My dear good people of Ebonyi State,
- Today marks a significant milestone in our journey together — two years of visionary leadership, committed to good governance, and relentless pursuit of transformation for our dear Ebonyi State.
- Standing before you with a heart full of gratitude and pride for the progress we have achieved together within the second sub-phase of this mandate, you freely gave me.
- From the moment I took the oath of office, I made a solemn pledge to elevate the standard of living in Ebonyi, with a strong focus on critical infrastructure that would lay the foundation for sustainable economic growth, connectivity, and development. Today, I am pleased to share with you the visible fruits of that commitment, especially in the works and road infrastructure sectors, Human Capital Development, Transportation, health, Water Resources, Education, security, Agriculture, and Housing.
- As a Government strictly tied to the wishes of the people, we deemed it urgent to give the Abakaliki metropolitan city a facelift by overhauling the VANCO shanties. One of the most iconic infrastructural projects under our administration is the construction of the VANCO Tunnel and Flyovers — a first-of-its-kind in our region. This monumental project when completed, will not only decongest traffic within the capital city but will also redefine the skyline of Abakaliki and its aesthetics as a destination for business and leisure. As you may be aware, the VANCO Tunnel, a modern engineering feat, will ease vehicular movement around the heart of the city, reducing travel time and improving access to adjoining communities and business hubs. The accompanying flyovers will significantly improve road safety, eliminate bottlenecks, and enhance the aesthetics of our urban landscape.
- In our urban centers, we have rehabilitated over 200 kilometers of township roads, modernized drainage systems, installed street lighting, and commenced beautification projects that reflect the dignity of our people. In addition to the 2-kilometer roads, in the rural areas, we have constructed feeder roads, built culverts and mini-bridges, and implemented road grading and maintenance programs to open up agricultural belts and ease the transport of farm produce to markets. These interventions have reduced rural-urban migration and strengthened the local economy. These accomplishments are not just projects; they are lifelines that connect our communities, unlock our economic potential, and reinforce our collective pride as a state. They are the tangible outcomes of a leadership that listens, plans, and acts in line with the People’s Charter of Needs.
- But we are not done yet. The next phase of our journey will consolidate these gains and usher in even more transformative projects aimed at making Ebonyi State a model of infrastructural excellence in Nigeria.
- In the Education sector, from the outset of our administration, we declared that education must be our passport to the future. I am proud to report that we have taken bold, unprecedented steps to reposition Ebonyi State as a hub of academic excellence and innovation in Nigeria. To concretize this vision, in just two years, our government has set a new standard in higher education by establishing one specialized institution and one conventional institution:
- The University of ICT at Oferekpe Agbaja — a first-of-its-kind in the region, designed to produce globally competitive tech professionals, software Engineers, and digital entrepreneurs. This university is our strategic response to the demands of the digital economy and the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Additionally, the University of Aeronautics Engineering at Ezza — a bold and visionary initiative to place Ebonyi State at the forefront of aviation technology in Nigeria and Africa. With this institution, we are investing in future aerospace Engineers and creating opportunities for Ebonyians in a high-demand global sector. We are constructing about 17 Numbers of three Storey buildings in ICT University and 12 in Aeronautics Engineering University, while work has reached in an advanced stage at the two universities.
- We have also taken a quantum leap in our human capital development index. Recognizing the need to support academic brilliance and close the gap in access to advanced education, we awarded foreign and local scholarships to over 1,000 Ebonyians, covering both Masters and Doctoral degrees. This is the largest scholarship initiative in the history of our state. These scholars are now studying in top institutions across the globe — from Europe to Asia and within Nigeria — and will return with the skills and knowledge to drive innovation and development in Ebonyi. We significantly increased the subvention to Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, ensuring that the institution can meet its obligations and improve service delivery.
