The governor speaks on how he intends to make a difference in Enugu State.
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has called for the devolution of more powers to states, describing it as the only catalyst for the socio-economic development of Nigeria.
Mr Mbah said that Nigeria's presidential federalism, which vested too much powers and revenues in the centre, is a major setback to speedy socio-economic development in Nigeria.
The governor's position is contained in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant, External Relations, Uche Anichukwu, on Sunday in Enugu.
Mr Mbah, according to the statement, made the call at a public lecture entitled "Enugu State, Nigeria: New Political Leadership; Bold Economic Vision - Spotlight on the Health and Education Strategies" which he delivered at the London School of Economics.
Mr Mbah likened Nigeria's brand of federalism to a man with 36 children, but who overworked a few till they became too weak.
The governor said that the ensuing hard times should be seen as an opportunity to overhaul the nation's production strategy.
He commended the transfer of railways and power from the Exclusive to Concurrent List to enable the states to play a role in those sectors.
"Mbah lauded the ongoing discussions and predisposition of the President Bola Tinubu Administration towards the devolution of more powers to the federating units.
"The choice of a presidential system might have been well-informed, shaped by the inherent benefits of federalism in other countries with populations as vast and diverse as ours.
"But our presidential federalism has bred a system where revenue is excessively domiciled at the centre rather than in the states or regions," the statement quoted the governor as saying.
He added that "such hypothetical scenario can only breed dire economic prospects for the family and should ordinarily push its hard-pressed members to take some swift and critical actions to improve their precarious financial state.
"The challenge, as we have seen, is finding the will and having the capacity to do so".
Mr Mbah noted that while discussion on further devolution continued, leaders at all levels could make a difference by applying political will, people-centered and transcendental leadership.
"At the heart of our socio-economic challenge is the issue of leadership deficit. This has always been the bane of our development.
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Vision for Enugu
The governor noted that despite the widespread clamour and yearning for leaders with transcendental values, leadership failure remained a recurring decimal.
He noted that a good leader was basically a visionary and should not merely peddle hope, but demonstrate a capacity to translate dreams into reality.
"This briefly summarizes our turnaround tale in Enugu State in roughly nine months.
"The single boldest projection that encapsulates what we intend to accomplish is our target to grow the economy of Enugu State seven-fold.
"Simply put, our vision is to grow the state's GDP from $4.4bn - that we met - to at least $30bn in the next four to eight years.
"Another bold plan is the commitment to attain a zero per cent poverty headcount index in Enugu State," he stressed.
Governor Mbah further said that his administration's investments in security, health, education, agriculture, and water sectors, among others, were part of the overall strategy to turn the state's fortune around.
