Enugu State governor, Peter Mbah, has commissioned the 1.8-kilometre Afia Nine, Onuato, Onyiuke roads and Independence Layout roads.
He also inaugurated the 270 modern shopping complex, Akwatta and new secretariat/administrative complex in Enugu North local government area of the state.
The governor, who commended the chairman of the council, Hon Emeka Onunze, for his investment in critical infrastructure in line with the focus of his administration, said the newly constructed roads and the shopping complex would create job opportunities for the people and facilitate ease of doing business.
He added that the projects would also contribute to driving the state’s economy and development.
At the event on Wednesday, Mbah said, “What we are witnessing today is in line with the plans of this government; to constantly keep making investments in critical infrastructure needed to create opportunities for our people and needed to drive the economy of our people.
“And when you invest in road network, it is a moment for our people because our economy is essentially road-driven. Both goods and services are road-driven. So, any investment in road has a multiplier effect for services and goods. In that way we keep lifting our people out of poverty, we keep increasing our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) because for all those people who sell on this road, for the time lost before this road was constructed, you are going to see a reduction in that time,” he said.
Represented by the deputy governor, Barrister Ifeanyi Ossai, the governor expressed delight over the current trend in the local government administration in the state, saying they had started giving priority to capital and other meaningful projects that would grow the economy of the state and add value to the lives of the people they were meant to serve.
He said, “We are happy that the councils in Enugu State are beginning to do infrastructure that are sustainable; they are beginning to migrate from councils of recurrent activities, to a place where councils act in manners that trigger economic development. Of course, they are taking a cue from the leadership of Governor Peter Mbah. If you look around our state, most of our councils, especially those outside the urban cities are huge investors in agriculture currently, and are synergizing with the State Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Industrialization in programmes like Special Agro-Processing Zones (SAPZ).”
Noting that local government is an independent component of the federal system of government, the governor reiterated his administration’s commitment to partner with the third tier in areas of development, economic growth, human capital asset, and eradication of poverty by supporting their programmes with resources for the benefit of the citizens.
“You must also recognize that the councils are independent arm of government; so what we can do with them is partnership. We encourage them, and the economic commission is working with them on projects they invest their resources, and we support them to ensure that the will of the government and the benefit of our government get to our people,” he added.
Earlier, Onunze appreciated the governor for the opportunity and support his administration had been receiving from the state government throughout the period the projects lasted.
He said the projects were initiated to complement the efforts of the state government to reposition the state and make it a hub of investment, and maintained that the shopping complex would boost economic activities in the area, and also generate revenue for the state.
