— Gives staff of office to three traditional rulers
By Jeff Agbodo
Abakaliki
Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has appointed 10 immediate past local government chairmen as Special Advisers and 1,710 others as Executive Assistants to serve in his administration.
The appointees were sworn in on Wednesday at the Abakaliki Township Stadium during activities marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence anniversary and the 30th anniversary of the creation of Ebonyi State.
Nwifuru also presented staff of office to three traditional rulers from Afikpo, Edda and Ishielu Local Government Areas.
Addressing the gathering, the governor said the creation of Ebonyi State 30 years ago was the product of the aspirations, sacrifices and determination of its founding fathers and mothers.
He said the state had evolved from the circumstances surrounding its creation into a “proud component” of the Nigerian federation.
“As Ebonyi turns 30, we must ask ourselves not only where we came from, but also what kind of future we are preparing for the generation coming after us.
“This question has always guided my policies and programmes. This is why at all times, education, human capital development, infrastructure and opportunity have always remained at the centre of our development agenda,” he said.
Nwifuru said his administration had, since assuming office in 2023, focused on improving roads, bridges, hospitals and other infrastructure, while investing in education, health, agriculture, security and human capital development.
Education
The governor said his administration had constructed 39 model classroom blocks across the state’s 13 local government areas.
He added that the government had strengthened the provision of teaching and learning materials, including textbooks, reference materials, early-childhood education resources, furniture and other instructional facilities.
According to him, the government had also introduced local and foreign postgraduate scholarship opportunities for deserving Ebonyi graduates.
He said the administration had completed a Senate Building at the ICT University, Oferekpe Agbaja, while eight three-storey hostel blocks were under construction.
Nwifuru added that the Professor Fidelis Ogah Senior Staff Quarters at the ICT University had been completed and commissioned, while construction was ongoing at two new universities established by his administration.
He said 12 two-storey faculty buildings were under construction at the University of ICT and University of Aeronautic Engineering, while new faculty complexes were also being constructed at the Abakaliki and Ishieke campuses of Ebonyi State University.
The governor said the university’s internal roads were being rehabilitated with concrete pavement and streetlights installed, adding that the monthly subvention to Ebonyi State University had been increased from N150 million to N280 million.
Roads, infrastructure
On infrastructure, Nwifuru said his administration had completed more than 1,000 kilometres of roads across the 13 local government areas, in addition to two kilometres of roads in each community in the state.
He said the government was also implementing an urban renewal programme in the state capital, while work was progressing on the Vanco flyover and tunnel.
The governor said the administration had procured road construction equipment to strengthen the operational capacity of the Ministry of Works.
According to him, the infrastructure programme was designed not only to provide physical structures but also to create employment and strengthen the skills of engineers, contractors, artisans, technicians, equipment operators and other construction professionals.
Healthcare
Nwifuru said his administration had embarked on a comprehensive revitalisation of the health sector, covering primary and secondary healthcare, medical personnel, equipment, medicines, health insurance and emergency response.
He said the state had allocated billions of naira to healthcare, particularly the primary healthcare subsector.
The governor said the investments were driven by the belief that a healthy population was essential to economic productivity, educational advancement, security and sustainable development.
“Thirty years of statehood is a celebration of our past, but it is also a responsibility to our future.
“The work of the government does not end with the construction of roads or buildings. We must also continue to build trust, build a culture of accountability and a state where Ebonyians matter,” he said.
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