Guild Of Editors Commends Governor Ugwuanyi’s Rural Development Drive

 

Nigeria Guild of Editors has expressed satisfaction with the massive development strides and other people-oriented programmes Governor Ifeanyi #Ugwuanyi’s administration is carrying out in the urban and rural communities of #Enugu State, stressing that they are highly impressed. Speaking during an inspection tour of some projects executed by Gov. Ugwuanyi’s administration, when the standing committee of the Guild of Editors held its meeting in Enugu recently, the President of the body, Mustapha Isah, said that the governor’s massive rural development projects are commendable and worthy of emulation.

“The quality of roads we saw in the rural areas, the massive dualized road in Nsukka; the primary and secondary healthcare facilities and even tertiary institution for the ESUT Teaching Hospital and College of Medicine, in Igbo-Eno, are impressive and commendable”, the President said.

Isah pointed out that Gov. Ugwuanyi’s decision to invest massively in the health sector is worthy of emulation “in the sense that he has interest in the health of his people of Enugu State”.

The Guild of Editors’ President added that governor through his administration’s massive investment in the health sector especially at the rural areas “is making huge investments to ensure that in case we have any future outbreak like COVID-19, Enugu State will not be caught unaware.”

He added that "he (Ugwuanyi) is already putting foundations in place to ensure that the State is ready for any such future outbreak."

On his part, the Editor of Vanguard Newspapers, Eze Anaba said: “What we have seen is a determination by a governor to open up both the urban and rural areas; that is quite commendable” because “if you develop the rural areas, you develop the state”.

Anaba, who applauded Gov. Ugwuanyi’s achievements in rural road infrastructure, education and health added: “We have obviously seen the massive road infrastructure, the ongoing teaching hospital and College of Medicine projects, among others; they are huge and will lead to the development of the rural areas and the state as a whole will benefit”.

Also speaking on Gov. Ugwuanyi’s rural development drive, Martins Oloja, Editor-in-Chief of The Guardian Newspapers stated: “I am impressed by what I saw; you know there is something about me. I have written extensively against mediocrity. I don’t like mediocrity.

“I went inside the newly constructed and equipped Type-3 Primary Healthcare Centre and the Cottage Hospital with Isolation wing, the finishing was impressive. They considered so many things that people in the village need. It is very impressive and they even built quarters for doctors and nurses.

“It is good that the governor (Ugwuanyi) is going to the roots of the matter by not being political, concentrating development in the rural areas. He wants people to know that we haven’t been having healthcare delivery system in this place (rural communities) so let’s rebuild; let’s revisit the foundation”.

While applauding the initiative behind the Infectious Diseases Hospital, the editors also urged Gov. Ugwuanyi to remain steadfast in his sound vision in developing the rural areas for socio-economic growth and expansion. They enjoined him to speed up his actions and ensure that he completes all the projects his administration is executing before the end of his tenure.

Some project sites visited were the ongoing first state government's flyover bridge project at T-Junction Abakpa Nike, Enugu, the massive construction works at the permanent site of Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) Teaching Hospital and College of Medicine, Igbo-Eno, the massively rehabilitated and transformed Enugu State Infectious Diseases Hospital, for isolation and treatment of patients with infectious diseases, formerly known as Colliery Hospital Enugu and quality road infrastructure in the rural areas.

Others include the Type-3 Primary Healthcare Centres, which were newly constructed in seven Local Government Areas of Enugu State and modern Cottage hospitals with Isolation wings ongoing in Awgu, Oji River, Udenu and Igbo Eze North LGAs, in line with its vision to provide quality, accessible and affordable healthcare services especially in the rural communities.

The Enugu State Commissioner for Work and Infrastructure, Engr. Greg Nnaji, his Health counterpart, Dr. Ikechukwu Emmanuel Obi, and other top government functionaries accompanied the editors to the project sites.