Ebonyi @30: Nwifuru appoints 1,720 aides

Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi state has appointed 10 immediate past local government chairmen as Special Advisers and 1,710 others as Executive Assistants in his administration.

The appointees were sworn in on Wednesday at the Abakaliki Township Stadium as part of 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.

The governor, while addressing the gathering, described the creation of Ebonyi State 30 years ago as a 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.

Nwifuru said the 30th anniversary provided an opportunity for the people to reflect on the state’s history and consider the kind of future being prepared for succeeding generations.

Education and human capital development

He said education, human capital development, infrastructure and opportunities had remained central to his administration’s policies and programmes since he assumed office in 2023.

According to him, his administration had invested in roads, bridges, hospitals, education, health, agriculture, security and human capital development.

On education, the governor said 39 model classroom blocks had been constructed 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.

Nwifuru also said his administration had introduced local and foreign postgraduate scholarship opportunities for deserving Ebonyi graduates.

He said the Senate Building at the ICT University, Oferekpe Agbaja, had been completed, while eight three-storey hostel blocks were under construction.

The governor 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.

Nwifuru said the university’s internal roads were being rehabilitated with concrete pavement and streetlights installed, while the monthly subvention to Ebonyi State University had been increased from N150 million to N280 million.

Roads and infrastructure

On infrastructure, the governor 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 an urban renewal programme was also being implemented in the state capital, while work was progressing on the Vanco flyover and tunnel.

Nwifuru said road construction equipment had been procured to strengthen the operational capacity of the Ministry of Works.

He explained that 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 investment

On healthcare, the governor said his administration had embarked on a comprehensive revitalisation of the 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.

Nwifuru said the investments were driven by the belief that a healthy population was essential to economic productivity, educational advancement, security and sustainable development.

He said the 30th anniversary was not only a celebration of Ebonyi’s past but also a responsibility to its 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.