…Marks 3rd anniversary with thanksgiving mass

• Msgr. Ike: Mbah a godsend to rescue Enugu

Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has enjoined the people of the state to take ownership of his administration’s achievements in the last three years, noting that change endures when citizens ensure the consolidation of every progress made.

Highlighting projects and progress made under the “Tomorrow is Here” philosophy since 2023, Mbah, however, said his administration’s achievements could not be understood simply as a collection of projects.

He explained that the government was “rebuilding the operating system of this state and a different future is being constructed layer by layer – economically, culturally, and institutionally.”

Mbah, who spoke at a thanksgiving Mass held at Government House Chapel in Enugu to mark the third anniversary of his administration, noted that it would amount to a lost opportunity should the state revert to its socioeconomic conditions before the current administration.

He said, “Imagine waking up tomorrow and finding yourself back in the Enugu of three years ago. The roads are broken again. Gridlock clutters the junctions. Mondays fall silent under sit-at-home orders. Shops close. Businesses retreat indoors. Public transport becomes stressful and exhausting again. Schools drift further behind the modern world. Healthcare centres struggle to meet basic needs. Hotel Presidential slips back into decay. Rural communities remain cut off by weak infrastructure and poor connectivity.

“The tech hubs are gone. The innovation ecosystem disappears before it fully matures. Investment dries up.

“National attention moves elsewhere. International partnerships fade. The state begins losing confidence in itself again.

“Slowly, quietly, expectations begin shrinking again. How would that feel?”

As the 2027 general election draws closer, he warned against complacency among the electorate, reminding them that they had the power to fight for or squander the progress made, with each choice having far-reaching consequences for the future.

“History is full of people who reached this stage, relaxed too early, and stopped thinking like underdogs. Momentum made them comfortable. Success softened their discipline. They mistook winning a battle for winning the war.

“We cannot afford that mistake. Forces that threaten serious progress never disappear: political brinkmanship, short-term thinking, financial pressures, geopolitical instability, as well as people more interested in noise, ego, and personal advancement than long-term results.

“So, let us gather around what we have begun building here carefully. Let us protect it, strengthen it, campaign for it, bring more people into the fold, and help them understand why this moment matters,” he charged the people.

Meanwhile, earlier in his homily, scholar and Catholic priest, Prof. Monsignor Obiora Ike, commended Mbah for his numerous achievements and sterling leadership in the last three years, noting that the people of the state were fortunate to have him as governor.

Monsignor Ike said, “God has sent you, Peter, to be the rescuer of our people. We see the things you do and we clap, but we haven’t seen anything yet. The governor is intentional and plans all he does, not with a fire brigade approach.

“The governor is receptive to ideas and to beautiful changes. That is why I drive to my village at Ezeagu from the Amah junction and I don’t see any potholes. And this is happening everywhere in Enugu.

“I will be flying to Abuja today on Enugu Air. The airline is putting Enugu on the world map because everyone who wants to buy a ticket will know about Enugu. So, we are on the map, not with wounds, but with things that make things happen.

“Many lives are being touched, not because we have a lot of money, but because there is willpower. An openness to the divine God to say, ‘Use me to change lives.’”

He added that despite mounting security challenges in Nigeria and around the world, Governor Mbah had worked hard to make Enugu safe through political will, investment in technology, and logistical support to security agencies in the state.

“Some days and weeks ago, there were shootings around the White House. So, insecurity is global. But Enugu is a place where we can move around. Many states cannot go out on Mondays. But Monday sit-at-home is a thing of the past here,” he said.

He urged the governor to ignore those who chose to be cynical, noting that “whatever they say, we know that this government is one like no other.”

He further commended the governor for being a quiet achiever and for his team selection, putting competence above politics and clannishness.

He expressed happiness that three years after assumption of office, Mbah was able to ensure a healthy political atmosphere in the state, citing the recent visit to President Bola Tinubu in Abuja, which brought together present and last leaders of the state.

Among the dignitaries in attendance were the Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai; the immediate past governor of the state, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Uchenna Ugwu; the Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Raymond Ozoemena; Senator Osita Ngwu; Senator Kelvin Chukwu; Rt. Hon. Nnolim Nnaji; former Deputy Governors, Dr. Sunday Onyebuchi and Barr. Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo; as well as members of the Enugu State House of Assembly.

Also present were the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia; the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Barr. Victor Udeh; the State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Martin Chukwunweike; heads of military and paramilitary agencies, members of the Enugu State Executive Council; council chairmen; Grand Patron of the Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council, Igwe Dr. Greg Ugwu, and several other top government functionaries and stakeholders.

Mbah started the day with the inspection of a guard of honour mounted by the Nigeria Police Force, Enugu State Command.