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Ugwuanyi’s Infrastructural Revolution And The King Making Of Maga City
By Jeff Ejiofor
According to Narendra Modi, a great Indian political thinker, good governance is treating development as a mass movement in order to see that fruits of development reach the poor and the downtrodden. Without fear of contradiction, Enugu State under the able leadership of Gov Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is a complete replica of the above definition.
Apart from the rural development policy of his administration which is geared towards impacting positively on the masses, he has taken practical steps towards the expansion of Enugu City more than any other government in recent history so as to address the fundamental needs of the citizens with regard to accommodation.
At the inception of his government, he made it abundantly clear that extending the frontiers of development to outskirts of Enugu to expand the city and resolve the congestion problem occasioned by increased influx of people is a cardinal principle of his regime. From available records of his performance, he has not only pursued this objective with all sense of vigour, but has been able to make appreciable progress.
According to him at inception, Enugu is saturated and therefore needed expansion through extention of infrastructure and housing to outskirts of the city with a view to creating new settlements.
In a bid to achieve this noble goal of responsive governance, Ugwuanyi invested heavily in expansion of infrastructure and multipple housing estates in and around Enugu metropolis. He has widened the provision of basic social amenities to support this worthy socio- economic revolution and realise the dream of new Enugu that can handle its increasing population explosion.
As a leader with private sector background, Ugwuanyi has provided enabling environment for individuals to develop settlements via Public Private Patnership where government provides infrastructure and partners with private investors to develop virgin areas. This progressive approach has led to the springing up of many housing estates for both the low and medium income earners across Enugu metropolis.
Enugu- Port Harcourt Express Way harbours many of such settlements in addition to the development of an ultra modern building material market designed to decongest Uwani Layout through the relocation of Kenyatta Market.
For the records, some of the new settlements in Enugu as a result of this proactive inclination of Ugwuanyi’s administration include Diamond Estate, Ivavaley Extension, Amorji Extension, New Haven Extension, WTC Estate, Rangers Estate, Hill View Estate, Harmony Estate, Citadel Estate Phase 1&2, Valley Estate, Transparency Estate, Library Estate, Coal City View Satellite Estate containing 750 Housing Units for civil servants, Palm Spring Oasis Estate, and a host of others. It is a well known fact that this revolution wouldn’t have been feasible without the enabling policies of Gov Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s administration.
However, the climax of this expansion drive of Gov. Ugwuanyi is the conception of New Enugu City located behind Independence Layout Extension. This City which will have all the basic amenities befitting of a modern settlement will provide a viable alternative to Independence Layout and other increasingly congested highbrow areas of Enugu.
The New Enugu City if completed will usher Enugu, the coal city into the league of mega cities in Nigeria. The place which is also larger in size than Independence Layout, New Haven and GRA put together, is currently receiving massive infrastructure and basic social amenities to facilitate its development to a modern city.
For the purpose of clarity, It is good to highlight some concrete and latent policies of Enugu State Government under Gburugburu which facilitated the realization of this goal. Unarguably there is no way such efforts could be swept under the carpet when discussing the current expansion of Enugu metropolis considering their pivotal roles. Ugwuanyi constructed Nike Lake Junction- Harmony- Adoration- Emene Road to open up that axis for expansion of development.
This Road reputed to be the longest single road in Enugu metropolis has accelerated development and given birth to a reasonable number of new settlements around the place. Also, construction of Carrittas University Road from Adoration area is another catalyst for expansion of development.
The current construction of a flyover at T Junction, Nike Lake Road is another key factor to the development of new settlements along Opi Nsukka Road. The Flyover has the capacity to allay fears of traffic gridlock being expressed by potential developers/residents. Reconstruction of Miliken Hill Road made it possible for development to extend to Ngwo with many people now living there and driving their daily activities in Enugu. Provision of Amaechi Bridge was another infrastructure aiding expansion of Enugu as many people now take development to the place in view of its proximity to the city.
All these have enhanced rapid development and expansion of Enugu beyond expectations, and the credit certainly goes to Ugwuanyi’s responsible leadership.
Apparently, no Governor in modern Enugu history has paid such keen attention to estate development and city expansion as Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi probably because of his belief that shelter is a fundamental necessity of life. His administration’s pro people policy through welfare and human capital development has engendered a progressive Enugu where people from all walks of life now come to seek greener pastures.
In some of Narendra Modi words on good governance, “mere good governance is not enough, but has to be pro-people and pro-active. Good governance is putting people at the center of development process”. Ugwuanyi’s Enugu no doubt encompasses development in its true form as enunciated above by the great Narendra Modi, and this is directly responsible for the influx currently going on in the city. This is however possible because of the natural phenomenon that when a place is fertile and peaceful, people tend to settle there and search for better living.
In conclusion, this development strategy by Ugwuanyi is undoubtedly a masterstroke and has repositioned Enugu State for greater role in 21st century Eastern Nigeria economy. Enugu unarguably stands out as the pride of the East and one of the largest economies in Nigeria today. As a matter of fact, it will amount to intellectual dishonesty for any scholar to write the story of modern Enugu without recourse to Ugwuanyi’s transformation drive whose testimony transcends the length and breath of Enugu State. In no distant time definitely, with the rate of development going on in Enugu today and the existing peaceful atmosphere, the city will become one of Nigeria’s most viable state capitals. Gburugburu’s emergence as the 4th civilian Governor of Enugu State is indeed timely and divinely ordained. The entire Wawa Nation will forever owe God a profound gratitude for such a prudent and visionary leader at this critical moment of global economic downturn.
