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NIGERIA@60 AND ENUGU@29: REFLECTIONS ON GOVERNOR UGWUANYI’S STERLING ACHIEVEMENTS IN ENUGU STATE

Published

5 years ago

October 2, 2020

Ifeanyi Ogenyi

Every October,1 marks Nigeria Independence Anniversary. But whether Nigeria is truly independent of an external rule or not is a critical question still begging for answers. I don’t intend to talk much about Nigeria because the nation today, is crumbling and falling apart right under our watch because we have refused to rise up to the occasions, muster the required courage and moral authority to set things right, and build bridges of fraternity and friendship; and ensure that there are justice and fairness to all in the land.

It is no longer news that Nigerians are currently feeling the heavy burden of the present economic downturn.

However, it is heart-warming to state that Enugu State @29 has witnessed unprecedented rapid development under the leadership of His Excellency, Rt.Hon.Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi despite all these challenges. Enugu is not enmeshed in the social crisis ravaging nearly the entire nation. The people’s lives and property are highly secured in Enugu.

Truth be told, Enugu people and it’s residents are living witnesses to Gov.Ugwuanyi’s giant strides in infrastructural development, and those who are truly following his administration’s policies and programmes since 2015 would readily give eloquent testimonies that Enugu State has made outstanding and appreciable progress in many sectors.

It is a true statement of fact, that Gov.Ugwuanyi met a recessed economy and other scary challenges when he assumed office in 2015 but he confronted the challenges headlong and warded the storms of the unpaid backlog of salaries, arrears of pensions, and inherited high debt profile.

Realizing that there are high expectations from his administration, Gov. Ugwuanyi promptly set new developmental agendas for Ndi Enugu premised on inclusive governance and political participation, peace and security, social justice and services, infrastructural development, the general welfare of the people, and a bipartisanship approach to governance.

Evidently, Gov. Ugwuanyi’s administration has recorded quality and landmark achievements in those key areas he set out as his points agendas with the rural areas in the State having been brought to the mainstream of development.

His administration has sustained the development tempo and has also fundamentally enthroned peace in a sustainable manner in the State. And this amongst other considerations has earned him the recent award of the prestigious honour of Global Peace Ambassador by GASCO and also his induction as the first Fellow of the Institute of Peace, Conflict and Development Studies in recognition of his sterling qualities and achievements in Enugu since 2015 especially in the area of Peace-building.

Bringing his managerial acumen to the fore, Gov. Ugwuanyi remarkably repositioned Enugu State Board of Internal Revenue Services for optimal performance and sound revenue generation; and this has given rise to the increased State internal revenue generation.

Consequently, the recent report published by the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics ( ” NBS”) on the 22/5/20, Enugu was rated as the 9th Best IGR generating State in Nigeria. Also, a Mid-2019 report by “NBS” rated Enugu as one of the six states in Nigeria that recorded the highest net gains in full employment between 2017-2019.

Furthermore, the quest for opening up of rural areas in the State so as to give the rural dwellers a sense of belonging to Gov.ugwuanyi’s administration could have spawned the unprecedented infrastructural development in the rural areas of the State. The hitherto neglected communities in the State today could find themselves in the mainstream of development as a result of Gov.Ugwuanyi’s empathy for the neglected and marginalized.

This infrastructural development which cut across the State includes the road projects executed such as Umualor-Eha-Amufu Road, Neke-Mbu- Ogboaba Road linking Isi-Uzo and Udenu LGAs, Mbu- Eha-Alumona Junction Road, Inyi-Akpugoeze Rd in Orji River, Udenu Ring Rd, Dualized Opi- Nsukka Rd, Amuri-Agbani Rd, Ukpabi-Nimbo-Ugbene Ajima-Eziani Rd in Uzo Uwani, part of Eha-Amufu-Ikem Rd, Ogonogoeji Ndiagu-Akpugo Rd and the reconstructed 9th Mile-Milken Hill Rd, etc. His interventions in the education sectors and health sectors are also outstanding. Apart from rehabilitation and upgrading of the existing health facilities in the State, the People’s Governor sometime in June 2020 awarded the construction of new seven Type-3 Specialist Hospitals in the seven LGAs of the State. Today, the said hospitals have all been roofed and work is earnestly in progress.

It is also on record that Enugu State is among the first few States that promptly approved and fully implemented the payment of the 30,000 minimum wage for workers. With the implementation of payment of the minimum wage in Enugu,a State known as a Civil Servants State, the wage bill geometrically increased without a corresponding increase in the monthly federal allocations,a situation that has foisted on the State a lean Treasury. But despite all these, the State has sustained it’s consistent and prompt payment of workers full salaries and even pensions by the 23rd of every month thereby boosting the morale of the workers.

