Enugu State: A State where God comes first
By Isaac Ugwuada
The economic difficulties facing the nation in 2016 clearly call for God's intervention in the affairs of the nation. Hon Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Governor of Enugu State presents an outstanding approach to governance that places God first as the fulcrum of the success story of his administration.
This is just as Pastor Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, has called on the nation's leaders at different levels to work with the fear of God, depend absolutely on Him for the Nigeria's economy to experience a divine turnaround.
Faith works with works and that is the explanation I can find so far for the accomplishments of Ugwuanyi in Enugu State amid the general difficulties facing the nation and its people. Nigeria has come to a stage when it clearly needs a new crop of God fearing leaders to be able to weather through the prevailing economic storm and get ahead.
To this extent, what happened in Enugu State on the very first day of this year raises hopes for the government and people of the state despite the challenges of the time. The government of the state held a New Year prayer session to commit the activities of the state government to the hands of God.
Nigeria's economic situation isn't going to get better by the rising heaps of complaints and cries in the streets. It will take both hard work and divine intervention to get the economy moving once again. It is possible for Nigeria to move from a prostrate economy to witness a flood of abundance, according to Adeboye. The proviso however is that those managing the nation's economy as well as business owners will have to become righteous in their dealings and let God be their source.
Ugwuanyi is one of the few state governors that already have a lot of accomplishments to show for the 8 to 9 months in office. I am aware that he puts a lot of personal drive to get things done. Further to that, his moving in the direction that Adeboye has prescribed holds good prospects for sustaining and even increasing the development momentum that has kicked off in Enugu State under his administration.
In the January dedication of the affairs of the state to God, notable men of God were in attendance. It was an opportunity to express new hopes in God as the government strives for adequate capacity to drive meaningful development to impact positively on the lives of the citizenry.
All the main organs of the state government were present and the call for running government affairs with the fear of God is to all of them and not the governor alone. For state governors such as Ugwuanyi that is earnestly desirous to fulfill his electoral promises and make positive impacts in the lives of his people, unalloyed support from all the people of Enugu State is to me a reasonable demand. He also needs more prayers than complaints to get his government objectives accomplished.
Despite the challenges of resources, Ugwuanyi sees fiscal 2016 as another chance that God has provided to improve lives and make progress towards building a secure and viable society for the benefit of all. Giving God the first position is what Adeboye is calling for as a pre-condition for Nigeria's economic turnaround. He said there can be an instant turn around for Nigeria, if the nation's leaders at every level would turn to God with all their hearts. The situation therefore leaves a lot of good hopes for the people of Enugu State.
Ugwuanyi is described as a man of absolute faith in God who makes prayers and praises to God his watchword. Living up to that description, he stated during the new year prayer event that his administration can only achieve its objectives through prayers, as well as, active participation and support of the people. He specifically called on the people to be unrelenting in their prayers for God's grace in the light of the bleak and unpredictable economic outlook of the country.
Ugwuanyi didn’t stop at the new year prayers, has has also thrown weight to the monthly prayer session of women in the state which holds at Okpara Square in Enugu. He doesn’t only attend occasionally, his wife Mrs. Monica Ugwuanyi spearheads the session, with the ultimate aim of committing the affairs of the state in God’s hands.
Enugu State is one of the first to have its 2016 budgets approved and that sets it ready for the business of governance to commence quite early. The state governor himself said the budget contains his plans and visions to entrench stability and consolidate the current tempo of development in the state. His development agenda for 2016 rests on a reassuring promise not to allow the prevailing harsh economic climate in the country to prevent the attainment of the lofty objectives that have been set out for the benefit of the people.
The state government is pursuing all its efforts and plans to bring sustainable development to all the corners of the state despite the daunting challenges of the day. Ugwuanyi believes firmly that his determination to take Enugu State to desirable heights is by the help of God.
The state governore is well appreciated for his adherence to things of God, which is a mark of success for those saddled with the responsibility of leadership. Monsignor Prof. Obiora Ike, director of Catholic Institute for Development, Justice and Peace, CIDJAP, in his sermon during the year's opening prayer session, said Enugu State is now founded on faith and that it was this faith that will sustain it in the present challenging period.
Apart from the nation's leadership, the call for the fear of the Lord goes equally to civil servants, who can make or mare the good objective of the leaders at various levels. Ike called on them to make accountability, sincerity and diligence to duty their watchword to justify their wages. He equally urged them to be good players and desist from engaging in acts that would undermine the overall interest of the state.
Recent revelations of various abuses of power by those in authority clearly call for building a strong process of governance at various levels devoid of wastes and corruption. People around the corridors of power are known to usually push those in authorities to do things that do not represent the interest of the generality of the people they serve. In view of this, the Monsignor advised Ugwuanyi to remain steadfast and focused on his vision to take Enugu State to greater heights.
Putting God first in Enugu State portends a sign of good beginning for the people of the state in 2016. The year carries with it a clear demonstration of the governor's implicit faith and trust in God. With that Ugwuanyi is seen to have kindled the light of a new hope in the state through which his visions and development agenda can be achieved with divine speed.
Ugwuada writes from Abuja