By Wilfred Eya

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The Catholic Diocese of Awgu, has extolled the exploits of the Enugu State Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) governorship candidate, Dr. Peter Mbah in the private sector and expressed confidence in his capacity to excel in leading the Coal city state.
The Bishop of the diocese, His Lordship, Most Rev John Okoye at an interactive forum at the bishop’s court, Awgu, said the Founder/CEO of Pinnacle Oil and Gas Ltd, the number one in the nation’s downstream sub-sector will certainly do well having employed thousands of Nigerians even as a private person.
Speaking on Tuesday where Dr. Mbah made presentations on his plans for the state to the Catholic clergy, he commended the blueprint of the Enugu PDP candidate, describing it as not only ambitious but comprehensive and assuring.
Most Rev John Okoye, said the Diocese having gone through Dr. Mbah ‘s manifesto were convinced the PDP gubernatorial candidate had good intentions for people of the state.
He recalled how the governorship candidate had been going about feeding the poor, building state-of-the-art hospital, engendering development and touching lives even with his personal resources.
Also commending Mbah’s proposed programmes for the state, a priest, Fr. Leo Ilechukwu, said a good number of members of the clergy in the Catholic Diocese of Awgu attended his manifesto presentation in October and made critical evaluations, and found his blueprint to be the best in the state.
“The situation of our country today is such that religious institutions can no longer sit on the fence. We need people like you, who are adding values, and changing the narratives. You’ve governed well in the private sector space, and I can say that nothing can be more appealing and convincing than your mantra, Tomorrow is Here,” he added.
In his remarks on the challenges facing the state, Dr.
Mbah assured that he will build the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from the present $4.4 billion to $30 billion by moving the state from a “public sector driven economy to a private sector driven economy.”
He said infrastructure and security of lives and property were paramount in his manifesto and explained that it is only when there is security that investors would be attracted to the state to establish their businesses and industries.
Mbah said his intervention area in ensuring security would be three-pronged, including’ “integrated programmes to accelerate youth employment and end poverty; integrated rural development programmes; along with kinetic and non-kinetic approaches.”
He noted that it was about time states charted a route to development and prosperity outside federal allocations and pledged to exploit the dormant resources in the state to create more jobs for the citizens by turning them to productive assets that would engage the youths and make them useful to the society.
While assessing the possibility of creating over four hundred thousand jobs in each senatorial zone in the state through the agriculture sector, Mbah maintained that the hideouts of criminals in the state will be cleared and designated as special economic zones for commercial farming.
Mbah promised to achieve a zero percent hunger in the state within 8 years of his administration through integrated rural development programmes, cross-cutting programmes, technical and vocational training centres, N100 billion revolving capital for start-up investors and provision of basic amenities.