By Johnpaul Anih, Ph.D
An administration that devotes a whopping 30% of its budget to education isn’t just ticking boxes, it’s laying down the building blocks for generational change.
Skepticism hung thick in the air like harmattan dust when the governor rolled out his bold and visionary projects, smart green schools in all 260 wards, revitalization of moribund public assets like Niger Gas and Presidential Hotel, establishment of Type 2 Primary Healthcare Centres and the rescue of Enugu’s water system, many dismissed it as just another set of white elephant projects destined to decorate PowerPoint slides and gather dust in file cabinets.
But then, something remarkable happened. Shovels hit the ground, buildings rose, taps ran and dreams took form.
Anyone who’s had the privilege of encountering Governor Mbah in a private or public conversation will tell you this, the man is an encyclopedia in motion. He reels off statistics with the ease of a seasoned scholar and can speak for hours, weaving facts and vision without ever glancing at a script.
No notes, no teleprompter, just raw mastery !
He is, without exaggeration, a man who carries Enugu State in his head and wears its hopes on his sleeves. He is a leader that educates, inspires and convinces.
In a statewide broadcast few days ago, the governor was candid enough to acknowledge areas that need improvement particularly in the implementation of the smart green school projects. Such rare humility, especially in our political clime where most leaders wear denial like a badge of honour, is worth its weight in gold.
Under Mbah’s watch, transportation in Enugu has shifted gears from the analog to the digital age. The launch of Enugu Air was more than a bold economic move, it was a symbolic one. For the first time, Enugu took to the skies not with borrowed wings, but with its own vision. That initiative alone has bolstered tourism, deepened trade channels and opened the Southeast corridor to aviation partnerships previously considered impossible.
The deployment of CNG-powered buses, along with ultra-modern transport terminals, has injected both style and structure into the daily commute of Ndi Enugu.
Security, the bedrock of any meaningful development has not been left to chance. Governor Mbah’s administration has invested in AI-powered command and control centers, community-based intelligence and smart patrol vehicles. His uncompromising stance against the infamous ‘sit-at-home’ orders, a plague on the region’s productivity, has restored both confidence and commerce to the streets.
Where many leaders tiptoe around insecurity, Mbah has looked the monster in the eye and refused to blink.
Perhaps no achievement speaks louder than the revolution in water supply. From a meagre 5,000 cubic meters per day, Enugu now boasts over 120,000 cubic meters, a quantum leap by any standard. Booster stations have been upgraded, new boreholes sunk, modern pumps installed and revenue collection digitized. For the first time in decades, taps are flowing consistently and the people can drink without dreading disease.
Yet, despite these strides, some critics remain entrenched in pessimism, either by partisan bias or an unwillingness to acknowledge progress.
To them, even the sunrise looks suspicious.
No matter how far the government runs, they move the goalposts. But should that deter a man like Peter Mbah? Absolutely not.
If anything, their criticism is the grit that sharpens his resolve. He sees their cynicism not as a stumbling block, but as a stepping stone.
Of course, no visionary wants their work to become a fading memory. The big question remains: Will this legacy outlive its author?
Will this golden era endure? Will future administrations carry this torch with the same fervor and integrity?
The answer lies in the strength of the institutions being built and the consciousness of the people who must demand continuity.
Johnpaul Anih, Ph.D
Academic, Journalist, Researcher
