By Samson Ezea
Please don’t tell me you are confused with the title of this article. You don’t need to be or pretended to be, unless you are a cynic or hypocrite or at worst an uninformed critic. If you are not and has been following the global cum national economy and its accompanying challenges since 2015 Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s administration assumed office, you know that it is not in dispute that the global economy had collapsed like never before after the sudden and unprecedented crash in the crude oil price in international market.
Worst hit by this ugly development which triggered job losses and economic recession were the third world countries, especially those of them that have overdepended on crude oil as major source of revenue of which Nigeria is one of them. The daunting economic challenge which took the world unawares was overwhelming to the extent that bailout funds were given to state governments by the Federal Government to enable them remain afloat. While some of the governors, including Ugwuanyi transparently and sincerely utilised thier bailouts to take care of workers’ emoluments as was meant for, others diverted theirs and owed workers salaries. Some of them sacked workers, others threatened to slash their salaries. Many state governments were in the news for wrong reason then mainly for workers’ salary palaver and others.
In Enugu, Ugwuanyi’s government cleared backlog of salaries owed by his predecessor and commenced prompt and steady payment of salary by 21st of every month and 13 month in December. As state governments struggled to regain financial stability and meet up with their financial obligations, Ugwuanyi’s government was already in a good financial stead, executing quality infrastructural projects and meeting up with its financial obligations. Ugwuanyi government’s excellent performance in the areas of fiscal discipline, accountability and prudence in governance had received and continued to receive recognitions, laurels and accolades from both reputable national and international organisations, including the media.
With the sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and another economic recession that had drastically affected government revenue with increasing wage bills and financial constraints, it is expected that Ugwuanyi’s government just like every other government will slow down in the execution of infrastructural projects and recruitment of workers. But that has not been the case as his government has continued to recruit more workers to make the civil service, which is the engine room of government more effective and efficient. Surprisingly, Ugwuanyi’s government has been functioning optimally as if it is not in Nigeria that is witnessing second round of economic recession in five years.
Apart from delivering democracy dividends, good governance, peaceful and secure environment, Ugwuanyi’s government has continued to employ more workers, especially the youths. This has become so consistent since he assumed office that one begin to wonder where he gets money to pay them in the face of the dwindling government revenue. Latest of such regular employment of workers was the December 21, 2020 approval by Ugwuanyi’s government for immediate recruitment of 500 Traffic Officers and 500 Forest Guards between the ages of 18-35 years. Just like the previous workers’ recruitment and to ensure that the current recruitment exercise is seamless and transparent, the State Head of Service, Ken Chukwuegbo has in a public statement issued recently reiterated that all interested applicants who met the requirement should submit their written applications to the office of Head of Service, Enugu or online via https/ bit/ ohosenugu on or before Monday, January 2021.
To be sincere, provision of one thousand jobs in this dire economic period is a welcome development. This will be a huge relief to the would-be beneficiaries and their relations. It would be recalled that before Ugwuanyi’s reelection in 2019, his government employed additional one thousand youths to clean up the state under the Enugu Clean Team Project, which is in tandem with his administration’s vision and promise to create a cleaner, safer and healthier environment for the people of the state. In teaching profession, Ugwuanyi’s administration had through the Enugu State Universal Basic Education employed 3,530 teachers and another employment of 1500 teachers is ongoing now totalling 5,030 recruited primary school teachers in 3 years. On the other hand, the Enugu State Post Primary School Management Board (PPSMB) had employed over 1,000 secondary school teachers since Ugwuanyi assumed office. This is quite different from people his administration employed in ministries and parastatals and those that were appointed into political positions. These records are verifiable and factual. Quite interesting and amazing about Ugwuanyi government’s massive employment is that unlike some of his colleagues, who usually employ workers at the twilight of thier administrations, Ugwuanyi has employed and still employing workers three years to the end of his second term in office.
The government is employing workers when many governments and organisations across the globe are not considering employing, due to the prevailing economic challenge. So the question is; what is Ugwuanyi government’s secret of success in this direction? What is his magic wand? What has his government done right or doing right?This is considering the fact that increase in workers’ recruitment amounts to increase in the state’s monthly wagebill. This is simple reasoning and logic. There is urgent need to unravel what Ugwuanyi’s government had done right or is doing right that had kept his government in good financial stead since 2015, despite the obvious economic and financial challenges. I am yet to hear that Ugwuanyi’s government borrowed or borrowing money to remain afloat. I have not read that his government borrowed or borrowing money to pay salaries or execute projects.
Some may argue that his administration is just filling the space of those that retired from service. But the question is; do these people retired under his administration or that of his predecessors, who failed to replace them, even with the financial liquidity in the system then? If that is the case, don’t you think that Ugwuanyi deserves all the accolades and support for doing so at this critical economic period? It takes a leader with conscience and compassion for his people to do this now that the country’s economy is in a mess. While it is a public knowledge that since Ugwuanyi assumed office, the State Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) improved tremendously to the extent that the government was able to pay salaries at a time without the monthly federation allocation, does it mean that the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown and its concomitant challenges, which crippled government’s sources of revenue globally has not affected Enugu State IGR? There is no way it will not affect it. After all, Enugu State economy is not insulated from the negative effects of COVID-19 pandemic and economic recession. Meanwhile, the state economy does not exist in isolation. If the Enugu State IGR and monthly federation allocation has dwindled, how and why is Ugwuanyi’s government still recruiting workers? Where is his government getting money to pay salaries and meet up with other financial obligations? Where? What is mystery behind this, considering that Enugu state is almost at the bottom of the ladder in the states’ monthly federation allocation chart.
It is high time financial experts and economists understudy Ugwuanyi’s magic wand and financial wizardry in this direction. They need to ask him the secret. It is very important they unravel the secret of his success in this direction.
Their findings will be of much benefit and guide to the people, serving and upcoming leaders. It will also serve as a reference point to other political and public office holders, who have been struggling to prudently manage the resources at their disposals in discharging their responsibilities. With what has happened and still happening in Enugu in the areas of job recruitment and prudent management of resources, Ugwuanyi’s administration is changing the leadership narrative in the country for good, especially at this trying period.
Ezea writes from Independence Layout, Enugu