PETER MBAH TAKES CHARGE IN ENUGU STATE

Peter Mbah Takes Charge in Enugu State  

·        Promises transparency, accountability and fund traceability

Anyanwu Chukwudi

Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah has taken over the reins of governance in Enugu State with a promise that his administration will be based on transparency, accountability and fund traceability.

Dr. Mbah who was sworn-in at about 12.53pm on Monday at Okpara Square, Enugu by the Chief Justice of the state, Hon. Justice Raymond Ozoemena, asked the people of Enugu to trust him, vowing not to let them down.

The new Governor who laid so much emphasis on the youths of the state and his plans for them noted that haven passed through what majority of them are going through now and succeeded, he was in a better position to give them a brighter future.

Mbah said in his inaugural address, “I am an Enugu boy whose creative energy saw him through all his existential life battles and brought him to where he is today. Like Ikechukwu, while growing up, I struggled against the tides of adversities that made the future look bleak. Failures and frustrations dogged my way. I worked as a shop attendant at Alaba Market in Lagos, struggling to stave off all kinds of negative manifestations of an inclement environment. Like a determined swimmer, I swam against the tides of these adversities to embark on my scholarly journey.

“In 2008 when we began operations at Pinnacle Oil and Gas Limited, I came into that industry as a backbencher. The DNA of exploits and creativity that is innate in every nwa Enugu was my driving force. It pushed me to go beyond the limits of expectations in the industry. A few days ago, I resigned as the CEO of Pinnacle. By the time I was leaving, Pinnacle Oil and Gas had conquered all odds, displacing the incumbent in the petroleum industry within a short time. We succeeded in driving the upstart of yesterday into reaching the Pinnacle of the downstream oil sector.

“The youths of Enugu State will be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the tomorrow that is now here today. We want to expose our youths to the skills required to grasp the emerging future and create opportunities for the genius in them to flourish. We also want to invoke and instill in them the can-do spirit that is innate in the Igbo man. Enugu will rubbish Japa, not by legislation but by creatively addressing the challenges to the future of our youths.

“We will equip our youths with e-commerce, fintech and cyber-security skills, such that they will become globally interconnected, and can indeed ‘Japa’ all over the world by providing services online through their e-commerce skills. They will be champions of the globe without necessarily having to leave Enugu.

“I am standing before you today pregnant with ideas on how to rescue our youths and indeed the whole of Enugu State from the threats against our existence. You can trust me. I will be operating from the vantage of transcendental values and not narrow interests. That is what we are driven by. I will not let you down. We believe that the only purpose of leadership is to bring the best out of every one of us. You are why all these are possible.”

Mbah however, warned that his administration will be business unusual, adding that he will be operating from the vantage of transcendental values and not narrow interests.

He lauded his predecessor, former Governor of the state, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for his leadership qualities and for making the day a reality just as he commended the people of the state for voting for him.

According to him, “Tough decisions will be taken. Those decisions will however be taken in the best interest of Ndi Enugu and Enugu State in general. You will constitute the driving force of every action we take as your representatives.”

He further said that, “We will serve you with every fiber of our being and devote all our energy and your resources to working for you and your interests. Our driving force and governance philosophy will be always based on transcendent