, enhance progress, and create a better future for all.
*My Vision:*
To make Awgu a model Local Government Area in Enugu State, where citizens enjoy quality life, and businesses thrive.
*My Mission:*
To provide selfless leadership, promote inclusive governance, and deliver people-centered projects that improve the lives of Awgu citizens.
*Core Objectives:*
1. *GRASSROOTS DEVELOPMENT/HOUSING:*
- Focus on rural development, improving infrastructure, and providing basic amenities.
- ON ROAD/INFRASTRUCTURE:
- Being mindful of the need to improve on our local economy, we shall strategically construct and open new roads that leads to farms and markets, etc, to help boost agricultural production, supply and demand chains.
- Also, the need to open communal link roads and link communities to enable economic ( goods and services) exchange and enhance transportation is very crucial to us. Some notable link roads have been identified by some of our key partners in progress. This cannot be achieved without involving wholly the Traditional Rulers in Awgu LG, the PGs and our revered Stakeholders.
- Provision of electricity to communities. We shall engage distribution companies to improve and increase electricity supplies to communities in Awgu LG.
- Satellite City Development in Awgu North and Awgu South to provide affordable/low income housing for the residents of Awgu and other citizens of Enugu State.
- Revamp LG staff quarters and construct new ones.
2. *TOURISM DEVELOPMENT:*
- Considering the massive tourism potentials of Awgu, owing to the enormous amount of nature endowed but untapped tourism sites within Awgu LGA, we shall be intentional about the identification, development and their preservation.
- We identified that Awgu LG does not have any recreational park and therefore we keyed it as part of our agenda to have functional Parks/Recreational centers in Awgu North and South and further extend it to Development Centers.
- We shall engage the service of Locals who will serve as tourists guards and guides around our tourist sites to provide security for tourists.
2. *AGRICULTURE AND AGRO-BUSINESS:* Support local farmers to help solve our current challenges of food shortages, and also support and improve agro-businesses.
- We have developed plans on how to develop Awgu Palm Plantation (APP), by planting improved palm seedlings with the hope of going into industry in the next two years of their development and harvest.
- We have started engaging investors on what we want to achieve for our people and they have expressed interest towards making investment in that sector (palm production/industry)
- While making efforts to revamp existing farms owned by Awgu LGA (at Amoli and Mmaku), we shall expand and create more to support and improve agricultural production, while ensuring that our local markets are made accessible and with good enough shelter for sales and storage of agricultural commodities.
- Revamping and establishing new farms will be an opportunity to engage the civil servants in Awgu Agric department to be more productive and will equally create markets and revenue to the local government.
- We shall support our local farmers both in production and distribution.
3. *EDUCATION:* Enhance access to quality education and healthcare services.
- Our administration shall provide:
- Potable water in schools
- ICT facilities in our schools
- As a government, we shall provide complete academic kits, farming/agric uniforms to the pupils in our schools
- Reintroduction of school/students farms to ensure food sufficiency and enhance agricultural activities
- Routine Agricultural training
- Reintroduction of young farmers Club
- educational materials to schools to encourage education.
- Teachers training and retraining to ensure efficiency in grooming of young ones.
- Provision of First Aid Boxes
- We shall sustain school scholarship programs and routine school quizzes.
- Prioritize renovation of schools and create conducive academic environments.
- We shall empower our Adult Education Program and support ad-hoc staffs.
- We shall build toilets in schools and market place to help combat the menace of open defecation.
- We shall construct and maintain mini libraries in all the Development Center areas.
4. *SECURITY, SAFETY AND SANITATION:*- We shall ensure a secure and safe environment for all citizens, residents, businesses and properties in Awgu LGA.
- We shall ensure timely provision of logistics and materials for the security operatives in Awgu LGA.
- We shall empower our neighborhood watch groups and restructure them.
- We shall always engage our highly esteemed Royal Fathers in our communities, being the Chief Security Officers in our communities, and shall partner and empower them in keeping our communities safe. We know with their partnership and the PGs we shall succeed in communal security, safety and other identified areas of collaboration.
- We shall enforce monthly sanitation in our communities, markets, schools and other institutions in order to keep our environments clean.
5. *HEALTHCARE:*
- Our amiable governor, Dr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, has done more on Healthcare development by providing 260 healthcare centers in the 260 wards in Enugu State. That Initiative/achievement cannot be overemphasized. We will consolidate on our governor's successes in health sector by providing adequate support and funding needed for successful health programs and healthcare-related activities.
- We shall continue to support our health workers by providing needed assistance that will assist them to function adequately.
- Also, we shall ensure maintenance of our health facilities.
6. *WORKERS WELFARE:*
- We shall ensure regular payment of workers salaries and other entitlements/allowances due to them.
