By Prince Ejeh Josh
The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has stated that the Ezeagu Local Government Area of the state will play a pivotal role in the actualization of his master plan and economic blueprint for the state, if elected the next governor in the forthcoming elections.
The state’s ruling party candidate disclosed this on Wednesday at Mgbagbu Owa and Umuna, both headquarters of Ezeagu Central and Ezeagu South Development Centres in the council area during his well-attended town hall meetings which attracted stakeholders from different communities, professions and associations.
Reacting to the presentations and demands made by the people of the development centres, Dr. Mbah said the local government is blessed with abundant resources that have been laying dormant over the years, stressing that his administration will activate and operationalize those dormant assets for the benefits of the state.
Further noting that his government will harness the arable agricultural potentials in the area for revenue drive and massive employment of both the youths and women, Dr. Mbah insisted that the state has the capacity to feed itself and other states with the deployment of technology to migrate the agricultural sector from subsistence to agro-allied processing which will commercialize the sector.
Pledging to declare war on hunger and poverty in the state, the governorship hopeful maintained that his government will achieve food security for the state and become a major export hub in the country.
In order to achieve the laudable projects of tapping into other resources in the area, Dr. Mbah underscored why his manifesto prioritizes infrastructure which included 10,000 kilometers of roads across the state within the next 8 years, partnering with major investors and engaging the youth productively.
The industrialist reassured the people that all the sectors that will serve as catalysts for revenue generation, economic boom, wealth creation, employment, and development will be optimally explored and exploited to move the state to enviable heights.
The PDP gubernatorial standard bearer further noted that the Okpoko River Picnic Centre in Ihuezi Obinofia Ndiuno, Heneke Lake in Obinofia Ndiuno, the Premier Cashew Industry in Oghe with about 2000 hectares of land, the Ebechukwu Cave in Ihuezi Obinofia Ndiuno, and Igwuetiti Amansiodo Oghe oil well will all be activated and turned into productive assets that will make the state one of the top three states in Nigeria in terms of gross domestic product (GDP), standard of living, job creation, and industrialisation.
While maintaining that his integrated sectoral plan will link all the access roads to further expand the market and scale up production, Dr. Mbah reiterated that the popular Ikedimkpa road, the Ninth Mile-Agubu-Owa-Mgbagbu-Owa-Greater Water Scheme en route Awka Road will be constructed as infrastructure is critical to his administration.
Promising that his government’s target revolves around the youth who will constitute the major workforce, the oil and gas magnate reiterated that skills acquisition and vocational training centres that will upscale and upskill them to meet up with the new skills that investors will require will be impacted, including availability of social amenities.
Speaking earlier, the spokespersons for the different communities and associations at the town-hall meetings promised to continue to mobilize their people to vote for the party, especially its governorship candidate whom they described as an epitome of good governance, competence and capacity.
They expressed confidence that Mbah would bring his wealth of experience from the private sector and trigger industrial revolution through his comprehensive manifesto and statement of purpose.
The chairman of the council area, Hon. Chukwudi Ozoeluba declared that his people had already adopted Mbah’s candidacy as their collective project, and vowed to deliver him in all the polling units in the council area.
Corroborating the above, the member representing the council area at the Ezeagu State Constituency, Rt. Hon. Chima Obieze said his people will spare no effort in delivering massive votes that will surprise the state in the election.
While appealing to the governorship candidate to look at the state of infrastructure in the communities in the local government, Hon. Obieze insisted that Mbah came to serve the people and would deliver on his uncommon leadership trajectory that will transform the face of his constituency.
On his part, the senatorial candidate of Enugu West senatorial district, Engr. Osita Ngwu stated that Mbah had been consistent in his mission to transform the socio-economic status of the state, urging him to attract more industries that will engage the teeming youths when he assumes office.
In their separate speeches, community stakeholders and representatives who included, Engr. Luke Mmamel, Chief Stephen Anibueze, Chief Mrs Ify Ozoani, Mrs. Nkiruka Ugwuagu, Chief Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi, Hon. Nnamdi Ozonweke, Mrs. Veronica Mogbo, Dr. Festus Uzor and Prof. Christian Anieke, among others, enjoined Mbah to implement his manifesto to the letter, give the womenfolk the established 13% appointments in his government, and ensure the state is rapidly industrialized.
Professor Anieke, who is the Vice Chancellor of Geoffrey Okoye University, showered encomiums on the governorship candidate based on his outstanding development trajectory and unbeatable track records in the private sector, expressing confidence that Dr. Mbah will do well and move the state to Olympian heights if elected.
He further stated that Ezeagu local government area is blessed with material and mineral resources that will boost the economy of the state, saying they are ready to partner with his government to explore the huge resources in the area.
While presenting some support items that will further encourage party supporters to take the excellent message of the party’s flagbearer to the grassroots, the chairman, Board of Trustees of the Peter Mbah Grassroots Movement, Engr. Lawrence Ezeh, said the group had earlier promised not to limit its campaign activities to urban areas but to penetrate and reach out to voters in all the nook and crannies of the state.
“We made you a promise that this is going to be a grassroots support based group, and today we are making these presentations for grassroots penetration,” the chairman added.