Leo Ekene Oketa writes on how the economy of Ebonyi State was stimulated with over 9.6 billion Naira under the administration of Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru in seven months.
I will always say, that Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru has a balanced sense of leadership and development. In the sense that, he steadily moves to meet the immediate needs of Ebonyi people, while building for the future of the State as well.
As we have read in various forums, some critics think that instead of dolling out funds for empowerment and making donations to assuage the immediate needs of people, he should rather build industries and factories in the State for posterity’s sake. On the other hand, many adore his humanness in finding that connection with his people and respecting the truth that times are unfavourable, economically speaking. Truth is, he has his eyes and legs on both sides – a huge plus for Ebonyi people.
Therefore, the cliché, ‘as we build skyscrapers, we must keep our people alive to experience the beautiful moments we create.’ How has Governor Nwifuru done this?
A comprehensive inquisition into the Governor’s calculated push of funds/cash into the State’s economy from the inception of office till January 2024, is mind-blowing. The most exciting of this revelation is that this cash flow does not end on ink and white paper. Testimonies have come to bear witness to the upliftment of standards of living, healthcare palpable joy and untold calm within families and Ebonyi State at large. Even the Labour Congress in the State is in awe.
I will tell you this. Those sharpened with the creeds of economics postulate that in Modern Economic Growth Models, an increase in Government spending during harsh financial times, boosts economic activities, thereby improving the Gross Domestic Product of the society. ‘When people are spending money, they are increasing aggregate demand, which increases the State’s output’ (Study Smarter: Modern Economic Growth). These are pointers speaking positively on the economic growth of Ebonyi State. Interestingly, the same model underscores, that for economic development to happen, such as better standards of living, healthcare and education, there has to be proper economic growth. While the latter is quantitative in measure, the former offers qualitative value.
Away from talking economics, we take a look at the practical steps that Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru has taken in this regard.
a. When he came on board on May 29, 2023, one of his first moves was to convince the State Executive Council to approve a monthly bonus of N10,000.00 for all workers in Ebonyi State. A cumulative summation of this proclamation every month is about N100,000,000.00. In 7 months, it is N700,000,000.00. This took effect from July 2023. If we add the N10,000.00 he gave to workers this January 2024, it will sum up to N800,000,000.00.
b. He then proceeded to increase subvention to Ebonyi State University by N50,000,000.00 making it N200,000,000.00 and that of Ebonyi State College of Education, Ikwo, from N50,000,000.00 to N65,000,000.00 effective from June 2023. Additionally, the Governor paid off N300,000,000.00, earlier owed by the previous Government. By 8 months in January 2024, he has pumped N520,000,000.00 into the system and summarily, N820,000,000.00, through the University system.
c. This one came as a showery wave down the spines of Ebonyi people - the approval of payment of arrears of gratuities for pensioners in Ebonyi State, from 1996 to 2021. The total payment at the end of that batch of the exercise is N3,608,536,469.03. I can reliably inform you, that plans are underway to continue this payment from 2022 till date. More importantly, Governor Francis Nwifuru has added, that when the payment gets to date, potential retirees will get their gratuities on the date of their retirement. It will be a norm in Ebonyi State. But this is a story for another day.
d. In July 2023, the Governor approved the disbursement of a total sum of N50,000,000.00 to small-scale businesses in Ebonyi State. This was done through the State Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The fund was targeted at small business owners and traders in the market.
e. Another huge roar was the empowerment of 500 Ebonyians doing menial jobs in various places, with N2,000,000.00 each. This was the first batch, which came up to the sum of N1,000,000,000.00.
f. He then approved a Christmas bonus of N100,000.00 each, to all State workers in Ebonyi. Reliably, it came up to the tune of N976,300,000.00. Recall that Local Government workers got N50,000.00 each in that regard.
g. Between the 27th Day of December 2023 and the 12th day of January 2024, the Governor approved the Small and Medium Scale Development Agency of the State, to disburse the sum of N141,900,000.00 in various degrees, to Ebonyi people, as compiled by the Agency. A breakdown of this disbursement saw 502 persons paid N100,000.00 each; 139 persons paid N300,000.00 each; while 100 persons received N500,000.00 each. These disbursements were monitored and verified by the World Bank, as the Agency works with them.
h. Donations and assistance to people with stringent health issues and concerns in the State have come up to N2,229,461,500.00, the latest being a donation of N10,000,000.00 to an Ebonyian who underwent leg amputation due to severe sepsis.
As I mentioned earlier, these funds have revived the health of the economy of Ebonyi State. During the 2023 Christmas celebration, a priest confidently said, that there was a drastic reduction in the number of persons who came to them for help during the season, as compared to the previous years. Some top managers of financial institutions in the State equally attested that they have noticed a healthy chunk of financial activities by Ebonyians at banks. These informal indices as well, point in favour of the matter under discussion.
Indeed, the echoes from the Peoples Charter of Needs of Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru in Ebonyi State, are audible to the deaf and visible to the blind. Little wonder the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Prof. Ogugua Egwu exclaimed that ‘Ebonyi State have never had it so good.’ To think that Ebonyi people are still scratching the surface of what Governor Francis Nwifuru has in store for them is gracious.
One day, we will expound on the effects he has had when Ebonyi State becomes industrialized because his passion for it is untainted. He has already started by revitalizing the moribund ones. In addition to that, it is still a thing of huge imagination, how much this cash flow will go on to push the economy of the State in the upper trajectory. However, the prints are there already and the Governor’s vision is solid. We are relishing a bubbly economy in Ebonyi State. Long may it continue.
Leo Ekene Oketa is the Special Assistant to the Governor of Ebonyi State on New Media.
