12/10/2020
*Commentary On The Event Of Hon. Barr. Ugwueze's One Hundred Days In Office:*
On the 29th day of June 2020, Hon. Barr. Cosmas Ibeziako Ugwueze, was sworn-in as the Executive Chairman of Nsukka LGA, by the performing Executive Governor of Enugu State, Rt. Hon. Dr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, at the Lion Building, Government House, Enugu.
In a Holy Mass of Peace, organized few days afterwards to usher in his administration, Hon. Barr. Ugwueze, a devout Christian of the catholic faith, told the general public that he would use his office as Chairman, to serve God and humanity.
Today, just a hundred days later, he has unequivocally, like most indigens and residents of Nsukka LGA would profess, lived up to every bit of those words, both in his actions, dispositions and body languages.
Today, the good people of Nsukka LGA are better for it and most believe that the best thing that has happened to them since after the emergence of Governor Ugwuanyi as Governor of Enugu State, is the emergence of Hon. Barr. Ugwueze, as Chairman.
In just a hundred days, his administration has entirely changed the narratives in Nsukka LGA, becoming the most humane, down-to- earth and grassroot oriented administration in its modern history.
In just a hundred days, amidst the very scarce resources at his disposal, Hon. Barr. Ugwueze has made remarkable in roads in a number of areas in the corporate existence of the Nsukka polity, a proof that governance is ever about meeting the very fundamental needs of the people.
He has restored peace, tranquility and security in Nsukka LGA, and people's hitherto, dwindling confidences in the affairs of government are returning.
A grassroot politician, who verifiably rose through the ranks to arrive at this lofty height, he has proven that he has worn the same shoes with his people and knows clearly where they pinch. His actions and programmes are, indeed, eloquent testimonies of these, and his readiness to impact everlasting legacies on Nsukka's sand of time.
His first steps as Chairman, became veritable pointers to how impactful his administration was going to be. All of them clearly showed that, of a truth, he is a home grown community leader.
His decision to ban all activities of Task Force (Agboros) within his LGA of jurisdiction proved to all and sundry that he had truely been in the woods with his people, feeling their feelings and experiencing their pulses. And for the common men and women in the streets of the elite LGA, that decision, key to their lives and very existences, is a favour that would last them lifetimes, as the activities of Agboros in Nsukka LGA, prior to his emergence, orchestrated hellish experiences.
His unconditional release of motocyles and plate numbers impounded and confiscated, respectively, by successive administrations, touched the Nsukka man where it mattered most.
In all, these gestures and many others that characterize his administration, have foisted a huge sense of belonging on the Nsukka populace.
Yet, in just a hundred days, Hon. Barr. Ugwueze has made remarkable impacts in some other sectors, including, but not limited to, Health, Education, Power, Youth Empowerment, Humanitarian Interventions, to mention but a few.
Through his words and actions, Hon Barr. Ugwueze has disclosed the quantum of premium he has placed on provision of good health facilities for his people. Within one hundred days of his leadership, he has embarked on working tours of several wards and communities, to ascertain the state of affairs in their Health Centers. Today, he has renovated, equipped and put to use, over five Health Centers across the LGA.
In these revamped hitherto, dillapidated Health Centers, equipments such as Deep Freezers, High Capacity Generators, Beds, Beddings, Drugs e.t.c., were provided. And, the good people of Ejuona Uwani, Akaibite, Eha-Ndiagu, Ibagwa-Ani/Ibagwa Agu/Okpaligbo Wards, e.t.c., where these interventions are manifest, are eternally grateful.
In the Education Sector, as schools resumed after the protracted lockdown occasioned by the novel Corona Virus, Hon. Barr. Ugwueze's administration has set out to protect the teeming pupils of Nsukka LGA. It has provided 5000 face shields, well over a hundred Sanitary buckets, stands, sanitizers, branded instructional posters and detergents, for primary schools.
The resolve of Hon. Ugwueze's administration to preserve the lofty legacies of Rt. Hon. Dr Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, the Executive Governor Of Enugu State, in Nsukka LGA, is also unequivocal. So, also, is his commitment to ensuring the restoration of serenity and wholesome ambience within Nsukka City. Consequently, his administration has vowed to consistently clean up the gutters and water ways in a monthly Nsukka LGA funded Environmenntal Sanitation. This is in addition to his decision to move all public motor, keke, and okada parks within the metropolis to an Ultra-Modern Mega Motor Park at Aku Road. It is hoped that this move wiil finally bring to an end, the recaciltrant gridlock that confronts commuters at a section of Enugu Road, perenially.
The Green Revolution Project of Ugwueze's administration, which involves the planting of ornamental trees and flowers along major highways and which is underway, is novel, and would bring the good old days of serenity, back to Nsukka City.
In the area of Power and Electricity, Hon. Barr. Ugwueze, within his one hundred days in office, has already procured a transformer for the good people of Ibeku Opi Ward, installed it and expanded electricity to areas it had not reached.
In his on-going Roads Grading and Rehabilitation programme, the road network in Nsukka Mechanic Village, (Site) has already beneffited. The Fem Park- Iheagu Road, a major mid-vein road in Nru ward, has been sorted out. Many other roads are already in line and are only waiting for the rainy season to abate.
The administration of Barr Ugwueze, within a hundred days, have concluded every plans to build the first ever Computer/GSM Village in Nsukka LGA, in collaboration with Nsukka Youth Association, Abuja Branch. This project when completed, will be a huge boost in the area of empowerment for Nsukka Youths.
One other area Hon. Barr. Ugwueze's administration is also holding sway, is in its humanitarian disposition. Daily, his office is besieged by people in need of one form of financial support or the other and oftentimes, the way and manner they are attended to, is a marvel to them, as the Mayor's kind-heartedness always takes the pride of place.
However, the humanitarian posture of Hon. Ibeziako's administration, perhaps, came to climax recently, when during the 2020 Independence Day Celebration, he traversed Nsukka LGA, visiting several hospitals and homes, interfacing with the old, the sick, the downtrodden, and the poorest-of-the poor, and blessing them massively with huge cash reliefs.
And, demonstrating high level of responsiveness, he crowned that day with a visit to Ikwoka Community, in Obimo-Ikwoka Ward, where flooding had ravaged the Community and had rendered the agrarian enclave and its residents, helpless. There, he had blessed them with massive palliatives comprising bags of rice, beans, Corn, Bambara nuts (Okpa), cartons of noodles and tubers of yam. Till today, tales of those his magnanimous gestures are still being told around Nsukka LGA and beyond.
The youth constituency in Nsukka LGA is in for a new narrative in Hon. Barr. Ugwueze's administration. With a new coporate collaboration being forstered by the administration with the relevant authoritities in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, the stage is set for a new phase in skill acquisition and empowerment for the Nsukka youth. Yet the Skill Acquisition Center, the Hon. Barr. Ugwueze Administration has started building from foundation, the first of its kind in Nsukka LGA, is very, very timely.
To the good people of Nsukka, Hon. Barr. Cosmas Ugwueze is Godsent. They have witnessed the most peaceful and secured one hundred days, in recent history. They will remain eternally grateful to Rt. Hon. Dr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for the gift of Ugwueze.
For Hon. Barr. Ugwueze and his team, it has indeed, been an adventourous, busy one hundred days.
*Ejike Okpe, Media, Nsukka LGA.*
