…Govt to feed 300,000 school children daily
.Flags off Construction of 141 Urban Roads
CHIGOZIE AMADI
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has extolled Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State over the administration’s sterling quality leadership, saying the governor’s huge investment in education, primary health care and infrastructure was a turning point in the state.
This was even as the governor reiterated the state’s commitment to feeding over 300,000 Smart Green School children quality nutrition daily come September 2025.
The Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Enugu, Mrs. Juliet Chiluwe, gave the commendation at the signing ceremony of the UNICEF/Enugu Government Multiyear 2025/2027 Workplan at the Government House, Enugu, on Tuesday.
Expressing delight over the governor’s “sterling leadership and great advocate for the welfare of children and women”, Chiluwe added that Mbah had tamed the tide in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).
“You are the pioneer of smart schools here. Enugu is one of the states that is leading in terms of the WASH masterplan implementation. Your investment in primary health, upgrading the primary healthcare system to Level 2 is something that is very highly commendable and also the smart schools, which show your commitment to the development of human indices in the state.
“I have been in Enugu for the last three years and I have seen commendable changes in terms of infrastructure, security and the welfare of women and children.
“Your footprint in the infrastructural development of the state and the deliberate efforts in boosting the state’s economy demonstrate your commitment to the viability and achievement of the long term vision. Your interest and commitment to issues of children and women in the state is highly commendable and a sign of the anticipated progress in collaborating with UNICEF towards the improvement in children indices in the state,” she further stressed.
According to her, the signing of the multiyear plan indicated UNICEF’s recommitment to collaborating with the state government towards the realization of the rights of children and women in the ongoing Country Programme of Cooperation which commenced in 2023 and would come to an end in 2027.
The UNICEF boss, however, called for intensified efforts from all stakeholders such as the local government authorities in ensuring that the state attains open defecation free (ODF) status, and the delivery of the social protection policy to eradicate poverty.
Reacting, Mbah expressed gratitude for the partnership and support the UN agency had been giving to the people of the state, adding that the administration was strongly dedicated to addressing compelling social challenges as evidenced the past two budget cycles.
Describing the UNICEF as a reliable development partner, the governor disclosed that the government had continued to prioritize the social services sector which accounted for the reason behind the highest allocation of the budget to the sector.
“Education got 33 per cent and that has been consistent over the 2024 and 2025 budget cycles. The healthcare space is not left out of it. We also have plan that this is going to continue for at least the next five years for things to be well rooted before we feel like we’re starting from ground zero even in terms of the baseline of infrastructure,” Mbah said.
He stressed that the plans for the 260 Type-2 primary healthcare centres in each of the electoral wards, many of which had been completed and equipped, were beyond mere buildings to staffing, ancillary services and other cutting edge medical facilities including 24/7 electricity.
The governor, who highlighted some of the challenges, such as deficit in health personnel, the administration faced when it assumed office, immediately approved the recruitment of 2,500 health workers.
On basic education system in the state, Mbah said the smart schools would come into operation by September 2025 with over 300,000 school children benefitting from the healthcare facilities in each of the schools, including free daily balanced diet and healthy learning environment.
He further emphasized that the administration was aggressive in ensuring that residents of the state lived a comfortable life through the ongoing first phase of the 7,500 mass housing scheme that would relocate those living in urban slums and put an end to open defecation.
However, Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, Tuesday, flagged off the construction of 141 urban roads across 13 zones of the state capital, insisting residents of the city and Enugu State deserved nothing but the best.
The beneficiary zones are Abakpa, Achara Layout, Asata, Awkunanaw, Coal Camp, Independence Loyout, New Haven, Old GRA, Thinkers Corner, Trans-Ekulu, and Uwani.
Performing the symbolic flag-off at Ologo under Coal Camp Zone Enugu North LGA and Monaque Avenue in Awkunanaw Zone, Enugu South LGA, Mbah explained that the roads were part of his administration’s vision to eradicate poverty, grow Enugu State’s economy to $30bn and make the state a premier destination for investment, business, tourism, and for living.
“For me, this is not about putting a black pavement on our roads. What I see is empowering our women and making sure that we create a platform for them to generate wealth. Do not forget that our commitment is to eradicate poverty, and we know that we cannot just wish the eradication of poverty into existence. We need to do the necessary things required by government to ensure that we have zero hunger. We know what critical infrastructure like roads do for our communities.
“We know that it will ensure that those that are doing business have more patronage, and even those living here will no longer have to spend so much on transportation because the cost of transportation will reduce. If a Keke (commercial tricycle) man that is supposed to carry you knows he will drive on a good road, he will charge you less. What that does is that it provides you more disposable income and thereby chasing poverty away from our community,” he stated.
The governor explained that the 141 roads had been organised into 17 lots to ensure completion in the next three months, assuring that funds had been provided, while due diligence was done on the contractors to ensure that the jobs were awarded to capable hands only.
Meanwhile, a resident of Ologo, Chief Chris Okaka and President-General of Amechi-Uwani, Chief Ifeanyi Nnaji, hailed Mbah for remembering Ologo and Monaque Avenue neighbourhoods after over forty years of neglect by successive governments.
“For the past forty years, nobody has done this road. We went house to house to collect money to do one other side of the drainage. After doing one side, we could not do the other because everyone was complaining of hardship.
“But I told them that Peter Mbah was coming and he would do it. Your Excellency, today you are here to do the road. We have said that by 2027, any other poster we see here, we will tear it off. You are going for your second term.”
Likewise, the Council Chairman of Enugu North, Hon. Ibenaku Onoh, and his Enugu South counterpart, Hon. Caleb Ani, said the governor’s ward-based development had made things easier for the 17 local government councils.
“Therefore, we will hold down the grassroots politics for you by following your example in prioritising everything that affects the people. At the right time, the people of Enugu State will reward you with more support,” Ono stated.
The Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Gerald Otiji, and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Project Development and Implementation, promised intensive supervision in addition to all necessary steps taken during project preparation to ensure the delivery of quality jobs.
The contractors, on their part, also assured the governor of quality and timely project delivery, having passed the stringent procurement processes and conditions set by his administration.
