Umahi’s Recognition as Best Governor in Project Innovation Well Deserved – Eze
…Lists Legacy Projects, Describes Awardee as Performer Per Excellence
Chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has described the award bestowed on Ebonyi State, Engr. Dave Umahi, as Nigeria’s Distinguished Governor on Project Innovation, by President Muhammadu Buhari, as well merited.
Eze, who is also member of APC Legacy Projects Media Team and erstwhile National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) that merged with APC, commended the development, saying that it was a call to others who occupy public offices to strive towards selflessness in the discharge of the responsibilities of such offices.
In a statement made available to THECONSCIENCEng, Eze said Governor Umahi one of the key members of the APC belongs to the class of the latest recipients of national honours in the category of Commander of the Order of Niger (CON) was again nominated for the Nigeria Excellence Award in Public Service given the masterful innovation and transformation his passion for service has brought into Ebonyi State.
He said for Governor Umahi to be bestowed with two national awards within the space of one month, his place in history as one of the exceptional and extraordinary Leaders of this dispensation is sacrosanct.
Eze listed some of the projects that earned him the award to include, construction of one of the best International Airports, 16 quality and well constructed Flyovers, 600km concrete pavements and concrete roads across the width and breath of Ebonyi State, biggest and best shopping mall in Africa and the State Ecumenical Centre a
place of worship for God that can take over 5,000 crowd and construction of one of the best State Government Houses in Abuja.
Other infrastructural feats of Gov. Umahi include David Nweze Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences, President Muhammadu Buhari International Airport, the State and the light tunnel, the network of solid road which has made Ebonyi State a global village, the new Government House which depicts the new status of the State, the numerous long span twin flyovers and the synthetic street lights, roundabouts, water fountains and dualizations that inspire the state’s economic possibilities, the array of agricultural, commercial, educational, health care and human capital development intervention projects established to rewrite the history of the state and her people.
Eze said it is on record that virtually all the roads within the metropolitan areas and and small towns have been constructed in concrete pavement with beautiful roundabouts, street light and water fountains built to spice the beauty of the state and enhance tourism.
As a way of policing the environment and detecting crime, the party Chief said CCTV cameras have been installed in major junctions and that strategic and innovative security initiative in crime fighting is already yielding results in Ebonyi State.
Eze recalled that he left Ebonyi State some months ago after the departure of President Muhammadu Buhari who was in the state to inaugurate some of the classic projects of Gov. Umahi some of which include – the best Medical University in Africa- the King David University of Medical Sciences, Nigeria Best Ecumenical Centre, Saint Margaret Umahi International Market, Nigeria most outstanding Government House, some flyovers, parts of the Ebonyi International Airport, among others.
All of these achievements made to the pride of the good people Ebonyi state have gained national recognitions and thus the state, among other recognitions was ranked the most prudent state in the use of public resources in Nigeria (Budgit Office 2021), the best state in capital budget implementation and investment in capital projects and best State in Nigeria in Economic Growth (Budgit Office 2021); Ebonyi was ranked 2nd Best State in 2021 overall Fiscal performance rating (Budgit Office 2021), the least indebted State in South East (and 3rd least in Nigeria) (Budgit Office 2021), the 4th best in investment towards self reliance (Road to State’s viability), above average in maternal mortality ratio (2018 World Bank State of States Health index), one of the 10 best states in Economic Development performance (Philips Performance Index of the year 2020), one of the 5 best States in Nigeria (2020 State Fiscal Sustainability Index), One of the largest producers of Rice in Nigeria in the year 2021 (Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment) and the 2nd best in Empowerment and Job Creation in South East according to the National Bureau of Statistics, 2020.