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Enugu Government, An Embodiment Of Good Governance

Published

6 years ago

August 12, 2020

By Jeff Ejiofor

The current Enugu state government possesses all the features of good governance by virture of its unequalled democratic credentials as evidenced in its policies and mode of operation. Undoubtedly, considering the standard definition of good governance, the administration of Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is a complete epitome of what it represents. The governor has been able to embody quality governance through his style of leadership when properly weighed side by side with his contemporaries in Nigeria.

Accordingly, governance is the process of decision making and the process by which decisions are implemented or not. Particularly, Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, defines good governance as an essential complement to sound economic policies central to creating and sustaining an environment which fosters strong and equitable development. It is also defined as a way of measuring how public institutions conduct and manage public affairs and resources respectively.

Good governance thus has eight major principles and characteristics. It is participatory, transparent, consensus oriented, accountable, responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive, and follows the rule of law.

Sequel to the above insights on what good governance represents, the current administration of Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu state apparently epitomises it in all ramiffications and unequivocally qualifies to be ascribed as such. In order of sequence, may I intrinsically highlight the major principles of good governance as they relate to his government as follows for Nigerians to judge.

1, Partispatory governance is a major characteristics of Ugwuanyi’s administration which involves stakeholders in all major decisions of his government. He is the only governor that seeks the consent of local government stakeholders before appointing commissioners. He consults widely and allows the people to choose who to appoint into his cabinet and even his enemies cannot deny that.

2, Transparency is the hallmark of Ugwuanyi’s government through his consultative democracy where policy implementation is subjected to public debate and scrutiny. For example, he graciously sought the consent and opinion of community leaders before releasing money to them for the implementation of the 10 million naira one community one project policy in all the 471 autonomous communities of Enugu state. Enugu people in all honesty cannot deny this.

3, Consensus oriented governance is indeed the strength of Enugu government under Gov. Ugwuanyi and nobody will accuse him of anything like unilateral decision making. His quest for consensus in all his actions has made some undemocratic elements raise eyebrows about his leadership style. It is a well known fact that imposition of candidates seen in other places is alien to Enugu state. Even local government charmanship candidates usually emerge at the instance of the people through consensus without government interference.

4, Accountability is a direct product of transparent and participatory leadership which Ugwuanyi’s administration is undisputably known for. People’s opinions have always determined the direction of most of his policies. For example, he instituted a policy of one local government two projects worth 250 million naira in each of the 17 LGAs of the state and transparently allowed the citizens to make choice of preferred projects according to their comparative advantages. He also instructed the LG chairmen to ensure accountability in its implementation.

5, Rensponsiveness is a major aspect of Ugwuanyi’s government. His decision to end the unwarranted molestation of innocent motorists and Enugu citizens by agencies of government such as MOT and ESWAMA in his first two years in office is a clear evidence. He responded to the cries of the people and put a stop to that era of terror. He also promptly implemented the national minimum wage in response to the yearnings of Enugu workers.

6, Effective and effecient discharge of duties has become the strength of Ugwuanyi’s government leading to several feats as rated by many independent bodies. Good examples were the rating of Enugu state as second most condusive state in the ease of doing business in Nigeria and as well, one of the 10 most solvent states in the country by both local and international rating agencies. The records are obvious and clear for all to see.

7, Equitability and inclusiveness by the current Enugu government is not in doubt. As a matter of fact, no administration in the history of Enugu state has pursued policy of even distribution of projects and resources like Ugwuanyi’s government. He has been able to live above premodial sentiment in his choice of appointments and project distribution. This quality made him to be the first modern Enugu governor to appoint both chief of staff and secretary to the state government from zones other than his own. Siting of a critical infrastructure like Enugu State University of Education in Ihe, Awgu, another zone is a reflection of his detribalized nature. Ugwuanyi has also balanced his approach to governance by running an all inclusive policy. He never concentrated his policies on one sector of the economy unlike those who for instance face only infrastructure to the exclusion of other critical areas. Gburugburu’s regime is clearly all encompassing and it touches all aspects of governance which ranges from infrastructural provision, human capital development, welfare and wellbeing of citizens through good pay packages and empowernment programmes, security of lives and property to economic reinvigoration of the state.

