Inspects 44.1 km Enugu-Opi-Nsukka Road Dualisation Project
Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, has reiterated his administration’s resolve in building a modern economy capable of competing on the global stage, stressing that the state was moving from consumption to productivity.

He stated that the government was doing this through a comprehensive educational reform that redesigns the system  to produce problem solvers rather than just mere certificate holders.

This was even as the governor undertook an unannounced on-the-spot inspection tour of the ongoing 44.1km Enugu-Ugwogo Nike-Opi-Nsukka road construction by his administration, describing it as a critical socio-economic infrastructure for the people of the state.

Governor Mbah, who spoke during the grand finale of the 2026 Young Innovators Competition tagged ‘Enugu Campus Hackathon,’ added that the state was preparing the young people for a sophisticated demand of the future global work environment.

The  grand finale involved six premier academic institutions including the University of Nigeria, Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), Godfrey Okoye University, Coal City University,  and Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), all in Enugu.

The winner of the competition would be rewarded with $5,000 and six months incubation support valued at over $10,000; the second position would receive $3,500 and similar incubation support; while third position $2500 would get a structured enterprise support.

”position his administration in holding certain things that lead to knowledge development and the knowledge economy prevalence in economic development growth.

He said: “Enugu State as we know it must transition from a consumption driven structure to a productivity led economy powered by enterprise technology and the private sector.  We’re not merely providing today a platform for competition. We are architecting the system and the institutional framework required to unlock the potential of youth.  Our mission is to build a modern economy capable of competing on the global stage.  We are doing this through comprehensive educational reform, redesigning our system to produce problem solvers rather than just mere certificate holders.

“The Enugu State campus Hackathon is not a transient event.  It is structured.  It is state backed and an innovative process that produces pipelines designed to identify, refine and innovate high potential technology talents across our tertiary institutions.”

It represents governance in action as we see the precise intersection where policy must meet opportunity.”

Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Kingsley Udeh, (SAN) said the exercise was not just a competition but celebration of ideas, passion, and the limitless possibilities to showcase extraordinary talents.

While congratulating the finalists, he said they have shown that innovation was not about technology, but  about solving real problems and making life better for communities.

He expressed the determination of the Federal Government at fostering an environment where innovation thrives, through investment in science and technology, improving access to quality education, and creating opportunities for young innovators to excel.

While inspecting the Enugu-Ugwogo Nike-Opi-Nsukka road project, Mbah also visited identified security flashpoints on the road, which he said would be immediately fixed through infrastructural interventions and the setting up of a forward base.

This was even as the CEO of the construction firm, COMAG Construction Company Limited, Cosmas Agu, commended the government for the proper financing of the project, saying the company had no reason not to complete the project by October, the reviewed deadline.

Speaking to newsmen after the tour, Mbah expressed satisfaction with the work, pledging that his administration would not rest on its oars until the project is completed.

“We are very happy with the pace of work here. We have also paid attention to the quality because this is going to be a major highway for us by the time we are done. We are also interested in the timeline because we have given the contractor a strict timeline.

“We have reviewed the work programme, and the agreement is that this project will be delivered in October 2026. We don’t want to sit back in our office and at the end of the day be disappointed. What the team is doing is to be sure the project is being executed in accordance with the timeline and quality. We are satisfied with the speed and I am confident that the contractor will deliver,” he stated.

On the security flashpoints on the road, Mbah said: “Again, this road has also been one of the flashpoints of security challenges in our state. So, what we have also done here today is to go to the exact locations where we have security breaches on this road every now and again, and we have basically found a solution that will ensure those breaches do not continue.

“We have also identified what to do, and we have agreed with the contractor on some quick fixes to do there. Most importantly, we are also going to have our forward operating base there to deal with that.

“The primary responsibility of every government is to ensure the security and safety of citizens. That is why I thought it wise to get to those flashpoints and ensure we put in place measures that will eliminate any such threats,” he said.

Agu, while expressing satisfaction with the funding of the project, said the firm had divided the project into several segments where work was going on simultaneously, assuring that the road would be ready by October.

“As you could see, we went through the road with the governor today. I do not think there is a need for concern. We are going to meet the timeline. The funding is there. We have no problem with funding. We have the equipment here. We have experienced engineers.

“Again, we divided this construction into segments. NOWAS to T-Junction is one segment. Zero kilometre to T-Junction is one segment. T-Junction to Elim Estate is one segment. Elim to Ugwogo is one segment.

“Within these segments that I just mentioned, we have three bridges and work is going on simultaneously at the three sites.

“Another segment is coming from Opi. We are advancing seriously. October is our deadline and we are fighting strongly to deliver,” he said.