In a bid to move Enugu State away from over dependence on federal allocations which are rapidly on the decline, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah has promised that agriculture and technology would be the state’s crude oil if elected governor in next year’s general elections.

The PDP standard bearer for the state disclosed this, yesterday at Ndeabor, the administrative headquarters of Aninri Local Government Area during his thank you visit to the party supporters and people of the council area.

Quoting the Federal Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, Mbah observed that Nigeria is almost broke and might not meet up with its financial obligations in the future. The implication, he added, is that the country would be left in economic quagmire. He, however, assured of his clear vision to insulate the State from the impeding economic crisis through his conscious, pragmatic and well-thought-out plans and programmes especially in the areas of agriculture, technology and human resource utilization.

Describing Enugu State as fortunate to be among the states with consistency in leadership and good governance, Mbah who showered praises on the State Governor, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, for improving the welfare of the citizens by prompt payment of salaries, stable peace and security and improvement in infrastructure vowed to build on the existing state of infrastructure and shove it up for speedy transformation.

While highlighting the huge but untapped potentials in the state, Mbah said he would mainstream his efforts to upscaling the local economy and thinking less of federal allocations if given the leadership mantle in 2023. According to him, the huge capital that could be made from agriculture and technology would be enough to grow the state and put it at a vantage point above other states.

He stressed that with the programmes his team has already packaged for the state, “Enugu will go beyond operation feed Enugu State to operation feed the nation.” Giving snippets of how he intended to generate funds for the state, Mbah disclosed that he would scale up revenue-driven sectors which include agriculture and technology sub-sectors.

“Agriculture will be our next crude oil and we will become net exporters of agricultural produce. Aninri is historic in this respect and we are going to make the local government transcend to large scale farming. We are going to create processing industry to preserve your produce and other perishable foods.

“Special agro-allied processing zones will be sited in the state. We are going to create added value to your produce, and that means more money for our people. We will use this to fight unemployment and poverty. The value chain we will create will be holistic in nature. From tilling to planting, harvesting, processing and exporting.

“Aninri has good landscape for tourism and business. We will see how to go about it,” Mbah added.

On technology, Mbah promised to unleash the necessary facilities that will encourage youths to key into information and communication technology to link up with the world and create more wealth by genuine means.

He also added that his ambitious programme in education will also advance the cause of technology to create wealth. 

“Early child education programme will inculcate civic responsibility, mechanic skills, medical orientation and computer knowledge in our children beyond academic theory. Our social services will be transformed thereby creating a 21st century global citizens in them,” he assured.

Mbah also used the opportunity of the thank you visit to reaffirm his solidarity and prayers for the senator representing Enugu West senatorial zone, Senator Ike Ekweremadu over his recent predicaments in the United Kingdom. Praying God to intervene in Ekweremadu’s misfortune, the soft-spoken entrepreneur expressed confidence that the lawmaker would come out strong from his present ordeal.

It would be recalled that the former Deputy Senate President was apprehended alongside his wife, Mrs Beatrice Ekweremadu, by the United Kingdom authorities on June 23 over allegations of human trafficking and organ harvesting that violate the country’s laws.

Earlier on, delivering his welcome address, the local government council boss, Hon. Benneth Ajah saluted Governor Ugwuanyi for giving the people Mbah and his running mate, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai, describing the governor as a man after God’s heart. He stated that Mbah was God’s gift to the state.

Describing Mbah as worthy in character, he extolled his humility and simple nature for not allowing power to influence his relationship with the public. Ajah further described PDP in the council area as united, promising to continue their support for Mbah and other candidates of the party.

A member of the State Civil Service Commission and widow of the late Commissioner for Transportation in the State, Mrs. Stella Ekweremadu while addressing the large crowd, reaffirmed the commitment of Aninri women to give Mbah all their support.

Others that spoke at the event included the member representing the local government in the State House of Assembly, Chief Chinedu Elias Oku (Otaka), PDP candidate for Enugu West senatorial zone, Engr. Osita Ngwu, State PDP Chairman, Chief Augustine Nnamani, and a party stakeholder in the local government area, Barr. Offobuike Nwanjoku.

Accompanying Mbah to the thank you tour were the Nkanu East Local Government Chairman, Hon. Sydney Edeh (Sydok), member representing Enugu South and North Federal Constituency, Hon. Offor Chukwuegbo, Enugu East and Isi Uzo Federal Constituency counterpart, Hon Cornelius Nnaji, member representing Ezeagu State Constituency at Enugu House of Assembly, Hon. Chima Obieze, State PDP Youth Leader, Hon. Patrick Okoh, former House of Representatives member representing Nkanu East and West Federal Constituency, Hon. USA Igwesi, PDP Candidate for Nkanu East State Constituency, Hon. Okey Mbah, among other dignitaries.