... Says Enugu State going higher, looking better under Mbah
... As Mbah urges FG to speed up work on Enugu-Onitsha Road, Enugu-Makurdi Road, others
The Joint National Assembly (NASS) Committee on Works, which comprises the Senate and House of Representatives, has commended the transformations witnessed in Enugu State under the leadership of Governor Peter Mbah, saying the governor’s approval rating was high both nationally and locally.
This was even as Governor Mbah made a case for more accommodation of Enugu State in the 2026 budget and greater speed in the ongoing federal road projects connecting the state.
The team lead and Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Works, was Honourable Akin Alabi, conveyed the commendations during a working visit to Governor Mbah at Government House, Enugu, on the sidelines of its oversight tour of federal government road projects in Enugu State at the weekend.
He said: “While checking out these projects, these contractors kept saying, without asking or prompting them, the Governor has been very helpful.
“Security-wise, they feel very safe, they feel very much at home, and they said you have approved their right of passage. We know that if a governor wants to frustrate a project of the federal government in his state, he is going to frustrate it.
“But as a governor that cares for his people, you are not frustrating these projects, you are making them go on smoothly, and everywhere this Committee goes, we will continue to sing praise. We will sing your praise to the floor of the House of Representatives, the floor of the Senate; everywhere we get the opportunity.”
“We also did a little sampling at the hotel where we stayed and at other places. I am happy to tell you that your approval rating is high. It is not just success, it is more. I hope you continue to have the interest of the people of Enugu State at heart.
“Enugu State is going higher and looking better and better. And for the two years you have been the governor, Enugu has moved ahead and has moved forward. I hope you continue to work progressively on the progressive side of things.”
He vowed the Committee’s commitment to ensuring that federal road contractors delivered value for money.
Speaking, Mbah, while calling for speed, also pressed for special attention to Enugu State, given its place in Nigeria’s colonial and post-colonial history. He said his administration was committed to road development and making life easier for federal contractors through necessary intervention, given the place of roads in growing the state from a $4.4bn to $30bn economy in the next six years.
“For us, we understand the value of roads. We cannot talk about growing our economy exponentially without providing road infrastructure because it is the roads that connect the market, the people, industry and provide people the means to live in comfort and dignity.
“We take road infrastructure very seriously here and we cannot do that in isolation. That is why this committee is of utmost importance because we need to work in sync with the federal government.
“On our part, we are doing our roads without exception. We think it is a modest thing for people to drive on a paved road. Our target is to ensure that all our roads are paved.
“Without sounding ungrateful, we want to commend the federal government because they are doing some roads in our state, but we just want to ask that you get the contractors to increase their pace of work.
“There are also other interventions they have done. The only problem again is if we can get the Makurdi to Enugu Expressway. The one they are doing is slow and we hope they can fast-track that Onitsha-Enugu Express Road too. There are a couple of interventions, but I think it's just the pace and we will be relying on you to do the right thing.
“We are always willing and ready to help where there has been obstruction in the rights of way and compensation and talk to whoever is affected so that the contractors will not have any excuse for work to slow down,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, also present were the Senate Minority Whip, Senator Osita Ngwu, and Member representing Igbo-Eze Noth/Udenu Federal Constituency, Hon Dennis Agbo.
