By Prince Ejeh Josh
…as communities restate unconditional electoral support
In his determination to create more urban cities, decongest the state capital and eliminate urban slums, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah has reiterated his commitment to prioritize urban renewal, create millions of employments for the youths and attract massive infrastructure across the state when elected in March 2023.
Dr. Mbah disclosed this on Saturday at Ngwo-Uno and Agbudu town, both headquarters of Udi Central and Udi South Development Centres, at town-hall meetings initiated by the guber candidate to ascertain their pressing needs that would enable his administration to tackle their peculiar challenges.
This was even as the teeming crowd of supporters, party stakeholders, traditional rulers, members of the business community, inter-ethnic groups, community leaders, and inter-party interest groups pledged an unconditional electoral support for the governorship hopeful, adding that the PDP has done tremendously well for them in areas of infrastructure.
While reacting to the list of demands presented by the development centres, Dr. Mbah assured them that he had carefully articulated how his government would eliminate urban slums through new infrastructure, address the lingering unemployment challenges by growing the economy through established industrialisation policy and engagement of the youths in meaningful ventures.
He re-echoed his resolve to grow the economy from $4.4 billion to $30 billion and making it one of the top three states in the country, migrate agriculture from pipeline to platform through technology, and upskill the youths with modern knowledge that will enable them to compete in the global digital economy.
“You’ll be beneficiaries of our urban renewal programme that’ll be enabled by modern infrastructure such as super highways, link roads, robust healthcare facilities, flyovers at strategic places, social amenities and industries,” he added.
Dr. Mbah further stated that his administration will build trailer parks with standard accommodations and relaxation spots which will be driven by private investors in order to ease traffic congestions and encourage investment activities.
He also revealed his plan to build skills acquisition and vocational training centres that will meet the 21st century workforce demands, and make available one hundred billion naira venture capital to encourage young entrepreneurs, adding that his inclusive and integrated development programmes were geared towards giving every community a sense of belonging.
Speaking earlier, the executive chairman of the council area, Hon. Philip Okoh, House of Assembly member representing the constituency, Hon. Chika Eneh, the candidate for the seat, Hon. Aneke Philip and the candidate for the Ezeagu/Udi Federal Constituency, Dr. Festus Uzor said the development centres have been voting for the PDP and would continue their support.
On his part, the candidate for Enugu West Senatorial Zone, Engr. Osita Ngwu stated that the development centres had huge populations with over 90% registered voters who had collected their permanent voter’s cards and were only waiting to go to the polls and overwhelmingly vote for the ruling party in the state.
According to him, Dr. Mbah has come to transform the state with his excellent economic blueprint, adding that they’d continue to pledge their loyalty to the party.
In their separate speeches, Elder Ransome Onyia, Hon. Onyebuchi Ani, Mr. Nick Agu, Dr. Chukwuemeka Aroh, Mr. Isaac Onyia, Dr. Simeon Eneh, Hon. Ekene Eze, among others, commended the idea behind the town-hall meetings, promising that they’d already resolved to give Dr. Mbah and other candidates of the party unconditional and unalloyed support at the forthcoming elections.
