It is a truism that one of the approaches to assessing leadership and management strengths is to examine skills. In Enugu State, for almost six years running, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, a three-time member of the House of Representatives, has been on the saddle, piloting the affairs of the state, hence the period is accurate enough to examine the skill of the governor.
Prior to his reelection in 2019, many had predicted his victory at the gubernatorial poll, largely due to his prowess in human engagement and development of infrastructure which he showcased during his first tenure in office as governor.
Expectedly, the people of the state and beyond had high hopes from him, more so, as there was evidence of paradigm shift in governance which led to relative peace in the state. Investigation revealed that Ugwuanyi’s ability to bring all the various stakeholders together irrespective of political leanings further endeared him into the hearts of the people of the State.
Perhaps, one of the issues that confronted Governor Ugwuanyi last year was the lockdown directives by the Federal Government occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic which brought a transferred anger of the people against him by mostly un-informed traders and artisans residing in Enugu and some other urban areas of the state.
Despite the fact that the state government in its bid to contain the spread of corona virus in the state, distributed relief materials across the 17 local government areas and empowering over 30,000 youths, critics of the government alleged that the authority did not do enough to reduce their hardship.
However, to many, Ugwuanyi demonstrated proactive response during the outbreak of the pandemic as his deep empathy and concern for all, especially the vulnerable were visible.
Findings show that in the last one year, Ugwuanyi’s administration had sustained the tempo of peace and good governance in the state, awarding multiple contracts for execution of more critical infrastructural development across the state, worth over N9 billion. The state government also approved the sum of N1.5 billion, N244 million and N200 million for payments of counterpart funds for the Universal Basic Education scheme for construction and renovation of more primary and junior secondary school buildings, the programme for women and youths agricultural empowerment and the Universal
Health Coverage (UHC) for comprehensive basic health services for every eligible resident in the state, respectively, is totaling over N1.9 billion. This is in addition to the N4.9 billion and N100 million counterpart funds paid by the present administration for the Universal Basic Education and Universal Health Coverage respectively, during its first tenure.
Between May 29, 2019 and now, the state government awarded contracts for flyover bridge, the completion of the Nike Lake junction – Harmony Estate Road – Amorji Nike – Adoration Pilgrimage Centre, Phase II and III, in Enugu East Local Government Area, which will link Abakpa and Emene and serve as a critical bypass that will decongest traffic gridlock at Abakpa T-junction.
Others are the asphalting of a 22.443km inter-community link road – the Neke-Mbu-Ogbodu Aba-Obollo Etiti road – that connects Isi-Uzo and Udenu LGA, under the Rural Access and Mobility Project II (RAMP II); rehabilitation of numerous internal roads in the University town of Nsukka and the flood routing/erosion control works at Achi Street, Independence Layout, Enugu.
A first time visitor to the Coal City State will also see the construction of access and internal road networks at Golf Estate Annex, located at Abor, in Udi LGA, which will cost the state government a whopping sum of N2.08 billion; the rehabilitation of Orie Market-Nkwo Ida-Afor Inyi road junction in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area; the Agbalaenyi junction-Enugu-Onitsha Expressway link road at Oji River Local Government Area; the Amaeze Street outflow to Enugu Road catchment box culvert and the New Anglican Road – Obechara Road junction in Nsukka; the Akpabio Street, GRA, Enugu.
Parts of the critical infrastructure also include the construction of the Nsukka Town- ship Stadium (Phase One) in the University town of Nsukka; remodeling and renovation of the Abuja Building, Government House, Enugu (completed), to ensure efficient administrative service delivery; construction of fence, pavement, surfacing, landscaping and beautification of the newly constructed State Customary Court of Appeal headquarters, Independence Layout, Enugu; massive renovation of the State Judiciary Complex, Enugu.
One other area which brought accolade to Governor Ugwuanyi is his ability to reduce crime as the state supplied 300 units of bicycles to complement the 260 vehicles as well as motorcycle purchased for Forest Guards’ operations in the rural areas.
Also, Ugwuanyi’s administration equally purchased 100 units of Innoson patrol vans equipped with communication gadgets, which were distributed to security agencies in the state to aid their operations. It engaged 1,700 Forest Guards, repositioned the Vigilante/Neighborhood Watch groups and purchased 260 security vehicles for their operations.
Recent events showed that the opponents of Governor Ugwuanyi’s regime are mounting since the Executive Bill seeking retirement benefits for Ex-governors came to the fore at the Enugu State House of Assembly. Although, the Speaker of the state assembly, Honourable Edward Ubosi, had said that the bill has been stepped down, critics had continued to fault the governor for mutting the idea of life pension for the ex-governors in first the place.
Thetrefore, the integrity of Governor Ugwuanyi will be tested in 2023 when he will handle the issue of transfer of power to his successor. Already, political tension is high in the state over the gubernatorial race with discordant tunes agitating for where the pendulum will swing to.
Will Ugwuanyi listen to the people of Enugu-East Senatorial Zone where the like of former president of the Senate, Ken Nnamani, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani and Speaker Ubosi are at the front-row in the quest to zone the governorship ticket to them? Or is Ugwuanyi ready to obey some of his kismen who are claiming that since the governorship rotation has gone round, the next stanza should begin from Enugu North Senatorial Zone?
Ugwuanyi also has to contend with the pressures from some stakeholders from Enugu West Senatorial Zone especially loyalists of Senator Ike Ekweremadu who insist that the gubernatorial should be thrown open for a credible candidate to emerge at the end of the day.
As it is, time will tell if Ugwuanyi is a saint or villain.