Ebonyi State Wrongly Included As Defendants In The Lga Financial Autonomy Suit  - Hon. Uchenna Igwe.

Hon. Uchenna Stephen Igwe is Ebonyi State Honourable Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters. In a chat with news men, Igwe gave insight into the mode of operation of the administration of Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru of Ebonyi State as well as the mood of Ebonyi people as Nwifuru marks one year anniversary as helmsman of Ebonyi State. Happy reading.

Like many other states across the country, the mood is one year anniversary, what is the feeling like for the people of Ebonyi state?

The people of Ebonyi State are in a joyous mood. The administration of Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru is intentionally at the service of Ebonyi people. The policies and projects of Ebonyi State Government are strictly generated from the needs of the people. This is why it is called Ebonyi People's Charter of Needs Administration. The governor has paid the arrears of gratuities and pensions which have accumulated for over 30 years. Governor Nwifuru has transformed the education sector by increasing salaries of lecturers and staff of Ebonyi State University. Nwifuru revived local and foreign scholarship programmes, reduced students' tuition fees and ordered for recruitment of primary and secondary school teachers. He is building 39 model schools across the LGAs. Nwifuru gave N2 million grants to 500 Ebonyi hawkers and he is building rigid pavement roads across the state. The health sector is overhauled with hospital equipment, a sustainable drug revolving scheme and incentives for health workers.

Your ministry overseas the local government areas where the bulk of the masses reside in Ebonyi State, in what ways has the present administration impacted on the lives of people in the rural communities of Ebonyi State. What is the contribution of your ministry thereto?

Governor Francis Nwifuru has fully democratized the local government system in Ebonyi State and allowed the chairmen to manage their funds in the interest of the people. What the Attorney General of Federation is looking for at Supreme Court, we already have in Ebonyi State. Ebonyi State should not have been in the list of defendants in the local government financial autonomy suit. Even the communities in Ebonyi State have been fully democratized and they freely choose their traditional rulers and town union leaders unlike before. This has restored peace to the communities. Governor Nwifuru is building 2 km concrete road in each of the 140 communities in Ebonyi State. This amounts to a cumulative distance of 280 km roads. This has boosted food production, reduced rural-urban migration and enhanced access to the rural communities. Council chairmen and Development Centre coordinators have also engaged in projects ranging from water, electricity, road, bridges, bursary etc which are meant to improve the lives of the rural folks.

Not withstanding the low revenue profile of Ebonyi State, there seems to be positives reports from the state. What is responsible for this?

Governor Francis Nwifuru is not greedy. I have been close to him for years before he became governor and I can tell you without equivocation that His Excellency, Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru is a man of lean appetites. He is also a good manager of men and resources. Because of these, he is not interested in stealing money to buy estates in Dubai and elsewhere for his yet to be born great grand children. This is why he has not taken any loan. He is judiciously using available resources to solve the needs of Ebonyi people; and he is succeeding.

Ebonyi is experiencing quality infrastructure, such as well constructed roads even with concrete, how sustainable are these?

The roads are sustainable because they are built according to specifications which include solidly laid out bases, 8-inch rigid pavement and 2-in asphalt overlay. Governor Nwifuru was born and bred in Ebonyi State. The parents and majority of the siblings and age mates of the governor all live in Ebonyi State. He loves Ebonyi people and Ebonyi people love him. So, he cannot allow substandard jobs in Ebonyi State. Governor Nwifuru cannot disappoint Ebonyi people.

Despite these efforts you would agree with me that many are still living in poverty. What plans does the Nwifuru administration have in this regard?

Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru understands Ebonyi State and her people. He knows their problems and that is why he has adopted a multi-sectoral approach to address poverty in Ebonyi State. The N2 million business grants to 500 Ebonyians, tax waivers to small scale businesses, payment of arrears of gratuities and pensions, reduction of tuition fees, revival of scholarship programmes, transformation of the health sector and the creative approach to farming are great economic stimulants through which Governor Francis Nwifuru is lifting lives, ending poverty and enhancing the quality of lives and increasing life expectancy in Ebonyi State. Note that Governor Francis Nwifuru is taking actions to completely eradicate poverty in Ebonyi State and not to merely reduce or alleviate poverty. From the look of things, you will agree with me that God loves Ebonyi people so much. That love made God to give Ebonyi people the best governor in the person of His Excellency, Builder Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru. So, Ebonyi people are celebrating the good and functional administration of Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru.

What is your piece of advice for governors of other states in Nigeria?

There are testimonies from all parts of Ebonyi State and even outside Ebonyi State that His Excellency, Builder Francis Nwifuru is the best Governor. This is wonderful especially when we recall that Ebonyi State is a low revenue state. I therefore advice other governors who want to achieve meaningful things for their respective states to come to Ebonyi State and learn from His Excellency, Builder Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru. This had been the recommendation of parents from all parts of the country under the aegis of Nigeria Parents Forum during their investiture of Governor Nwifuru as the Welfare Ambassador of Nigeria.