THE NEW FACE OF ENUGU [By Afam Okereke]

Governance they say is a social contract between the government represented by the elected leaders and the electorate (the masses) that gave the leaders their mandate through vote.  As a contract, its terms are always spelt out mostly either during campaign for votes and often times contained in the inaugural address by the state Chief Executive or during meet the people/ thank you visit to the people.

In Enugu State therefore, the terms of this social contract with the people were encapsulated in the 4-point agenda of the administration of Governor Sullivan Chime for the people of the state.  A kind of road map and programme of action in physical infrastructure, Economic Expansion and Employment, Rural Development and Service Delivery and Good Governance articulated to guide the operation of the administration from inception in 2007.  

In his inaugural speech at Okpara Square, some six years ago, the Governor said, ….”I had put across a 4-point agenda in which I propose the very compass which shall determine the trend of my administration. Within the six years of the administration, government had invested heavily in all sectors of the state economy to better the lots of the people.  They included urban/rural roads rehabilitation agricultural expansion, provision of quality and affordable education, health care, improved water supply and security of life and property, urban beautification, rural electrification,  housing scheme, empowerment of the civil servants, environmental sanitation among others.

The establishment of Enugu Capital territory Development Authority (ECTDA) in 2009 was the brain child of his Excellency Barr. S. I. Chime, to restore the original master plan of Enugu the State capital and improve on the esthetics of the category.  Before then, the city was dotted with all sorts of illegal structures and shanties, building plans were not well coordinated resulting to the erection of buildings in any available spaces.  On assumption of office,  the ECTDA tackled the issue of urban renewal and city management and has succeeded in changing the people’s mindset regarding their obligation to government  and their environment.  Building plans are well  coordinated..there are control in development of structures.  The authority had completed plans with the federal government to relocate the Nigerian Prisons presently at the heart of the city to Ugwogo Nike, establish a central Business District within the present Ogbete Market and develop Murtala Mohammed into an amusement park.  

It is also the plan of the Authority to build the Okpara Avenue into six lanes while in the area of Urban renewal to establish paid parking management scheme relocate the building material market at Kenyatta to Ugwuaji and redesign some urban slums with Obiagu as a pilot scheme.  In partnership with British Department for International development DFID the authority is working towards establishing city date base centre to serve the entire ministries department and Agencies of government in the state.  Also in partnership with the three local government areas of Enugu South, Enugu East and Enugu North, the Authority is coordinating the establishment of markets and effective control of transport system to produce a decent and well organized city in Enugu.