This is an assessment of the governor's performance since he assumed office in May 2023.
On 29 May 2023, when a former Commissioner for Finance, Peter Mbah, assumed office as the governor of Enugu State, he promised to grow the state's economy, build infrastructure and invest in youth empowerment to stop emigration.
"We will retool and re-energise our agriculture/agro-allied sector. We will unlock our rural economy through the implementation of Special Economic Zones and Special Agro-allied Processing Zones. We also plan to provide a N100 billion revolving fund for our SMEs in partnership with the Private Sector and other Development Financial Institutions," he said in his inaugural address.
Mr Mbah also reiterated his earlier promise, before his election, to end perennial water scarcity in the city centre within 180 days of assumption of office.
"In the area of water, Ndi Enugu are aware of our promise to ensure availability of water in our homes in the Enugu metropolis in 180 days' time. We reiterate this promise here. Furthermore, we will waste no time in replicating the same feat in Nsukka, Udi and Awgu Axis," the governor promised.
Water provision
On 25 November 2023, which marked the 180th day of Mr Mbah's administration in Enugu, the governor inaugurated the Ninth Mile Water Scheme. Days earlier, he inaugurated another water scheme in Oji River, boasting that he had kept to his word of ending water scarcity in the state.
The governor said the Ninth Mile Water Scheme produces 70 million litres of water daily while the Oji River Water Scheme produces 50 million litres daily, bringing the total to 120 million litres daily. Mr Mbah said the total used to be two million litres of water daily.
He equally built 96 public taps, otherwise known as water galleries, across the state to enable households and establishments yet to be connected to the water pipeline grid to have water.
While the promise and efforts by Mr Mbah remain commendable given that no administration had taken this bold step in the past, the promise to end water scarcity in the state in 180 days was not fulfilled. Despite the huge water schemes, water is yet to "run in all homes."
However, PREMIUM TIMES can confirm that there is improved water supply in areas connected to the old water pipeline grid.
But this newspaper can also confirm that, apart from the inaugural day, water has not rushed in almost all the 96 water galleries built by the governor across the state. In fact, taps are yet to be fixed in nearly all the water galleries in the state.
The state government has consistently blamed the activities of vandals for its inability to make water available in all homes in the state.
"We didn't just say a 180 days because we felt that it was a low-hanging fruit that can easily be notched, (but) we did say that because looking at the wishes of our people, we knew where water ranked on that wish list and we were in a hurry to make sure we got kicked off from that wish list," Mr Mbah said during a pre-first anniversary media chat on 27 May.
The governor, nevertheless, acknowledged that distributing the water to various homes has been a challenge to his administration.
"However, we are still having to deal with challenges - where we are trying to make sure that water gets to the last man (so that) every home turns on their taps and has water running. That's where the challenges are, beyond dealing with the fact that people vandalise the pipes as we are installing them," he said.
The governor noted that the water supply to various homes and offices had been hampered by the changing of old asbestos pipes to modern ductile pipes. He said the old pipes had become "brittle and corroded" and could barely contain the water pressure.
"Once that process is complete, a city-wide reticulation would be achieved," Mr Mbah said without giving any date.
Economic growth
Economic growth and development were among the major promises of Mr Mbah both in his campaign manifesto and his inaugural address. The governor had said he would grow the state's Gross Domestic Product from its current $4 billion to $30 billion in the next four to eight years.
One year later, Mr Mbah has shown commitment to fulfil this pronouncement. For instance, the governor has entered into partnerships with various local and international companies and governments to boost internally generated revenue (IGR).
Such partnering companies and governments include Ethiopian Airlines, the UK government, the Austrian government and Pragmatic Palms Limited which signed a N100 billion deal with the government to revive the moribund United Palm Products Limited in the state.
Also, the governor has revived the tax system in the state to improve the state's internally generated revenue (IGR). He also increased the tax rate, particularly for businesses.
However, while the decision may augur well for the state's IGR in the coming years, residents and businesses lament the situation.
A shop owner in Ogbete Market Enugu, Maduka Mmadu, told PREMIUM TIMES that the state government increased their shop levy to N21,000 annually from less than N4,000 previously paid.
"We're struggling to meet up," Mr Mmadu, who sells electronics, said.
Tricycle riders said they now pay N400 daily as ticket fees instead of N150 previously paid, while wheelbarrow pushers pay N200.
The situation is the same for hoteliers. Some businesses that recently defaulted in tax payments were sealed by the government.