8, Adherence to the rule of law is the hallmark of Ugwuanyi’s government. This is the only democratic governor east of the niger that accommodates all shades of opinion including the ones detrimental to his image. His government appears to be the only one that guarantees absolute press freedom and separation of power. Ugwuanyi has never been in conflict with either of the two other organs of government, legislature or judiciary. He has always given them free hand to operate within the ambit of the rule of law.

In conclusion, no discerning mind will be left in doubt as for the reason the policy actions of Enugu state government under the able leadership of Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi can be best described as good governance. Arguably, no governor in contemprary Nigeria possesses equal leadership qualities as espoused herein.

Enugu is indeed in the hands of God!

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Strategic Partnerships, Diaspora Investment and Improved Workforce Critical to Industrialization-DG RMRDC

Published

9 hours ago

November 12, 2026

The Gleamer

By: Stella Azi and Adaora Adibe

The Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Prof. Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, has called for a strategic shift from the exportation of raw commodities to domestic processing, manufacturing and value addition, declaring that Nigeria possesses enormous untapped raw material resources capable of driving industrialisation, creating jobs and strengthening the country’s economic competitiveness.

Prof. Ike-Muonso made this submission in a lecture titled Unlocking Nigeria’s Raw Material Value Chain for Industrialization, Manufacturing and Competitiveness, where he presented an extensive assessment of Nigeria’s resource endowments, industrial challenges and emerging investment opportunities across agricultural commodities, solid minerals and waste-based raw materials.

The lecture highlighted a combined US$2.65 trillion global market opportunity across 30 major raw material value chains, comprising 12 agricultural value chains valued at US$932 billion, 11 mineral value chains worth US$1.352 trillion and seven circular-economy value chains estimated at US$366 billion.

According to the RMRDC Boss, Nigeria must move beyond the traditional approach of extracting and exporting raw materials to building competitive domestic industries that transform these resources into intermediate products, industrial inputs and finished goods for local consumption and international markets.

He observed that the country’s manufacturing sector has struggled to sustain its 2014 peak, with its contribution to real Gross Domestic Product declining from 9.64 per cent in 2014 to 8.05 per cent in 2025, representing a 16.5 per cent decline. He also drew attention to the increasing cost of raw material imports, which rose to US$20.5 billion in 2025, approximately six times the 2020 level.

He explained that the growing dependence on imported industrial inputs exposes Nigerian manufacturers to foreign exchange volatility, increases production costs and weakens the competitiveness of locally manufactured products.

Prof. ke-Muonso stressed that the solution lies in developing domestic raw material value chains through deliberate investment in processing facilities, research and development, technology, infrastructure and stronger linkages between producers, processors and manufacturers.

He identified agriculture, solid minerals and industrial waste as three major resource platforms for Nigeria’s industrial transformation, stating the country’s significant production capacity and the enormous opportunities available for downstream processing.

Ike-Muonso noted that Nigeria produces over 63 million metric tonnes of cassava annually, making it the world’s largest producer, while also maintaining strong positions in cocoa, cashew, sesame, palm oil and cotton. However, more than 80 per cent of agricultural output leaves farms without adequate processing, resulting in the loss of significant economic value and industrial opportunities.

In the solid minerals sector, he identified more than 44 commercially viable minerals across over 500 locations, including lithium, gold, barite, bitumen, iron ore and high-grade limestone, describing them as strategic resources capable of supporting steel production, energy storage, electrification and advanced manufacturing.

The DG further drew attention to Nigeria’s industrial and agro-waste resources, noting that the country generates over 32 million tonnes of solid waste annually. He explained that agricultural residues, cassava peels, scrap metals, plastics and electronic waste could serve as important feedstock for bio-fertilisers, industrial chemicals, recycled polymers, energy production and other manufacturing applications.

