Enugu State Governor Dr. Peter Mbah has inaugurated 68 newly appointed Development Centre Administrators, charging them to prioritize grassroots governance and ensure the effective communication of state policies and projects across the state. The swearing-in ceremony was held on Thursday at the International Conference Centre in Enugu, marking a significant step in the administration’s strategy to engage directly with local communities.
During his address, Governor Mbah emphasized that Development Centres represent the closest tier of government engagement with the populace. He described the oath of office as a social contract requiring integrity and service, stating, “Government is about the people, and we do not have an arm of government that is closer to the people than the Development Centres.” The administrator’s role is to complement, rather than replace, the statutory responsibilities of local governments while working closely with local government chairmen to ensure interventions reach intended beneficiaries.
The governor tasked the appointees with explaining the practical benefits of key administrative initiatives to residents, particularly in rural areas. Citing investments in Smart Green Schools and Type 2 Primary Healthcare Centres, Mbah instructed the administrators to educate communities on how these facilities would reduce maternal and child mortality, ensure timely childhood immunization, and improve access to essential healthcare services. He also urged them to sensitize residents on government interventions in water supply, sanitation, and the campaign to make Enugu an open-defecation-free state.
Beyond service delivery, the administration has positioned the Development Centres as platforms for political engagement. Governor Mbah disclosed that the government would conduct campaign and performance assessment engagements at these centers to showcase projects and achievements to the electorate. “Our campaign is going to be at the different Development Centres. We are going to go to all our Development Centres to point out to Ndi Enugu what we have done,” he said. The governor also reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to its 10,000-kilometre road development target, noting significant progress in tourism, transportation, and the payment of gratuities to retired workers at both state and local government levels.
Chief Frank Anioma, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Matters, described the inauguration as a demonstration of the governor’s commitment to effective grassroots administration. He charged the appointees to mobilize support for the governor’s re-election bid. In response, Kenechukwu Ikenegbu, an Administrator from Enugu North, pledged that the appointees would serve as the governor’s representatives through sustained engagement and door-to-door mobilization. Ikenegbu also affirmed their support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidates in the forthcoming elections.
The swearing-in was conducted by the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Osinachi Nnajieze. The event was witnessed by several high-ranking officials, including the Minister of Innovation Science and Technology Dr. Kingsley Udeh, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Uche Ugwu, the State Chairman of the APC Dr. Martin Chukwunwike, and the Secretary to the State Government Professor Chidiebere Onyia. Local government chairmen and other members of the state executive council were also in attendance.
<small>Source: The Sun Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
