Chido Nwakanma takes a peep into the inauguration day promises of deliverance by three new southeast governors.
Abia State promises of deliverance
Governor Dr Alex Otti continued to ride the wave of his popular election and filled the Umuahia Township Stadium to the rafters on inauguration day. He made many populist pronouncements, such as declaring that no one should present or entice him with Nigerian awards and honours until the end of his tenure.
N10b MSME Financing Scheme. Otti started with supply-side economics. He announced an N10b MSME Financing Scheme to incentivise production and create jobs. He envisages the Fund comprising “conditional business grants and low-interest loans to support relevant enterprises”. Otti projects that 20 000 MSMES would benefit from the fund over two years. The 20000 MSMEs would generate at least 100000 direct jobs and 200 000 indirect employments in the state.
Assured salaries every 28th day of the month. Otti said civil servants would receive their May salaries “within the next few days” and assured them, “From June 2023, all salary and pension obligations of the State would be settled by the 28th of every month”.
The governor vowed that “There shall be no more distinction between the so-called “core” and “non-core” civil servants. He added: “This is a disingenuous expression used to hide the wicked habit of owing salaries. Whether you are a teacher in a primary or secondary institution owned by the State, a staff of the public health establishments, local government, or work in the judiciary, you shall, beginning from this May, earn your legitimate entitlements as and when due”.
Focus on Aba. Otti promised an increased focus on Aba. There were no specifics. He said the commercial capital of Abia State “is very dear to my heart and critical to my leadership agenda”. He would unveil his vision for Aba and the structure for managing it in the next one week.
Otti also promised to tackle the many other security, infrastructure, and education areas.
Ebonyi State promises of deliverance
Ebonyi State Governor Hon Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru began on two notes of fire, brimstone, and ice. He ordered the immediate freezing of the Ebonyi State government accounts in all banks and financial institutions.
On the other hand, Governor Nwifuru extended a hand of amity to his opponents and requested that they withdraw their suits against him and his party from the courts.
Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru served as Speaker of the 5th and 6th Ebonyi State House of Assembly before moving to the executive arm as governor.
One of his first actions was to appoint Dr. Monday Uzor as his Chief Press Secretary.
Unfortunately, we are yet to lay hands on his inauguration speech to determine his true direction. Hopefully, the State will get the publicity it needs to expose its potentials to investors with a professional as the governor’s spokesperson.
Enugu State Promises of Deliverance
Enugu will rubbish Japa, Mbah pledges and invokes the can-do spirit of Nwa Enugu
Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah began his service to the state by charging its youths to look inwards rather than outward for the creativity that would pull them out of despair and to the top of the mountain.
Youth Focus
Mbah declared, “The youths of Enugu State will be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the tomorrow that is now here. We want to expose our youths to the skills required to grasp the emerging future and create opportunities for the genius in them to flourish. We also want to invoke and instil in them the can-do spirit innate in the Igbo man. Enugu will rubbish Japa, not by legislation but by creatively addressing the challenges to the future of our youths.”
Mbah shared two allegorical accounts of Emeka and Ikechukwu. Emeka chose Japa and perished in the Mediterranean. Ikechukwu stayed in Enugu, developed an app, and won big in competitions in Dubai. He shared his narrative of growing from the backseat at Alaba Market, and then rising from the backseat in the oil and gas industry to set up Pinnacle Oil and Gas.
He announced his resignation from the post of Chairman of the company to face the task of governing. Asserting that he is “pregnant with ideas”, Mbah promised: “We will equip our youths with e-commerce, fintech and cyber-security skills, such that they will become globally interconnected, and can indeed ‘Japa’ all over the world by providing services online through their e-commerce skills. They will be champions of the globe without necessarily having to leave Enugu”.
Governor Mbah promised to equip the youths “with e-commerce, fintech and cyber-security skills, such that they will become globally interconnected, and can indeed ‘Japa’ all over the world by providing services online through their e-commerce skills. They will be champions of the globe without necessarily having to leave Enugu.”
N100B Revolving Fund for SMEs
He announced an N100b revolving fund for SMES “in partnership with the Private Sector and other Development Financial Institutions”. For ICT, Mbah said the Enugu State Government “will provide a Tier 4 Hyper-Scale Data Centre to attract hyper-scale businesses like Amazon, Google, Netflix, Tik-Tok and Microsoft”.
Enugu Film Village
Mbah assured the creative industry of government support. Enugu has been the base of major Nollywood productions. The governor said the State would build on it. Mbah declared, “We will set up a film village and, working with stakeholders in the industry, ensure that our state becomes the destination of choice for tourists, attracting not less than 3 million visitors each year.”
Water in Enugu in 180 days
Governor Mbah reiterated his pledge to ensure potable water in Enugu within 180 days. That means that residents of Enugu can expect water in their taps from December 2023. Mbah stated, “Ndi Enugu are aware of our promise to ensure water availability in our homes in the Enugu metropolis in 180 days. We reiterate this promise here. Furthermore, we will waste no time in replicating the same feat in Nsukka, Udi and Awgu axis.”
Diaspora Bond
Mbah: “Within our first 100 days in office, we will also convene a Diaspora and Investors Forum where we will market all the productive sectors in the state through showcasing our vast investment potential.
Our government will also organise the Diaspora Bond, where we will securitise remittances from abroad. In this regard, remittances will no longer be for consumption alone but for production. The government will create a platform for securing those remittances so the investors have security for their funds.”
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