In the agricultural sector, the DG identified cassava and industrial starch, cotton and natural textiles, natural rubber and elastomers, oil palm and oleochemicals, maize derivatives and cocoa processing as priority areas requiring increased investment.

He explained that processing agricultural commodities into industrial starch, sweeteners, textiles, technical rubber, specialty fats and other intermediate products would enable Nigeria to capture more value from its agricultural resources while reducing dependence on imported industrial inputs.

For the minerals sector, he highlighted crude oil-to-olefins and petrochemicals, lithium and energy storage, iron ore and steel, rare earth elements, bauxite and aluminium, and copper and electrification as strategic investment opportunities.

He particularly emphasised the importance of moving beyond mineral extraction into beneficiation, refining, battery precursors, industrial chemicals, metal fabrication and advanced materials production.

On the circular economy, Prof. Ike-Muonso identified electronic waste recovery, scrap metal recycling, plastic waste processing, agro-waste valorisation and battery recycling as emerging industrial opportunities.

He explained that transforming waste into productive industrial feedstock would not only reduce environmental pollution but also create new manufacturing industries, generate employment and reduce the importation of valuable industrial materials.

He noted that to address the structural challenges confronting raw material-based industrialisation, the DG highlighted the strategic interventions of the RMRDC, particularly the proposed 30% Value Addition Bill and the Nigeria Integrated Information Statistical System for Raw Materials and Products (NISSRAMP).

He described the 30% Value Addition Bill as an important policy instrument designed to encourage domestic processing of raw materials before export, strengthen local manufacturing capacity and guarantee access to essential raw materials for Nigerian industries, and NISSRAMP as a critical data infrastructure that would improve access to verified information on the availability, location and quality of raw materials.

According to him, the combination of appropriate policy instruments and reliable resource data would help de-risk investments, improve transparency and strengthen confidence in Nigeria’s raw material sector.

He emphasised the importance of collaboration among government, academia and industry in developing bankable projects, sharing investment risks and accelerating the establishment of processing and manufacturing facilities.

Professor Ike-Muonso called on Nigerians in the diaspora and other local and international investors to take advantage of the opportunities available in Nigeria’s raw material sector.

He identified industrial processing parks, mineral beneficiation and refining, agro-industrial platforms, circular-material processing, industrial input manufacturing and enabling infrastructure as viable investment platforms.

He noted that diaspora investors could contribute beyond financial capital by bringing technology, international business networks, governance standards, technical expertise and access to global markets.

He maintained that Nigeria’s industrial transformation requires coordinated investment across the entire value chain, from raw material sourcing and aggregation to processing, manufacturing, certification and export development.

Professor Ike-Muonso stressed that the country’s industrial future would depend not merely on the volume of raw materials extracted but on the capacity to transform them into competitive products that meet domestic and international market requirements.

He maintained that developing local value chains would stimulate industrial growth, create employment opportunities, diversify exports, conserve foreign exchange and deepen Nigeria’s technological capabilities.

Through its strategic interventions, the RMRDC is positioning itself as a critical bridge between resource availability, investment opportunities and industrial competitiveness, with the ultimate objective of transforming Nigeria from a predominantly raw material exporting economy into a strong manufacturing and value-adding nation.

Ike-Muonso has demonstrated this since assumption of office as the Director General/ CEO RMRDC in the area of capacity building, improved working conditions, promotion of merit, and maintaining a conducive environment that rewards excellence, innovation and dedication. This is evident in his institution of RMRDC training school, reward for winners of the RMRDC innovation challenge among others.

His commitment has brought recognition both nationally and internationally: Al-Jazirah double honour awards as Public Servant /Government Agency of the year 2024-2025 and the recent election as the Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Representative on the Board of the World Association of Industrial and Technological Research Organisations (WAITRO) is a attestation to his commitment.

Concluding the lecture, the DG charged staff, researchers, manufacturers and investors to see themselves as nation builders in the new era of raw materials-led industrialization.

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