Nkanu East Local Government Area is fast emerging as a benchmark for grassroots development under the visionary leadership of Hon. Sydney Okechukwu Edeh, Chairman of the Council and President of the Enugu State Association of Local Governments (ALGON).
Aligned with Governor Peter Mbah’s development agenda, Edeh’s administration has launched a comprehensive reform drive focused on modernizing infrastructure, boosting agriculture, and enhancing security—efforts that are reshaping the socio-economic landscape of the LGA.
Under infrastructure renewal, the council headquarters has been renovated with upgraded facilities, including a modern Plaster of Paris (POP) ceiling, while an ultra-modern 1,500-capacity conference hall is nearing completion to host civic and administrative events. Major road projects, such as the grading and lateritization of Ubahu Road and several feeder roads across the LGA, have improved mobility and trade.
In Ugbawka, Nkerefi, and Mbulu-Owo, new 7.5-meter culverts have been completed to mitigate flooding and enhance access to Smart Green Schools. The completion of key bridges like Iyiakpu and Ojorowo Bridges has restored critical connectivity across villages and neighboring Ebonyi State, resolving long-standing transportation bottlenecks.
A 13-kilometer Amafor/Obeagu Ugbawka Road, with proper drainage systems, is nearing completion, while additional projects such as access roads to Mbulu-Owo Smart School, fencing of smart schools, and installation of overhead water tanks are ongoing.
In social welfare and human development, Edeh’s administration has built two-bedroom bungalows for four widows across Mburumbu, Ugbawka, Akpawfu, and Owo. Staff salaries and allowances are fully up to date for over 500 employees, including ad-hoc workers. Electricity supply has also improved, with solar-powered streetlights installed in Amafor-Ugbawka, new transformers energized in Akpa-Obeagu, Ihuona, and Obodo-Uvuru, and the revitalization of the Ugbawka–Nara–Nkerefi power line.
On agriculture, the council has cultivated a 50-hectare cassava farm near its headquarters and cleared over 100 hectares of the Agu-Udene forest—previously a security threat—for agricultural use. Local farmers have also benefited from free seedlings and high-yield cassava stems, in line with the state’s 260-ward farm estate initiative.
In terms of security, the Amagunze Police Station and staff quarters have been fenced, while a permanent Army base with a three-bedroom bungalow has been established at Aguudele Akpawfu to strengthen joint security operations.
Ongoing projects include the remodeling of the council perimeter fence, upgrading of the Amagunze Cottage Hospital, and construction of a multipurpose hall at the council headquarters. Plans are also underway to replicate farm estates across all 14 political wards of the LGA.
“These strides are not just projects but lifelines for our people, bridging divides, powering dreams, and securing futures,” Hon. Edeh stated during a recent inspection tour.
With these initiatives, Nkanu East is steadily transforming from a rural enclave into an emerging agro-industrial hub, exemplifying the impact of visionary local leadership working in harmony with state development policies.
