•Says it's Nsukka's turn to be gov in 2015
AS he strode to a more relaxing seat from the
exalted one where he signs the executive
decisions that run Enugu State, Governor Sullivan
Iheanacho Chime set the mood for the interview
at the Lion Building, Enugu, his official quarters.
He sat just a metre away. Our feet could have
been touching if he did not cross his in a regal
posture that he varied as the interview ran. His
towering presence made one instantly think of a
basketball professional in other climes. He was
snug. He seemed to have put aside the trappings
of office for the thrills of this encounter.
The handshake was firm, not beyond a clench that
could have suggested bellicosity. He was in high
spirits, discussing his health with unpractised
frankness. "I was amused reading the reports
about me, especially the several obituaries," he
said, as he went on talking about his recovery.
A long queue of guests was waiting for him. He
was to conclude the day's business by 4am and
was back at work after a few hours' sleep. It is a
routine he maintains. Enugu, the challenges of re-
inventing a 101-year-old city, and his joy at the
opening of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport
radiated as he accounted for his six years in
office.
With two years to the end of his administration,
Governor Chime talked as if he was writing his
handing over notes. He bantered and countered
as we talked Enugu politics, the opposition andhis
position on 2015 and the race to succeed him.
"It may be interesting to know if those who
opposed the building of the mall at Polo Park are
not among the regular shoppers," he joked
about the fiery army of opposition, whose voices
are drowning in the flood of plaudits over his
performance.
A lawyer by training, but a practical politician
dedicated to the people, he said the matter of
Nsukka (Enugu North) producing the next
governor was not a promise, but an agreement
that equity and justice support. "It did not have to
be written, such things are never written," he said.
What follows is Governor Chime, mostly in his
own words…
2015 For Nsukka
The issue of Nsukka producing the governor in
2015, it is actually Enugu North senatorial district
– let me make the clarification before some think I
mean Nsukka town – has evolved. Some are
contesting it; some claim there is no agreement
to that effect. I think it is more than an
agreement. It is a promise that evolved from an
understanding we have about peaceful
transitions in the State.
A bit of the background could help in establishing
that the matter has gone beyond promise,
agreement to a case of equity and justice. In
1999, the contest for the governorship was open
to all the zones. Governor Chimaroke Nnamani
won and did a second term. In 2007, it was open
again. Aspirants from all the zones participated, I
won. By 2011, most candidates withdrew from the
contest because of the enormous support that I
had. The real players in Enugu North said it made
sense for me to complete two terms.
Gov. Chime
The traditional rulers, in particular, told
contestants from Enugu North that they would
not get support; it was a sort of disclaimer.
Nobody from the North contested in our party
(PDP), but other parties fielded candidates. What I
did at the town hall meeting was to re-echo what
we all knew. Nobody writes such things as
agreements. The most important aspect of it is
the matter of equity and justice that is involved.
Governors from 1999 to date are from Enugu East
and Enugu West senatorial districts. By the time I
complete my second term, Enugu East and Enugu
West would have occupied the position for 16
years. Is any argument required for anyone to
know that equity and justice demand that the
next governor should be from Enugu North? I
went into these details to prove that we have an
agreement, a gentleman's agreement; it is an
understanding, one that would work best for the
interest of our State and its peoples.
The Next Two Years
We have spent these years laying the foundations
for future governments. They have to take a cue
from where we stop. There is a blue print for
developing the State. It is not about individuals, it
is not centred on me as the governor. It is about
the people, it is about projects that would benefit
the people. I am not naming anything after
myself. We are doing all we can to complete all
projects. We would not burden the incoming
administration with uncompleted projects. The
next two years would be used in completing
projects that would firm up the foundations we
laid.
Key Projects
We have done many road projects and we are
continuing. We are opening up the State, making
it easier for people to move around as they
explore the investment opportunities we are
creating. We have also constructed roads that
have shortened distances between parts of the
State. The one from Abakpa Nike to Nsukka is
almost finished. Once completed, the journey
from Enugu to Nsukka town would be under 30
minutes, making Nsukka closer to Enugu than
some parts of Enugu. We have done more roads
in Enugu North than in Enugu East.
When we were building the mall, people criticised
it, the same way they criticised other projects.It
may be interesting to know if those who opposed
the building of the mall at Polo Park are not
among the regular shoppers. An industrial park is
being built, the state secretariat is under
construction. We pulled down the buildings that
had no character. Some of the ones left date
back to 1928, but they were built with stone. We
are leaving them for their historical importance,
again they are strong. In those cases we are
renovating them.
Like the mall in Polo Park, those who screamed
when we were pulling down the old structures at
the secretariat, are among those amazed at the
new structures replacing them. We are building a
new government house. All these would be
completed before we leave. Others areas that
have engaged our attention are agriculture,
education, industrialisation, job creation and
empowerment of our people.