Despite evidence to the contrary, Mr Mbah insisted that he did not increase the tax rate in the state, but only "expanded the tax net" to accommodate businesses that have not been paying tax over the years in the state.
Meanwhile, the governor's efforts in growing the state's economy are yet to be felt by residents in the face of current economic hardship across Nigeria.
But an economist, Cletus Agu, told PREMIUM TIMES that Mr Mbah's heavy investments in infrastructure, education and security will drive economic growth later.
"Enugu State, when compared to other states in the South-east, is doing well. He (Mbah) is doing very well and trying his best. His investments in roads, water and others will take time to mature," said Mr Agu, a professor of economics at the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN).
Security
Upon assumption of office, Mr Mbah expressed anger with the rising attacks by gunmen in the state. The governor consequently declared an end to the infamous sit-at-home order in Enugu often enforced by a faction of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) across south-east Nigeria.
He followed up the declaration by empowering and directing security agencies, particularly the Nigerian Army, to station personnel in strategic locations of the state to thwart efforts by enforcers of the illegal action.
The move, he said, was to make an economic boom possible in the state given that economic growth is impossible in an area with limited business activities.
Mr Mbah subsequently set up a new police team called Distress Response Squad to patrol the metropolis and respond to security emergencies. The governor provided the new police team with vehicles to aid their patrol operations.
As a result, security in the state has improved significantly although pockets of attacks are still being recorded. The IPOB's sit-at-home, though yet to end, has waned in the state.
A security expert, Nnamdi Anekwe, told PREMIUM TIMES that Governor Mbah has fared well in securing the state.
"I think prior to his coming (as governor), the situation was quite tense. Some of his earlier actions calmed the situation in Enugu State. By giving the law enforcement the necessary logistics and trying to encourage them in terms of welfare, the situation, compared to what it was before he resumed, is fair," Mr Anekwe said.
Infrastructural development
Mr Mbah has delivered some road projects. As of the time of filing this report, the governor has commissioned about 71 rehabilitated and reconstructed roads in the state.
Some of the road projects were facilitated by the past chairpersons of local government areas in the state.
Mr Mbah recently began the construction of a 40-kilometre Owo-Ubahu-Amankanu-Neke-Ikem Dual Carriageway.
Some of the projects already commissioned by the governor include NOWAS-Abakpa Market Road, St. Peter's Catholic Church Street Road, Damidja-Trans Ekulu Road, and College Road.
Like the road projects, the governor has also awarded the construction of Enugu Transport Terminals in four strategic areas in the state - Holy Ghost Park, Gariki, Abakpa and Nsukka.
"We're creating a modern transportation interchange that literally opens up our beloved city and eliminates the enormous manpower that is lost to traffic on a daily basis," Mr Mbah said in his broadcast on 29 May.
As a result, several buildings and structures have been demolished in the areas by the state government amidst severe criticisms by some residents.
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One major step taken by the governor which has been severely criticised was his insistence to demolish Ogige Market in Nsukka where over 7,000 traders conduct their businesses.
Observers and critics say the governor ought to have sited the transport terminal in a virgin land like the spaces available in Opi Junction rather than demolish the market which provides livelihood for the traders in the face of biting economic hardship.
"There is no way anybody can justify the governor's action no matter how well-intentioned the actions are. He has not created any new jobs, but he is destroying people's means of livelihood," Chidiebere Nwachukwu, a senior lecturer in mass communication at UNN, said.
"What he is doing in Nsukka is evil because no alternative arrangements have been made for people to move their businesses to," Mr Nwachukwu said.
Education
Mr Mbah signaled his desire to invest in education when he allocated N134.5 billion to the sector which accounts for about 33 per cent of the total N521.5 billion 2024 budget.
The 33 per cent budgetary allocation exceeds the UNESCO benchmark of between 15 and 20 per cent recommended budgetary allocation to the education sector.
The governor has also begun the construction of smart schools in 260 electoral wards in the state. PREMIUM TIMES understands that one of the smart schools has been completed in Owo, a community in Nkanu East Local Government Area of the state.
PHOTO 9: One of the smart schools already completed in Owo, Nkanu East LGA
"Each Smart School features an interactive digital whiteboard, an internet system, robotics and artificial intelligence centre, modern ICT centre, two science laboratories, hybrid multimedia library, creative production studio, 25 inclusive classrooms and 700 Android tablets. Through these schools, we are nurturing a silent technological revolution," Mr Mbah said.
The impacts of these efforts are yet to be felt. However, many believe that if the state government should sustain the tempo and complete the ongoing projects, it will not take long before the state begins to benefit from them.
