…Mbah: Enugu has changed for the better
The Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Aisha Garba, has hailed the Governor Peter Mbah Administration for its massive investment in education, noting that there is no better governor than one who gives the gift of education to the children and youths of a state.
Garba praised the administration for scaling up the smart school initiative, saying that with 268 Smart Green Schools standing and the large budgetary allocations to the education sector, Mbah stands out in a class of his own as a performing governor worthy of emulation.
She spoke on Wednesday during Governor Mbah’s campaign tour of Mbulu-Ujodo and Enugu East Central Development Centres and the commissioning of Smart Green Schools and Type 2 Primary Healthcare Centres built by the Mbah Administration in those parts of Enugu East Local Government Area of the state.
The projects toured or commissioned include Smart Green Schools at Ugbo Odogwu Campus, Ibagwa Nike Campus, Airport Campus, and Amankpaka Nike Campus, as well as Type 2 Primary Healthcare Centres at Ugbo-Owa, Edem Nike, Neke Uno, and Ugwogo Nike.
Commissioning the Smart Green School, Ibagwa Nike Campus, the UBEC boss said, “I have seen what the best performing governor has done in Enugu. Within basic education, Enugu State has the highest budget allocation across Nigeria when it comes to education.
“The smart school model is one of the models that was introduced by UBEC. That was about three to four years ago. And when it was introduced, UBEC built one school in each of the states. We did it as a model for the state governors to take it on board as well as scale it up.
“Today, your governor has built over 268 of this particular school. And each school is inclusive of technology, security measures, special needs, energy, and everything else that you will need under a quality education in a conducive environment. And today, I am happy and lucky to be here commissioning one of them.
“I also know from my meeting with him yesterday that a lot more is coming to the education sector. So, there is no better governor than a governor that will give the gift of education to your children, investing in the future of your children.
“He has invested so well in human capital development, which is one of the biggest investments any leader can make in a state. So, I would like to appreciate this as well as also encourage all other governors to do what Enugu State is doing.”
She commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, noting that the bold reforms under his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda had made resources available for states to execute projects that touch the lives of the people.
Speaking to the people of the Development Centres, Mbah described the Smart Green School initiative as the smartest thing to do to not only prepare the children of Enugu State for the workplace of today and tomorrow but also to ensure that all that is being built today is sustainable.
“We did not do it for bragging rights. We did it because we know that that is the smartest investment to make. Of course, we know we also have pressure in other sectors. We have the roads, the infrastructure deficit. But we also recognised that if we are able to invest in these kids and imbue them with the right skills, if we have challenges in other sectors, they would be the ones to fix it. They would also sustain all that we are building today.
“So, we also put our money where our mouth is. Whereas UNESCO recommends between 15 per cent and 20 per cent investment in education, we went further by investing 33 per cent, twice the UNESCO benchmark,” he stated.
The Governor expressed happiness that while there was still so much work to be done, Enugu State was changing for the better and enjoined the people to vote for the All Progressives Congress (APC) all the way come 2027.
“Enugu has changed from what it was three years ago to a better state. We have enumerated all the unpaved roads in Emene, and all the unpaved roads are going to be paved. We have also begun the reticulation of water, and it will get to every household.
“We are going to continue delivering dividends of democracy to our people. So, we all are expected to come out en masse and vote for all the APC candidates,” he charged the people.
Speaker after speaker, including the Council Chairman of Enugu East, Hon. Beloved Dan Anike; Member Representing Enugu East Rural Constituency, Hon. Raymond Ugwu; APC Candidate for Enugu East/Isi-Uzo Federal Constituency, Hon. Chijioke Edeoga; former House of Representatives Member, Hon. Cornelius Nnaji; Nollywood star, Rachael Okonkwo (Nkoli Nwa Nsukka); Senator Representing Enugu East Senatorial Zone, Senator Kelvin Chukwu; Director-General of Enugu APC Campaign Council, Chief Charlie Mbah; Commissioner for Labour and Productivity, Dr. Felix Nnamani; and Chief Joseph Ugwumba, among others, commended the APC-led federal and state governments for the many blessings and projects that had positively touched the lives of the people of the area.
