Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State on Monday inaugurated the 17 local government chairmen and their deputies elected during recent council elections in the state.
He charged them to hit the ground running, delivering people-centred projects and programmes in line with their campaign promises.
Mbah also directed the new chairmen to relocate to their council areas, emphasising that the era when council chairmen lived in townships far from their communities was over.
He urged them to align with his government’s initiatives, such as the Smart Green School project, rural infrastructural development, and agriculture, to fight crime and create opportunities for a brighter future for Enugu’s children and youth.
“I followed your campaigns and the promises you made to the people. I also heard many of you referencing our mantra, ‘Tomorrow Is Here,’ during your campaigns. Let me tell you what ‘Tomorrow Is Here’ signifies: it speaks to the urgency of the tasks before us and the need to start addressing these challenges without delay. It also reminds us that the future we envision is within reach, but only if we are able to innovate. That is why we are now talking about disruptive innovation.
“The time for talk is over, and I must also say that the honeymoon period is over. It is now time to put those promises into action. The people are no longer interested in hearing promises; they want to know how and when you will solve the problems that have hindered their development for years. So, now is the time to think outside the box,” Mbah stated.
The governor also charged the new council executives to support the state’s fight against insecurity, as development cannot thrive without peace.
“We have zero tolerance for crime and insecurity in Enugu State. If you are thinking about attracting cottage industries and development to your local governments, these will not come if there is no peace and security,” he added.
He emphasised the importance of inclusive governance and directed that the councils must be administered from within their local government areas.
“The people should be the centerpiece of your governance model. You have to eliminate feelings of alienation and deliver the dividends of democracy to everyone.
“You should focus on providing basic amenities. We have challenges across all sectors, and you should be thinking creatively about how to address them and generate wealth and employment.
“But you cannot do this remotely. You cannot operate from the city. You have to be present with your people. The era of local government chairmen or their deputies leading their people remotely or by proxy is over. We will not tolerate local government chairmen who do not govern from their local governments,” Mbah stressed.
Responding on behalf of his colleagues, the Chairman of Nkanu East LGA, Okechukwu Edeh, assured the governor that the new chairmen would implement the state’s numerous development programmes at the grassroots level.
“We are fortunate to be part of this most digitalized, innovative, and robust administration. Some people fail, not because they want to fail, but because they lack appropriate leaders, especially exemplary leaders, who they can emulate. With you as our governor, we are confident because you are an achievement-oriented leader. We will not let you and the people of Enugu State down,” Okechukwu assured.