- We shall make comfortable accommodations available to the civil servants.
7. *WATER SUPPLY:* Ensure adequate portable water supply in communities in need of water, especially in our local markets and schools.
- Before we do this, we shall engage professionals to do a complete geological survey data table of Awgu LG to enable ease in sinking and sourcing water in Awgu communities.
8. *COMMERCE & INDUSTRY:*
- Revamp local markets to boost local economy. The idea we conceived is that that we believes that in order to boost our local economy, we shall restructure our markets by re-roofing our local markets and improving on their structures.
- Provide portable water in all our local markets and where necessary asphalt roads that leads to our markets
9. *THE WELFARE OF THE PHYSICALLY-CHALLENGED PERSONS:*
- The Physically challenged persons in Awgu are key part of our agenda. They will be fully made part of our administration. What it means is that their welfare and needs shall be taken care of by our administration. We already know their needs having been a partner and supporter of Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) over the years while I served in Awgu LG as a local government appointee, necessitating the title "Ugwumba 1 of Awgu (JONAPWD)", hence I will never renege on my obligations to the disabled.
10. *ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT/ICT/YOUTH DEVELOPMENT:* Support local businesses, promote entrepreneurship, and create job opportunities.
- We shall introduce PRACTICAL Skill Acquisition Training Schools For Young Persons in Awgu.
- It's going to be government owned skills development clusters (Institutions) in the four development Centers in Awgu. This will make the skills development centers accessible by the beneficiaries and give them ample opportunity for self development and growth.
- We shall collaborate with educational institutions and tech companies to provide specialized training programs in coding, software development, and digital entrepreneurship for youths.
- We shall promote digital inclusion by establishing free or low-cost public Wi-Fi in key areas such as markets, schools, and community centers
- We shall Implement an online portal for local government services like, business registrations, and public grievances/complaint Portal to streamline processes and improve transparency and monitor crime in our society. We shall develop strong collaboration with the security agencies in this aspect.
- In Digital Literacy Programs: We shall launch initiatives to improve digital literacy among residents, focusing on essential skills like computer usage, internet navigation, and online safety.
- We shall provide mentorship for startups. That's one of the ways we intend to build our youths.
- In our Youth/Skill Acquisition programs, we shall also focus on the following:
- Tailoring
- Welding
- Cake making
- Decorations
- Shoe Making
- etc
11. *SPORTS DEVELOPMENT:*
- We are looking at how we can partner with the State government in the promotion of Annual School Inter House Sports to enable us identify talents at the early age of our citizens.
- We intend to enhance Tourism using sports as one of the means, hence we have plans to restructure at least four football fields in Awgu LGA to International standards - create podiums for spectators, plant quality grass, install the necessary facilities and make them sport-friendly.
- We shall routinely organize school and LG sports competition to promote sports development.
- We shall build sports facilities in schools and strategic Location in our wards.
- We have a lot to do in sports development but while at that we shall embark on regular youths programs to ensure proper reorientation of goals of young people, towards meaningful engagement and technology-driven success rather than the usual get rich quick mentality which the social media has entrenched in our society. It's a dangerous phenomenon that we must collectively tackle.
12. *TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY:* Foster a culture of transparency, accountability, Probity, inclusiveness, respect, loyalty, quality service and love for our leaders/Stakeholders/Traditional Rulers and other heads of institutions.
*KEY STRATEGIES:*
- 1. Conduct a thorough needs assessment to identify priority areas.
2. Establish a participatory budgeting process to ensure citizens involvement.
3. Foster partnerships with government agencies, Our highly esteemed Royal Fathers (Traditional rulers), President Generals of communities, NGOs, and private organizations/investors. We shall Loyally position our Royal Fathers to fully be part of our administration in solution provision, guidance, recommendations and support while remaining obedient to our Political Leaders.
- 4. Develop a comprehensive development plan to guide our progress.
- 5. Ensure effective communication through regular town hall meetings and updates.
- *SPECIFIC INITIATIVES:* 1. Awgu Youth Empowerment Program: Provide training, mentorship, and funding for young entrepreneurs.
- 2. Awgu Women's Initiative: Support women's economic empowerment through skills training and microfinance.
- 3. Awgu Infrastructure Development Project: Upgrade roads, water supply, and healthcare facilities.
- 4. Awgu Education Support Program: Provide scholarships, educational materials, and teacher training.
- *CONCLUSION:* - Together, we can build a brighter future for Awgu Local Government Area. I pledge to work tirelessly to deliver on these promises and exceed your expectations. Vote for me, and let's empower Awgu, enhance progress, and create a better tomorrow for all.
Engr. Ikpeamaeze Elvis-Chris Success
(Ọchụbalụagụ)
08032658013
Ihe Ward/Awgu LGA
