• Ugwuanyi’s kinsmen donate land for agriculture 

TOWARDS reducing the accommodation problem to some category of civil servants, the Enugu State Government yesterday approved N35 million as its 10 per cent equity contribution for one-bed room apartments at the newly completed Elim Housing Estate at Ibagwa in Nike.

And in support of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s investment initiatives for Enugu State, his kinsmen have donated a land area covering 680 hectares for government’s commercial agriculture.

Representatives of five autonomous communities in Udenu local council, Ohom Orba, Agu Orba, Imilike Etiti, Imilike Agu and Ezimo, made the donation yesterday during their visit to Ugwuanyi at the Government House, Enugu.

However, the Commissioner for Information, Dr. Godwin Udeuhele, told newsmen at the end of the state’s council meeting that only workers on grade levels 01 to 10 would benefit from the housing scheme through balloting.

Udeuhele explained that all qualified and interested workers would participate in the ballot, while the 90 per cent balance payment, which would be by eventual winners, would be deducted from their salaries at a convenient rate spread over 18 to 20 years.

He further disclosed that the meeting approved the appointment of Diyoke Construction Company Limited for consultancy services in the dualisation of Opi-Nsukka Road following a request from the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Patrick Ikpenwa.

Also approved was the re-validation of the rehabilitation of Airport Roundabout-Orie Emene-St. Patrick’s College and Eke Obinagu roads at N447.9 million.

Governor’s kinsmen donate land Making the donation, leader of the delegation, Albert Edoga, said the gesture was borne out of their collective desire to assist the government actualise its lofty dream of boosting the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) through investment promotion in agriculture and other viable options.

According to him, the land, which is surrounded by five streams, has the natural potential to produce such crops as pepper, rice, cassava, ose-nsukka (Nsukka pepper), maize, yam and other agro-product, and they have decided to engage the government constructively for mutual benefits.

Responding, Ugwuanyi thanked them for their efforts and readiness to assist his administration in commercial agriculture, adding that the gesture speaks volume and is typical of the people. “Since it has pleased you to willingly assist the government of Enugu State in this all-important commercial agriculture, I appreciate your kind gesture,” he said. “680 hectares of land with natural endowment like streams is massive and attractive for commercial agriculture. “I believe we are now better positioned to take agriculture to the next level in the state.”

Others in the delegation included the Chairman of Udenu local council, Amaechi Nwodo, the Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development, Solomon Izuchukwu Onah, former Peoples Democratic Party governorship aspirant, Chinedu Onuh, former Commissioner for Finance, Godson Nnadi, and traditional rulers.