Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State said he is in a hurry to develop and transform the state because of the pressing circumstances in the various sectors, calling for continued commitment on the part of the workers and the people of the state.

While thanking the people of Enugu State for their support, he noted that the only way to reciprocate their love and faith in his administration was by redoubling the ongoing development effort.

Mbah spoke, yesterday, during a Holy Mass at the Government House Chapel, Enugu, to formally mark the beginning of another work year. He said: “Your support and dedication to duty are largely responsible for the modest achievements we have accomplished in 2024. The only way we will continue to demonstrate our gratitude is to double down on the pursuit of our goals to make Enugu State the premier destination for business, investment, tourism, and living.

“But we are going to do that without leaving anyone out and not at the expense of our common humanity. We will continue to deliver inclusive governance. Our governance model recognises even our grassroots to ensure that growth is happening all across the state.”

While acknowledging the concerns of those who felt his administration was doing too many things at the same time, Mbah said that was the only way to go, given the prevailing and monumental challenges.

“We do know that some may be wondering whether the change that is unfolding in Enugu is sustainable and whether we are not moving so fast.

“But think about it; can we push to a later date all the critical policies and projects we are implementing today? And the need for us to have portable water in every home cannot be deemed more compelling than the need for us to ensure that our children are exposed to the skill set that prepares them for the 21st-century workplace.

“If you look at the challenges we have in the health space, you will see that we are trying to get our healthcare system functional. That need is also not what we can push to a later date.

“We have to ensure that our roads are paved, devoid of portholes. We have to revive our industries. We also have to ensure that we introduce modern transportation systems. There is none of these we felt we could push to a later day,” he said.

While also thanking the people for trooping out in their numbers to warmly receive President Bola Tinubu, who was in Enugu at the weekend to commission already completed projects, he assured that more projects would be delivered in 2025.