Chinedu Nwafor,Abakaliki
The Ebonyi State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Hon. Uchenna Stephen Igwe, has said Governor Francis Nwifuru’s Charter of Needs” administration has raised the bar for compassionate and good governance in Nigeria.
Chief Igwe described Nwifuru’s administration as a “period of bountiful democratic harvest” anchored on hope, welfare, and comprehensive development.
He stated this while fielding questions on the Governor’s three years anniversary celebration.
“Ebonyi people, including me, are excited that we have Builder Nwifuru, a man who grew up in Ebonyi State and understands the needs of the people as our governor.
“For us, the people of Ebonyi State, Nwifuru’s administration represents a period of bountiful democratic harvest and we are happy,”he said.
Igwe highlighted peace and grassroots governance as the governor’s top legacies.
He credited Nwifuru with reconciling communal conflicts across the state and democratizing traditional institutions by allowing communities to elect traditional rulers and town union executives.
On education, the commissioner listed the construction of Nigeria’s first ICT University in Agbaja, the Ebonyi State University of Aeronautics and Aerospace Engineering at Onueke, 39 model schools, recruitment of over 2,000 teachers, and revival of postgraduate scholarships for more than 1,000 students studying locally and abroad.
Infrastructure projects cited include the Abakaliki inland road network, the 23km Ezillo-Ezzaegu road, the 23.5km Stadium-Nwofe road, 2km roads in 67 rural communities, and a three-storey overhead bridge under construction.
Igwe also noted payment of gratuity arrears dating back to the state’s creation, bonuses for civil servants, youth empowerment for agriculture, overhaul of the health sector, and tax waivers for small-scale enterprises.
He said these interventions contributed to stability in the state.
“These are why Ebonyi is not restive and is the only State that did not experience the hunger strikes that swept across the nation,” he added.
Governor Nwifuru, who took office in 2023, will begin the final year of his first term after the May 29 anniversary.END//