Undisputably, Gov. Ugwuanyi is an astute resources manager whose exceptional financial wizardry and managerial ingenuity could have catalysticized such sterling achievements in the face of the daunting challenges of the recession and the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Based on the foregoing, one can safely say that His Excellency Rt.Hon.Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has simply demonstrated by his bipartisanship approach to governance that conflicts management is practicable and peace is achievable; and that democracy can be giving its the true meaning and a better direction as the government of the people by the people and for the people.

It is in view of Gov.Ugwuanyi’s numerous achievements in these five years that we proudly say that he has outstandingly performed and therefore needs the people’s continued support for more achievements.

Indeed, Enugu is in the Hands of God!

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Daughters of Dr. Charles Ononiwu, Chiamanda and Chiamaka, Launch Debut Books to Uplift Hearts Facing Life’s Struggles

Published

4 weeks ago

October 10, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

At just 18 and 20 years old, Chiamanda and Chiamaka Ononiwu — daughters of renowned Nigerian surgeon Dr. Charles Ononiwu — have achieved a remarkable milestone with the release of their debut inspirational books, Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls.

Their literary journey began six years ago, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was engulfed in fear and uncertainty, the then 13- and 15-year-old sisters turned inward, using writing as an outlet to process their emotions, express their faith, and reach out to others with messages of hope and resilience.

What began as a quiet act of creativity blossomed into two powerful books that now serve as beacons of light for readers navigating life’s storms.

Eighteen-year-old Chiamanda Ononiwu is the author of Do Not Be Afraid. A passionate Electrical Engineering student , she is also a proud alumna of Intellichild TLC and Valedictorian of Great Blessings School, Class of 2022.

In her book, she addresses the emotional challenges many young people face and draws from her personal faith to offer guidance and encouragement.

Her elder sister, Chiamaka Ononiwu, 20, is a final-year medical student at Babcock University in Nigeria. She penned Waterfalls, a heartfelt and deeply spiritual work she describes as divinely inspired. Chiamaka views her writing as a calling — a mission to uplift souls and bring hope to those struggling with life’s challenges.

“Personally, I would say it all started with the idea of inclusion, inspired by real human experiences,” Chiamaka shared. “We’ve had conversations with people who’ve gone through difficult situations — including issues and those stories helped shape what I write today.”

She added, “It’s all about encouraging people to face life with faith. We began this journey during a dark time in the world, and I felt called to create something that could offer comfort and hope — not just locally, but globally.”

The official book launch and signing ceremony took place on Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and was attended by family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. It was a celebration of creativity, faith, and youthful brilliance, as the sisters presented their work to an inspired audience.

Speaking at the event, Chiamaka emphasized the core message of her book: “Waterfalls reminds readers that God is always watching over His people. He doesn’t bring fear — He brings peace, hope, and love. I want readers to find comfort and assurance in that truth.”

For Chiamanda, her book is a message to young people who may feel overwhelmed by life’s pressures: “Do Not Be Afraid is especially for youth navigating difficult times. No matter how hard life gets, you can always find strength and direction in God’s word.”

Writing came naturally to both sisters. Chiamaka recalled, “Even as a child, I loved writing short stories for my siblings. When the opportunity came to publish, I knew it was time to share my message with a wider audience.”

Despite their demanding academic paths, both young women balanced their studies with writing through perseverance and faith.

Chiamanda and Chiamaka are united by a shared dream — to inspire people across the world with their writing.

Chiamaka expressed Further; “Our biggest hope is that these books will reach people who need to know that God is real, that He’s always with them, and that through Him, anything is possible,” Chiamaka said.

With Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls, the Ononiwu sisters have not only created literary works — they’ve created lifelines. Their voices, grounded in faith and driven by purpose, remind readers everywhere that even in the darkest moments, God’s light never fades.

Their father, Dr. Charles Ononiwu — a distinguished surgeon and deeply devoted parent — also spoke at the event, sharing the journey from his perspective.

“For me, my number one priority has always been to care for children — not just medically, but also by encouraging them academically and in the basics of life,” he said.

He recounted a moving moment with Chiamanda, who approached him with the idea of sharing her story publicly to inspire others.

“She came to me and said she wanted to talk to her peers, to share how she had been comforted, and to help them see that everything would be okay,” he recalled. “As a father, my role was to guide her. I support both of them, help activate their strengths, and provide direction.”

Dr. Ononiwu made the decision to fund the publication of their books himself, believing in the power of their message.

“I told them, ‘You have something the world needs. You can make an impact in the lives of others,’” he said. “I believe every child has a gift. It is our responsibility as parents not to dismiss them, but to help them discover and nurture their talents.”

He encouraged all parents to support their children’s creative pursuits, noting, “Every person has something special inside them — no one is without talent. It’s just a matter of looking inward, discovering that gift, and sharing it with the world.”

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