By Dominic Kidzu
About 400 Editors, members of the Nigerian Guild of Editors gathered in Enugu for three days at the weekend for their biennial elections and conference.
Aremu Segun Osoba, former governor of Ogun state and Managing Director of Daily Times, Onyeama Ugochukwu, former MD of NDDC, Tony Mohmoh of Channels Television and the DG of DSS addressed the conference. Sam Amuka Pemu, Chairman of Vanguard Newspapers who just turned 90 could not make the trip because he had recently broken his leg.
Enugu state governor, Dr. Peter Mba however took the shine with a rousing speech in which he enumerated his achievements.
- Mortality rate reduced by 400 percent
- 3,300 classrooms delivered, at the rate of 60 classrooms every week under the smart education program.
- Enugu Air coming in a few weeks
- Over 280 Primary Health Care facilities powered by solar power delivered.
- Aspiring to be a 30 billion dollar economy during his tenure.
- 200 BRT bus shuttle in place.
- Soon to have the first zip line in Nigeria
- The whole of Enugu now a construction site.
- Niger Gas Company Limited recently completed.
- Command and Control Centre.
- Enugu International Hospital.
- Intergretted vocational training model from nursery to senior secondary level.
- Holy ghost gas tunnels, etc.
He took editors on an amazing facility tour of his projects, telling us that “”Democratic governance cannot succeed without the participation and interrogation of the citizens and the press. You must open the space if indeed you are working for the people. Citizens must be free to ask questions and demand accountability.”
Editors were unanimous in their verdict that governor Mba is a man with a defined vision for integrated development judging by his solid footprints in only two years.
