… Says Enugu to rubbish ‘Japa’ syndrome
Shortly after his inauguration, Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, hit the ground running by signing three Executive Orders for the effective governance of the state.
The others are: Order 001 of 2023, which is an Executive Order for the Development of Citizens’ Charter; Executive Order 002 of 2003, which is Order for the Removal of Unauthorised Street Barriers Across the State Within 100 Days; and Executive Order 003 of 2023, which is for the Promotion of Economic Growth through Transparency and Efficiency in Government.
The governor explained that by Order 001 for Citizens Charter, the government undertook to provide the citizens with a “peaceful and tranquil living environment devoid of insecurity and all threats to life”
Other objectives of the government in this regard include: “A justice system that efficiently adjudicates on all civil or criminal matters.
“Critical social amenities including but not limited to good and motorable roads, qualitative world class education, portable water in every household, affordable and qualitative medical services; refuse disposal, provision of open spaces for recreation and sports and other social services that will assure a good living environment for citizens.
“Creation of jobs to achieve the eradication of poverty in Enugu State by 2030.
“Ensuring the maintenance of a physical and policy environment in Enugu State that will make the State conducive for establishment of new businesses and growth of existing businesses.
“Detailed development planning defined by timely quality budget preparation and approval for implementation.
“Transparent and inclusive governance on web and to the press defined by a regular rendering of accounts and information on government budgets and expenditure plans, including a statement about how your money is being spent, as well as quarterly summaries of government revenue, borrowings and expenditure; timely production and publishing of audited annual accounts; and consultative townhall meetings to present government’s plans and receive citizens’ feedback”.
Others are: “The establishment of a price intelligence unit to ensure that government contract prices reflect costs that will ensure good value for money.
“Formation of a public budget revenue and expenditure monitoring committee with broad based membership from the State, citizens and prominent Development agencies and multilateral agencies and civil society groups.
“Quality and timely government services by all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
“Timely and complete payments of service providers and contractors as well as emoluments to government employees and pensioners.
“This Charter will be internally and independently assessed on an annual basis to check to what extent the government is in compliance. The results of the assessments will be graded and published.
“This is a progressive performance improvement plan. Performance against the standards stated here are expected to be moderate in the first instance but will progressively improve as time goes on”.
Also, the governor said that by Order 002, which is pursuant to the authority vested in his office by the 1999 Constitution (as amended), and the Laws of Enugu State, seeks to eliminate every barrier to free movement of persons and goods in the state, noting however that the Order was limited to state and local government roads only.
While acknowledging the reason of security adduced for the erection of the barriers, Dr. Mbah assured the people of the state that the government would step up its efforts to ensure the security of lives and property.
Giving details on Order 003, the governor said that in order to facilitate government services, “every MDA of the Enugu State Government shall publish a complete list of all requirements or conditions for obtaining products and services within the MDA’s scope of responsibility, including permits, licenses, waivers, tax related processes, filings, and approvals”.
The Order, among others, stipulates that “Failure of the appropriate officer to act on any application within the timeline stipulated, without lawful excuse, shall amount to misconduct and be subject to appropriate disciplinary proceedings in accordance with the law and regulations applicable to the civil or public service”.
Meanwhile, Mbah, who was earlier sworn in, alongside his deputy, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai, by the Chief Judge of Enugu, Justice Raymond Ozoemena, had in his inaugural speech pledged that his administration would not be business as usual, saying “Enugu will rubbish ‘Japa syndrome’, not by legislation, but by creatively addressing the challenges to the future of our youths”.
“Take notice that this administration will be business unusual. Tough decisions will be taken. Those decisions will however be taken in the best interest of Ndi Enugu and Enugu State in general. You (citizens) will constitute the driving force of every action we take as your representatives.
“We will serve you with every fiber of our being and devote all our energy and your resources to working for you and your interests. Our driving force and governance philosophy will be always based on transcendental values.
“We will invoke the spirit of enterprise, the creative energy of our people and the remarkable industry on the streets of Enugu State to create the difference in governance.
“We will pursue an economic growth that is unrivalled in this part of the country.
“We will tap into the limitless resources of the private sector to provide world-class infrastructure and productive sector growth.
“The youths of Enugu State will be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the tomorrow that is now here today. 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 that is innate in the Igbo man”, he stated.
The inauguration ceremony, which witnessed a mammoth crowd as Enugu people defied both the rain and sit-at-home, was attended by notable leaders of the state, including the former governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Sullivan Chime, Okwesilieze Nwodo, and former governor of old Anambra State, Chief Jim Nwobodo as well as the Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, among others.