Pic 18. From left; Chairman, Nigeria labour congress Enugu State chapter, Comrade Virginus Nwobodo; Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State and chairman Trade Union Congress Enugu State chapter, Comrade Chukwuma Igbokwe during the 2017 May Day celebration in Enugu on Monday (1/5/17).
02382/1/5/2017/Michael Agada/EO/NAN
Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, governor of Enugu, says he is overwhelmed by the three-year scorecard his administration recorded under harsh financial periods.
Ugwuanyi said this on Tuesday when he addressed the people of the state during the 2018 Democracy Day celebration at Okpara Square, Enugu.
He said the promises he made during his inauguration on May 29, 2015, had looked vague and unrealisable due to the huge debt profile of the state at the time.
The governor said with aggressive revenue drive and prudent management of available resources, his administration had held onto its dreams.
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“The laudable goals we have achieved appeared impossible at that time owing to the realities on ground: huge debt profile of the state pressing down our neck and huge salaries and pension arrears confronting us,” he said.
“All these were in the midst of economic crunch and depleted revenue from the centre. Our promises then appeared vague, but we held unto our lofty dreams.”
Ugwuanyi said the determination to succeed prompted his administration to modernise the revenue collection process of the state as well as block leakages.
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“Following these reforms, our internally generated revenue hit N22 billion in 2017, the highest by Enugu in a single year since 1999,” he said.
“Today, the results we have on ground and the progress we have made in the last three years bear us out that with God all things are possible.”
The governor said his administration had set out to build a state where security and peace were the order of the day.
He said apart from partnering with the security agencies to create a peaceful environment, his administration was also getting the youths engaged through job creation.
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He said the health sector of the state had come alive with the construction of district hospitals and training of 400 volunteer workers for health intervention programmes in rural communities.
The governor said doctors, nurses and allied workers had also been employed in the sector.
Ugwuanyi said that the agricultural sector of the state had also been active with several rice farmers receiving assistance from the government, which had improved yield in the state.
He expressed gratitude for what he called the overwhelming acceptance of his administration by residents of the state.
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