Enugu is in the safe hands of God.
Featured
NELFUND: The Renewed Hope Engine Propelling Nigeria’s Youth into Tomorrow
By Dayo Israel, National Youth Leader, APC
As the National Youth Leader of the All Progressives Congress, I have spent most of my tenure fighting for a Nigeria where every young person, regardless of their ward or local government, family income, or circumstance, can chase dreams without the chains of financial despair.
Today, that fight feels like victory, thanks to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). Launched as a cornerstone of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, this initiative isn’t just a policy tweak; it’s a revolution. And under the steady, visionary hand of Managing Director Akintunde Sawyerr, NELFUND has transformed from a bold promise into a roaring engine of opportunity, disbursing over ₦116 billion to more than 396,000 students and shattering barriers for over a million applicants.
Let’s be clear: NELFUND was always destined to be a game-changer. Signed into law by President Tinubu on April 3, 2024, it repealed the outdated 2023 Student Loan Act, replacing it with a modern, inclusive framework that covers tuition, upkeep allowances, and even vocational training—ensuring no Nigerian youth is left on the sidelines of progress.
But what elevates it from groundbreaking to generational? Leadership. Enter Akintunde Sawyerr, the diplomat-turned-executioner whose career reads like a blueprint for results-driven governance. From co-founding the Agricultural Fresh Produce Growers and Exporters Association of Nigeria (AFGEAN) in 2012—backed by icons like former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Dr. Akinwumi Adesina—to steering global logistics at DHL across 21 countries, Sawyerr brings a rare alchemy: strategic foresight fused with unyielding accountability.
As NELFUND’s pioneer MD, he’s turned a fledgling fund into a finely tuned machine, processing over 1 million applications since May 2024 and disbursing ₦116 billion—₦61.33 billion in institutional fees and ₦46.35 billion in upkeep—to students in 231 tertiary institutions nationwide. That’s not bureaucracy; that’s brilliance.
Sawyerr’s touch is everywhere in NELFUND’s ascent. Since the portal’s launch, he’s overseen a digital ecosystem that’s as transparent as it is efficient—seamless verification, BVN-linked tracking, and real-time dashboards that have quashed misinformation and built trust. In just 18 months, the fund has empowered 396,252 students with interest-free loans, many first-generation learners who might otherwise have dropped out.
Sensitization drives in places like Ekiti and Ogun have spiked applications — 12,000 in a single day in one instance, while expansions to vocational centers in Enugu pilot the next wave of skills-based funding. And amid challenges like data mismatches and fee hikes, Sawyerr’s team has iterated relentlessly: aligning disbursements with academic calendars, resuming backlogged upkeep payments for over 3,600 students, and even probing institutional compliance to safeguard every kobo. This isn’t management; it’s mastery—a man who doesn’t just lead but launches futures.
Yet, none of this happens in a vacuum. President Tinubu’s alliance with trailblazers like Sawyerr is the secret sauce securing Nigeria’s tomorrow. The President’s Renewed Hope Agenda isn’t rhetoric; it’s resources—₦100 billion seed capital channeled into a system that prioritizes equity over elitism. Together, they’ve forged a partnership where vision meets velocity: Tinubu’s bold repeal of barriers meets Sawyerr’s boots-on-the-ground execution, turning abstract policy into tangible triumphs. It’s a synergy that’s non-discriminatory by design—Christians, Muslims, every tribe and tongue united in access—fostering national cohesion through classrooms, not courtrooms.
As Sawyerr himself notes, this is “visionary leadership” in action, where the President’s political will ignites reforms that ripple across generations.
Why does this matter to us, Nigeria’s youth? Because NELFUND isn’t handing out handouts—it’s handing out horizons. In a country where 53% of us grapple with unemployment, these loans aren’t just funds; they’re fuel for innovation, entrepreneurship, and endurance.
Picture it: A first-generation polytechnic student in Maiduguri, once sidelined by fees, now graduates debt-free (repayments start two years post-NYSC, employer-deducted for ease) and launches a tech startup. Or a vocational trainee in Enugu, equipped with skills funding, revolutionizing local agriculture. This is quality education that endures—not fleeting certificates, but lifelong launchpads. Sawyerr’s focus on human-centered design ensures loans cover not just books, but bread—upkeep stipends of ₦20,000 monthly keeping hunger at bay so minds can soar. Under his watch, NELFUND has debunked doubts, refuted fraud claims, and delivered results that scream sustainability: Over ₦99.5 billion to 510,000 students by September, with 228 institutions on board.
As youth leaders, we see NELFUND for what it is: A covenant with our future. President Tinubu and MD Sawyerr aren’t just allies; they’re architects of an educated, empowered Nigeria—one where poverty’s grip loosens with every approved application, and innovation blooms from every funded desk. This isn’t charity; it’s an investment in the 70 million of us who will lead tomorrow.
We’ve crossed one million applications not because of luck, but leadership—a duo that’s turning “access denied” into “future unlocked.”
To President Tinubu: Thank you for daring to dream big and backing it with action.
To Akintunde Sawyerr: You’re the executor we needed, proving that one steady hand can steady a nation.
And to every Nigerian youth: Apply. Graduate. Conquer.
Because with NELFUND, your generation isn’t just surviving—it’s thriving, enduring, and eternal.
The Renewed Hope isn’t a slogan; it’s our story, now written in scholarships and success. Let’s keep turning the page.
Dayo Israel is the National Youth Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
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