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Frank:
I cannot claim to be sure of the exact numbers of pensioners who are being owed and over what periods. The figures from the stakeholders are different. However, once this is ascertained, I will restate my commitment to ensuring that outstanding pensions and gratuities are taken care of.
Two things I can guarantee are:
1. Every pensioner who is owed will be paid. A workable plan will be shared once we confirm the true state of things at the moment.
2. Enugu State under my administration will embrace Pension Reform similar to what we have at the National Level and enrol current civil servants under the contributory pension scheme managed by Pension Fund Administrators.
Frank:
The ICC was well-conceived to position Enugu as a foremost conferencing destination and I will do my utmost best to deploy a public-private partnerships approach to ensure that the ICC and the hotels attached to it are completed for the benefit of the people of Enugu
Frank:
Enugu is a melting pot for people from different neighbouring states in the region. Everybody who contributes to the growth of Enugu State will be recognized regardless of where they come from. The matter of being an indigene or a non-indigene will not be the deciding factor for appointments or recognition.
Frank:
My administration will not break open roads for the sake of repairs and leave them open for days and weeks. First of all, we will deploy continuous maintenance and ensure the public works department is the most active in the country. Roads will not be left to deteriorate completely before repairs are done. Roads that are completely bad will be repaired systematically at night with proper communication to the public to ensure as little inconvenience as possible.
Frank:
On the matter of insecurity, in addition to the things I shared in a message to the State government in the video below, my administration will ensure that the entire city of Enugu and other satellite cities are wired up with Closed-Circuit Television. We came together as private citizens to do this in my community of Ozalla, along with solar-powered street lights. Abia and Lagos currently have the same installation. Enugu will have the same. We can also incentivise other communities to do the same in partnership with the government.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAm40gr7Z1Y&t=18s
Frank:
No doubt, Enugu’s fiscal situation is dire. We are indebted to the tune of N74bn in domestic debt and $124m in foreign debt (SBM Intelligence, 2022). My administration will start with the simple things:
1. We will cut the cost of governance and reallocate monies allotted to executive offices for personal comfort towards projects that serve the interest of the people.
2. Secondly, we will block the leakages in the government. In terms of IGR, Enugu State loses over 1000% of the monies collected as IGR. We will ensure transparency in the mobilisation of IGR and that it is used for the people.
3. Another source of funding is through public-private partnerships. We will put the right policies and regulatory environment in place, providing the right incentives and infrastructural development for investors to feel comfortable. If a business needs land to set up a manufacturing concern which I know will provide jobs for our teeming population, why will I or someone in my government ask for kickbacks before letting them come in? This is against everything I stand for and it will not happen under my government as it currently does now. We will aggressively market Enugu to the world as an investment-friendly destination.
4. There are significant funding opportunities with bilateral agencies such as the Japanese International Cooperation Agency, the French Development Agency, UK Department for International Development, the United States Agency for International Development and the World Bank who only need a government with the political will and integrity to channel the funds towards the welfare and progress with the people. I have significant experience working with these bilateral agencies both from my time as the State’s Coordinator and as a Minister of the Federal Republic. I come prepared.
5. These are a few first steps we will take towards funding projects that will take Enugu out of the situation we have found ourselves in and towards progress and development. However, I and my team do not have a monopoly of knowledge and gladly welcome any ideas you may have concerning the issue of funding or any other matter towards the collective progress of Enugu State.
Frank:
My off-the-cuff answer is to say yes it is possible because the solution we need to make water available is different for each community. Various communities have different sources of water and the challenge will be to harness that water source and reticulate it to the people. For the city, I have detailed our plan to unbundle the water sector into three to cover production, transmission and distribution & commercials. These will be managed by separate and independent entities, regulated by the Water Corporation. I have committed and I restate that within 12 months, there will be water in Enugu Urban. For more on this, watch the detailed breakdown of my plan for restoring water in Enugu State.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eV4JsqNEnM&t=9s
Frank:
If you are referring to the blockade leading to the government house, my answer is simple. I will remove those blockages. I don’t underestimate the threats to the seat of power but as I have said, the best security is shared prosperity. The focus will be Enugu is very well planned which makes it easy to maintain the roads. Only incompetence will make any government unable to maintain the roads. I will deploy my best efforts to ensure that our road infrastructure is well maintained to allow the free flow of traffic, especially in the urban and more populated areas.
Frank:
I believe that it is ideal for State Police to be legalised in Nigeria and as it is, it is already happening with outfits like Ebubeagu and Amotekun. We cannot do away with the statutory agencies but we can support them. There is a lot that the State can do in terms of securing its territory. We will light up the cities and towns and reduce the risks of attacks. We will support the statutory agencies and provide resources to aid their work.The abuse of power by Ebubeagu is a problem of leadership and cannot happen under my administration. These outfits will also be trained and work in partnership with the statutory agencies. Citizens must be respected at all times and should not have to be afraid of the security agents employed to protect them.
Frank:
When I served in President Obasanjo’s cabinet, he created something called the “Due Process Office” which had the duty of ensuring that the cost of projects was benchmarked against their costs in other African countries to ensure we stayed within reasonable limits. I am aware that such an office was created by the previous administration in Enugu State but it has not been allowed to work. This is why I speak strongly about having competent hands in governance and being able to trust them to do the work. We will also ensure that all contracts are properly and publicly advertised for a transparent bidding process.We will also report our State revenues actively and publicly through a strong partnership with the media, a live dashboard and quarterly town hall meetings in each Senatorial Zone where all government officials will give a report of their activities, particularly as it concerns the management of financial resources. We will also publish the full-scale annual audit of the State’s budget and expenditure, giving no room for pilfering or for anyone to sweep things under the carpet.
Frank:
First of all, if this party did not respect its constitutions 8 years ago, I would have left then. Secondly, no matter how partisan or non-partisan we want to be, we cannot deny that the last seven years have been an unmitigated disaster. This is obvious for all to see, even from the questions you’ve asked me tonight. Governance has gone to the dogs. Leadership is so inept. Corruption is endemic. Schools are on strike. The road infrastructure is terrible. Water is unavailable. We are still struggling with issues of basic human necessities. These facts are there. So, I ask you, if you have a party that has rejected you and treats you like you don’t matter, will you continue to support them?