- We have also embarked on the construction of 43 Model Secondary School Buildings. At the foundation of our education reforms is the recognition that quality begins at the grassroots. That is why we undertook the construction of 43 modern model secondary schools across various local government areas. Each facility will be equipped with modern classrooms, ICT labs, libraries, solar power, and staff quarters, setting a new standard for learning environments in public institutions. It is a deliberate effort to create an education ecosystem that is inclusive, future-ready, and globally competitive.
- We believe that a healthy citizen is the greatest asset of any society. That is why our administration has taken bold, inclusive, and life-saving interventions to ensure accessible, affordable, and quality healthcare for all Ebonyians.
- Our government has prioritized the health of mothers and children. Under our healthcare policy, pregnant women across Ebonyi State now enjoy free maternal care, including antenatal services, safe deliveries, and postnatal care. We have removed the financial barriers that once endangered lives and caused needless suffering.
- Recognizing the critical role of emergency care, we have procured and deployed ambulances across the state, strategically stationed to respond rapidly to medical emergencies. These life-saving vehicles are fully equipped and operated by trained personnel, ensuring that help reaches our people in moments of critical need. To sustain and strengthen our healthcare system, we recruited qualified medical and health workers — doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and laboratory scientists — to fill critical gaps in our primary and secondary health facilities. This has improved healthcare delivery and reduced the burden on our overstretched professionals. Our administration believes in not just building hospitals, but building a system that works, staffed by motivated professionals who are supported, trained, and equipped to deliver quality care. We have also undertaken the comprehensive upgrade of General Hospitals across all senatorial zones.
- We have procured and distributed Medical Equipment worth billions of Naira and launched our Drug revolving fund. This initiative will guarantee the continuous availability of essential drugs and consumable commodities in our healthcare facilities.
- We came into office with a clear mission to modernize our transport system, make it accessible, affordable, and efficient, and reduce the burden of movement for our people across all zones of the state. I am pleased to share some of the key achievements under this vision. Within these two years, we procured and deployed a fleet of brand-new, high-capacity buses to bolster the operations of EBOTRANS. These buses now operate inter- and intra-state routes with greater efficiency, improving mobility for our citizens, reducing transport costs, and creating employment for drivers, conductors, and maintenance personnel. In a bold move to modernize urban transport and enhance the comfort of commuters, we launched the EBOCAB scheme — a structured, state-backed cab service operating in Abakaliki and other major urban centers.
- EBOCAB is not just a cab system. It is a digitally enabled, people-oriented transportation innovation that provides clean, comfortable, and regulated taxi services; it empowers hundreds of Ebonyians with job opportunities even as it brings dignity, safety, and accountability into urban transport.
- It is also important at this juncture to inform you of our inventions in the green economy. As we reflect on our journey two years on, it is important to acknowledge the central role that Agriculture plays in the growth, livelihood, and food security of our state. From the beginning, we recognized that Ebonyi’s rich soil and hardworking farmers are assets that must be harnessed not only to feed our people but to build a prosperous, self-reliant economy.
- To drive meaningful transformation in the agricultural sector, we launched a strategic plan to mechanize agriculture across Ebonyi State. In the last two years, our government has procured and distributed modern farm machinery, including tractors, ploughs, harvesters, and irrigation equipment, to cooperatives and farming clusters. These tools are helping our farmers to increase productivity, reduce manual labor, and operate on a scale that was previously unimaginable. We have distributed fertilizers to our people, especially the rural farmers. Our intervention has increased food production, stabilized prices in the market, and created sustainable jobs for thousands of our youth and women.
- Beyond primary production, our vision is to develop an integrated agro-industrial economy. That is why we have begun laying the groundwork for agro-processing hubs, storage facilities, and market access platforms that will reduce post-harvest losses and link our farmers to national and international value chains.
- We are constructing Ebonyi Feed Mill to produce poultry, Piggery and fish feeds aimed at serving Ebonyi integrated farm and South-East, South-South and other parts of the country.
- The Nkaliki Hatchery has been revived. In addition to meeting the nutritional needs of the people will provide 2000 Jobs.
