...Wants MDAs trimmed, land registry digitized

...LGAs to function as provided by the constitution

The Transition Committee established by the governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah to advise his administration on implementable and impactful programmes drawn from his campaign manifesto, has recommended a 365-Day Plan, being a sector-by sector target of his government in the next one year.

In the area of water resources, the committee stressed that the Mbah administration should “restore portable water in 180 by creating Rehabilitated Distribution Systems/20,000m3 Storage Terminal Tank, ensure disconnection of all illegal connections on the transmission pipleline from crash programmes boreholes to the Ogwojo Reservoir and accurate billing revenue generation regarding supplies to domestic, industrial, and commercial institutions”.

To improve the supporting public institutions such as the public service, security, and judiciary, it said the government should within a year “run effective and lean government by reducing the number of ministries from 25 to 17 and having only Special Advisers with clear mandate by scrapping comatose MDAs and merging others”, while also emphasising performance and peer review based on established priorities and key performance indicators (KPIs).

“The government will ensure that LGAs governance system starts functioning as provided in the 1999 Constitution as amended, Enugu State LG Law as amended, financial memorandum, and other applicable laws and policy documents”, it stated.

The Mbah administration was advised to restore the six-day commercial/trading week and five-day working week to allow government employees to return to work on Mondays, mop up small arms and ammunition by paying cash for and destroying them, and enhancing the capacity of security architecture by providing logistics, equipment, and intelligence.

The committee recommended that government digitises the Ministry of Lands and automate the land registry in line with the Geographic Information System (GIS), develop and implement a new model for installing and maintaining streetlights in urban and rural areas.

The document also showed that the administration is expected to, within one year, identify and designate new urban centres within the three senatorial zones.

On sound environment and sanitation, the Peter Mbah administration is equally expected to develop a private sector-run solid waste management strategy, roll out new plants and equipment, waste bins, and collection points, and well-trained and motivated staff in Enugu State Waste Management Authority (ESWAMA) and private sector contractors and partners.

The government also plans to, if it adopts the committee’s recommendation, identify an ideal location and establish a permanent sanitary landfill for Enugu State in a revamped Master Plan in one year.

In the area of education, it advised the administration to constitute functional Local Government Education Authorities Education Committees in all 17 LGAs, while also making qualitative improvement in the salaries and benefit of the teaching workforce, including rural allowances for teachers in remote areas.

For effective social contract with the people, the government was urged to launch public dashboards available to citizens in the key priority areas such as water, roads, among others, with visual displays demonstrating progress.

Also to be launched within the next one year, according to the committee, is the Peter Mbah Citizen Contract/Social Charter in digitised and interactive format to give citizens visibility across LGAs, track progress, and access regular updates on commitments Mbah made during campaigns.

The administration should also create ‘Community Helpline’ for citizens to provide feedback on issues, said the report. 

In the emerging economic pillars, including the creative industry, tourism, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), and youth and sports, the government was advised to open the Enugu Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship (ICE) Hub and Enugu Creative Industries Commission Office.

It should also concession the Enugu Convention (Conference) Centre, Okpara Square, and the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium to operators, who will invest in the facilities.

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The Dr. Mbah administration was told to ensure that Rangers international Football Club returns to the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium within 365 Days, and that the state hosts local and international youth and sports events.

It wants the administration to “finalise and conclude legal case for Hotel Presidential”, while also supporting the development of a concessioned Nike Lake Resort.

The new government was urged to initiate a legislative agenda for the establishment of an ICT Agency, and also establish Hotspot networks for citizens across key locations and utilising Public Private Partnership (PPP) to develop a Hybrid Data Centre Infrastructure. 

The one-year work plan also covers investment promotion, agri-business, energy and mineral resources, enterprise development, commerce and industry, and strategic communication and branding.