GOV. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has directed all Local Government Area chairmen and other critical stakeholders in that tier of government to immediately relocate and reside in their councils.

Ugwuanyi gave the directive on Wednesday in Enugu while delivering his inaugural address after taking his oath of office for a second term in office.

It would be recalled that Most Rev. Emmanuel Chukwuma had during a Christian interdenominational service as part of activities to mark the inauguration, frowned at council chairmen who abandoned their councils to reside in the city.

Chukwuma, who is the Archbishop of Enugu Ecclesiastical Province, Anglican Communion, said that such council chairmen who had nothing to show for their stewardship, abandoned their areas of jurisdiction to build magnificent houses in high brow areas of Enugu.

Meanwhile, Ugwuanyi said that such move would help to strengthen the third tier of government.

He said that his administration was in full support of the ongoing steps to ensure LGA autonomy and every constitutional step to realise it.

He said that his belief in the local government system led to the conduct of a free and fair election earlier in his administration.

The governor, who was sworn in by the state Chief Judge, Justice Priscilla Emehelu, said that his administration in the last four years had raised the bar of governance in spite of financial economic challenges in the country.

He said that going forward, his administration would improve on its efforts in engendering good governance.

Ugwuanyi said that his administration would continue with its civil service reform programmes, adding that pensioners’ and workers’ welfare would continue to get priority.

“Our relationship with workers will continue to be defined by the Biblical injunction, ‘every worker deserves his or her wage’, he said.

Ugwuanyi said that he was overwhelmed by the mandate given to him by residents of the state for a set term in office.

“I stand here as a testimony to the overflowing mercy of God. But for Him, there will never be a day like this for me,” Ugwuanyi said.

Highlights of the event were inspection of Guard of Honour mounted by the Nigeria Police as well as cultural displays. (NAN)

– May 29, 2019 @ 14:39 GMT |