Diagnostic Centre
One of the earliest projects that this
administration started was a diagnostic centre. It
would have been commissioned before the
completion of my first term. Things went wrong
with the construction. We had to pull down the
building and start again. We are aware that no
modern city can operate without sound medical
facilities. I know that some would think that we
are constructing the centre because of my illness,
it was conceived and was being built before I fell
ill last year.
New Enugu, Centenary City
The Centenary City to mark 100 years of Nigeria is
under construction. We have a Workers' Village
too in addition to some housing estates that
investors are building. These are expanding the
city. We are changing the look of the city. The
changes are more profound than people
think.The projects we have executed have
changed Enugu from a civil service city to
investors' hub.
Government is supporting investors with the
provision of infrastructure. The road networks
that we have established have made access to the
new parts of the city easier. We have revoked
lands allocated to some who have become
speculators. There are allocations that some
people got 20 to 30 years ago and failed to
develop them. We have revoked and re-allocated
them. The move has resulted in people utilising
their allocations.
Financing Projects
Resources to execute our projects have been a
major challenge. We refrain from borrowing as
much as possible. What we have been doing is
prudent management of the resources we get
from the federation account. We operate within
our resources. We have also improved our
internally generated revenue.
How Airport Would Help Enugu
The impact of the airport would not be limited to
Enugu State. It would impact on businesses in the
South East and beyond. Travellers and business
people that find the airport in Enugu nearer to
them would use it. So we are in a situation where
people in Delta, other South South States and the
North Central would use the airport.
Gov Chime
We are confident that the impact would be great.
The airport would facilitate businesses and we
expect that as it grows and schedules include
other parts of the world, Enugu would be the
major hub in this part of the country with a
spread of services that would benefit other
areas. The impact of an airport therefore cannot
be limited, the uses that result from its presence
would show and soon the impact would be
obvious with the attendant multiplier effects of
having such an important facility here.
Security Issues
Enugu is rated the safest State in Nigeria. The
Inspector General of Police, Mohammed
Abubakar said so. We are still improving our
security. People arriving Enugu for business or
pleasure should harbour no fears. We are
assisting the police in the construction of facilities
for their air wing at the airport. It was one of the
issues we settled with the Inspector General of
Police during a visit to Enugu. The facility would
be in use before the end of the year. It would be
used for air surveillance of the South East zone.
Investors' Hub
We call this city an investors' hub and the facilities
are rising to meet the challenges. The
international airport (that was formally opened
yesterday) is part of the main infrastructure that
would facilitate the realisation of this ambition.
We are also looking forward to the rails being
resuscitated.
Our administration would help with the
provision of land. The issues of tax holidays are
determined in Abuja but we would offer any
assistance that we can. We have secured a
licence for our own cement company. We are
working with Lafarge on the project. The State
has proven reserves of limestone for the cement
factory.
Challenges From Electricity, Water
We still have challenges with water. We are
tackling them. Electricity is another area of
interest for us. We have several offers that are
tied to the natural resources we have. The
abundant reserves of gas in Ugwuoba and coal in
Amansi-Odo would serve the electricity projects
well.
His Health
I am fine. I am not sick. I attend public functions.
Some people insist on drawing their own
conclusions. What I went through was millions of
miles away from what people thought. A routine
medical check revealed cancer cells, but they were
benign. Since they were discovered early, they
were nipped. They had not spread. It was nothing
serious and the technology for the treatment was
available.
The treatment (chemotherapy) was harsh. It is
not something that I can describe, but I am
grateful to God that I went through it
successfully. I am recovering from the
treatment. Itaffected my normal cells; they are
re-growing. Doctors predicted that recovery
would take up to a year that is time for the
effects of the treatment to wear off.
I was reading all the stories about me. I was
amused reading the reports about me, especially
the several obituaries. I still required regular
check-ups for evaluation of the progress of the
cell, the re-growth. The regular checks were in
March, May and June. I needed evaluation every
six weeks. The most recent evaluation showed
no signs of affected cells. I would be there again
on August 30. I believe that I would not require
frequent checks after that.
Next Governor's Agenda
I cannot impose any agenda on the next
administration, but I do not think the
administration would have much choice than
following the blue print. We have taken the State
to the pointwhere it makes sense for future
governments to continue in similar directions.
The next governor would have his priorities. His
greatest challenge would be when he deviates
from programmes that would benefit the people.
He would have the people to contend with not
me, that is why I say that the choices available to
future governments are limited to providing
services to the people. All we have done are for
the people, who have learnt that government is
meant to serve them. Anyone who acts to the
contrary would answer to the people, not me.
Source -- Vanguard
