Mbah, Enugu LG Chiefs Consolidate Project Funding Partnership

Governor Peter Mbah administration and the 17 local government areas have consolidated the state and local government projects funding partnership of 60 percent and 40 percent, respectively.

This came as the state government began the building of 300,000 hectares of agricultural land banks across the state to boost agricultural and agro-industrialisation.

The secretary to the state government (SSG), Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, made this known when he briefed the Government House Press Corps after a meeting of the State Economic Planning Commission.

He, however, said the commission would select from the projects already submitted by the council chairmen based on their expected impacts on rural economies.

Onyia said, “What is important to note is that the governor is interested in opening up all the rural areas to enhance and catalyse all their economic activities and potentials.

“The chairmen have already submitted projects, but those projects will have priorities in their selection. What the Economic Planning Commission Executive Chairman and his team are doing right now is to look at the projects, especially projects like road projects, educational projects, security projects, and the things that align to the state economic growth targets.

Also, the chairman of the Enugu State chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Hon. Sydney Okechukwu Edeh, said the funding partnership would trigger multiple capital development projects across the state.

“The essence of it is that we must embark on projects that the state government will be proud of and the rural people will benefit well from”, the ALGON Chairman stated.

On his part, the commissioner for agriculture, Patrick Ubru, said the government was working hard at de-risking land acquisition for agriculture by building 300,000-agricultural land banks across the 17 local government areas.