- From the outset of this administration, I made it unequivocally clear that Ebonyi State would not be a safe haven for criminals or non-state actors. That resolve has guided every action we have taken in this sector. In strengthening the operational capacity of our security architecture, we procured and distributed high-grade utility vehicles to all recognized security agencies operating in Ebonyi State, including the Nigerian Police, Army, Department of State Services, Civil Defence, and internal security. Codenamed IJEOMA, these vehicles, fully equipped with modern communication and response tools, have significantly improved surveillance, rapid response, and patrol coverage across all zones of the state.
- Through decisive actions and a robust community-security engagement strategy, we have stemmed the tide of non-state actors who once threatened the peace of our communities. Under our watch, we have dismantled criminal hideouts, flushed out violent groups, and re-established law and order in previously troubled areas.
- Through the assistance of the stakeholders. We have successfully resolved pockets of communal crisis in some parts of the State. Prominent among them is the restoration of peace in Effium as well as Abaomege and Ishinkwo. As Government, we shall bring those hoodlums who set the excavator ablaze at Ishinkwo to book at all costs.
- As we celebrate two years, we have also made significant accomplishments in the area of housing. Understanding the importance of Shelter. We are constructing 143 Duplexes at Centenary City. Our intention is that when completed, it will be a part of our reward system for civil and public servants who are exceptional in their fields of endeavour. Other major strides in this are: construction of 26 Housing Units, two per Local Government Area for selected widows; while the 140 Housing Units for the people of Amaeze and Izzo people displaced during Ezillo communal war are nearing completion.
- As we celebrate two years of delivering the People’s Charter Needs Agenda, we recognize that access to clean and safe water is not just a developmental goal; it is a basic human right. That is why, from the very beginning of this administration, we prioritized the revival of Ebonyi’s water infrastructure and the delivery of potable water to every household, community, and institution across the state. In the past two years, our government has reactivated four critical water schemes that had remained dormant or underutilized for years. The Oferekpe Water Scheme, a key source of clean water for Abakaliki and its environs, is being restored to full functionality, delivering 100 million cubic liters of potable water daily.
- The Abakaliki Lowlift Water Plant, which had suffered years of neglect, is being overhauled and upgraded, strengthening water access for residents of the capital city. In Ezillo, we have reactivated the Ezillo Regional Water Plant, bringing hope and relief to thousands of citizens who had been without regular water supply for years. We are also working hard to complete civil works at the Ivo water scheme at Ishiagu and water reservoir in Iboko, Izzi Local Government Area.
- Alongside our water interventions, we implemented sanitation campaigns and are urging supported local governments to join in improving public hygiene. Public conveniences, waste disposal systems, and hygiene education programs are being strengthened to reduce the spread of waterborne diseases.
- Central to our governance philosophy has been human capital development and social empowerment, because we understand that the true wealth of Ebonyi lies in its people. In line with our commitment to building a prosperous and self-reliant citizenry, we launched a historic empowerment program that has directly touched the lives of over 5,000 Ebonyians across all 13 local government areas. Through this initiative, we disbursed capital support in the sums of ₦1 million, ₦2 million, ₦3 million, ₦4 million, ₦5 million, ₦10million, ₦20 million, ₦30 million and ₦100million to qualified beneficiaries — young entrepreneurs, traders, artisans, women, widows, and returnees — to help them start up or expand their businesses.
- Our empowerment strategy goes beyond financial assistance. We have partnered with institutions and agencies to train hundreds of Ebonyians in critical vocational skills and especially in agro-allied.
- My dear brothers and sisters, this government has proven that development is not just about infrastructure, but about the upliftment of lives. We are building roads and schools, yes, but we are also building people — resilient, empowered, and proud to be Ebonyians.
