Igbo-Eze South chairman speaks on reelection, vision for second term

The Chairman of Igbo-Eze South Local Government Council, Enugu State, Ugo Ferdinand Ukwueze, thanked the people of the area for re-electing him for a second term.

“The mandate entrusted to us is both an honour and a covenant with the people of Igbo-Eze South,” he said in a Facebook post on Wednesday, 31 September, after his inauguration.

Mr Ukwueze was among the 17 local council chairmen sworn in on Wednesday in Enugu by Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State after the ruling APC won the 17 chairmanship and 260 councillorship seats in the election conducted on Saturday, 26 September.

At the swearing-in ceremony, Mr Mbah told the officials that they had just sealed a social contract with the people and advised them to hit the ground running.

“I would, therefore, imagine that you are going to hit the ground running because there is really no honeymoon when we have quite a whole number of tasks ahead of us at this point,” the governor said.

‘Resilient people’

Mr Ukwueze, in the Facebook post, described the Igbo-Eze South people as resilient, and said he was addressing them with “a heart overflowing with gratitude, humility and a profound sense of responsibility”.

He started by thanking God for his victory at the election and then let out his heart on how much he appreciated the people for their trust and support.

“To the good people of Igbo-Eze South, I offer my most sincere appreciation. Your confidence and support have been invaluable, and your decision to entrust this responsibility to us once again is a testament to the faith you have placed in our collective journey.

“I recognise that this mandate does not belong to me; it belongs to the people, and we remain conscious that every mandate carries with it an obligation to serve. Your renewed confidence in us is therefore a renewed charge to deepen our commitment to the welfare of our people, to broaden the reach of development and to ensure that government remains responsive to the realities of the communities we are privileged to lead.”

Mbah, ‘a modern wonder in the realms of governance’

The chairman thanked Governor Mbah for his trust and support, and the commitment to transform Enugu State. He described the governor as “a modern wonder in the realms of governance”.

“The vision of his (Mbah) administration, particularly its emphasis on infrastructure, human capital development, innovation, economic growth, education and improved public health delivery, has continued to provide a broader framework for meaningful development across the state.

“As a Local Government, we recognise that our progress is intrinsically connected to the progress of Enugu State. We shall therefore continue to align our efforts with the development direction of the state government while remaining attentive to the peculiar needs, circumstances and aspirations of the people of Igbo-Eze South.”

Vision for second term

Mr Ukwueze promised to build on the foundation his administration laid in his first term and to “accommodate more of the aspirations of Ndi Igbo-Eze South”.

“Our young people will remain at the centre of this vision.

“We live in an era in which technology, digital enterprise, artificial intelligence and new forms of economic activity are rapidly transforming the world of work.

“We must therefore prepare our youths not merely to seek employment, but to acquire the skills, knowledge and entrepreneurial capacity to create opportunities for themselves and others. We shall continue to pursue skills development, entrepreneurship and digital empowerment, while supporting initiatives that can equip our young people to participate meaningfully in the economy of the future.

“Education will equally remain a fundamental pillar of our development efforts, because every meaningful conversation about the future of a society ultimately returns to the quality of education available to its children. We shall continue to complement the broader interventions of the state government in education, ensuring that the child who should be in a classroom must not be condemned to the streets during school hours.”

Mr Ukwueze renewed his administration’s commitment to the security and well-being of the people and to continue to pursue the maintenance and improvement of rural roads, the rehabilitation of existing water facilities and the provision of additional infrastructure where necessary.

He also spoke on his vision for sports, environment, healthcare, and agriculture.

“I must, however, emphasise that the transformation of Igbo-Eze South cannot be achieved by government alone.

“Government can provide leadership and formulate policies, but enduring development is a collective enterprise.

“There are still communities that require great attention, young people who need opportunities, roads that require intervention, and farmers who need improved access to infrastructure and markets. We are neither oblivious to these realities nor complacent about the journey so far.

“The road ahead may present its own challenges, but we are confident in what we can achieve when leadership and the people work together with a shared sense of purpose.

The mandate entrusted to us is both an honour and a covenant with the people of Igbo-Eze South. We shall therefore approach the years ahead with renewed vigour, greater experience and an unwavering commitment to the common good of our people.

“Together, let us continue the journey of building an Igbo-Eze South that is more prosperous, more secure, more united and better prepared for the future.”