- Our vision has always been clear: to make Ebonyi State a destination for business, manufacturing, and industrial advancement, and I am pleased to report that we are well on course. We took decisive steps to reactivate the Waste-to-Wealth Plant located in Umuoghara, Ezza North. This plant, which had been dormant for years, has been operational, providing not only a cleaner environment but also converting waste into useful products, including organic fertilizer, paving blocks, and plastic materials. Through this reactivation, we are creating jobs for youth and local artisans, enhancing sanitation and environmental sustainability, and promoting circular economy practices in Ebonyi State.
- In our drive to industrialize Ebonyi, we commenced the establishment of the Ebonyi State Industrial City in Izhiangbo, Ohaukwu Local Government Area. This project is a flagship industrial hub, strategically positioned to attract investors, boost local manufacturing, and transform the economic landscape of our state.
- Let me remind you that upon completion, the Industrial City will provide: World-class infrastructure and power supply, designated zones for agro-processing, textile, and fabrication. This project is located on the Trans-Saharan Highway, a major artery to major markets within and outside the state.
- As this administration clocks two years, we have strengthened capacities in the power and energy sector. When I took the oath of office, I made a solemn pledge to lay the foundations for a new era of economic prosperity. We recognized from the outset that no meaningful industrialization can occur without a reliable and accessible energy infrastructure. Power is not just a utility, this I know. It is the engine that drives innovation, investment, productivity, and ultimately, prosperity.
- We have initiated the upgrade and expansion of critical power infrastructure across urban and rural communities. Working with federal agencies and private partners, we are embarking on the Ebonyi Power Project, a long-term plan to ensure a stable electricity supply in all three senatorial zones. We shall soon commence the 330 MW power project. We are using the Afikpo erratic power supply as a test run. We have procured the necessary tools and initiated actions to solve the Afikpo perennial power problems.
- We are promoting solar and hybrid energy solutions as part of our strategy to diversify the state’s energy sources. To support our vision of making Ebonyi a hub for agro-based and mineral-based industries, we have started developing Energy corridors within our proposed industrial parks. These corridors will be equipped with dedicated power supply systems to ensure uninterrupted energy to businesses and manufacturing facilities.
- Let me express my profound thanks to our past leaders, Their Excellences, Sen. Sam Ominyi Egwu; Chief Martin Nwancho Elechi, Sen. David Nweze Umahi, for their efforts at putting the state on a proper Pedestal and giving us direction to serve our people better. I must thank my wife, Her Excellency, Chief (Mrs.) Mary- Maudline Uzoamaka Ogbonna Nwifuru for her complementary roles which have helped to shape our administration and improve the wellbeing of our mothers and children. I thank also the Speaker and members of Ebonyi State House. I appreciate my cabinet Members, Founding Fathers and Elders council, Our women and youth, the Christian Association of Nigeria, Security Chiefs, Support groups and indeed, Ebonyi people, for your unalloyed support which has made the job easier
- Let us continue to work together—government, private sector, and citizens—to build the Ebonyi of our dreams, Ebonyi that is industrial, modern, and inclusive. With your support, as we enter the next phase of this administration, expect more from us.
- Conclusion
Leadership is not a position
Leadership is not a title
Leadership is not a rank
Leadership is not enforcement
Leadership is not instilling fear
Leadership is not arrogance
Leadership is not boastful
Then some will ask a question: what is leadership?
Leadership is listening
Leadership is helping
Leadership is guiding
Leadership is teaching
Leadership is instilling hope
It is the capacity to inspire and translate vision into reality
Leadership is inspiring others
Leadership is allowing yourself to be used by the almighty as a vessel to fulfil others’ dreams, goals and prayers
It is an anointing
One that requires us to be servants, but how do we become leaders and a servant at the same time, trust me, every successful, ethical, interesting, and inspiring leader had to first learn the importance of serving others.
According to psalm 69:6, “let those who hope in you not be disappointed through me lord, let those who seek you not be ashamed because of me Lord”. For the time many of you have been disappointed in GOD because of me and the leaders, and has been ashamed of the Government
Being address of the Governor to the people of Ebonyi State on the occasion of two years anniversary of his administration on Thursday May 29, 2025
