Igbo-Eze South Chair Ukwueze Vows to Build on First-Term Gains
Ugo Ferdinand Ukwueze, the re-elected chairman of Igbo-Eze South Local Government Council in Enugu State, has expressed gratitude to residents for giving him a second term in office.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, 31 September, following his swearing-in, Mr Ukwueze described the mandate given to him as both an honour and a covenant with the people of the area.
He was among the 17 local government chairmen inaugurated on Wednesday in Enugu by Governor Peter Mbah, after the ruling APC secured all 17 chairmanship and 260 councillorship positions in the election held on Saturday, 26 September.
During the ceremony, Governor Mbah told the new officials that they had entered into a social contract with the people and urged them to begin work immediately.
“I would, therefore, imagine that you are going to hit the ground running because there is really no honeymoon when we have quite a whole number of tasks ahead of us at this point,” the governor said.
In his post, Mr Ukwueze praised the people of Igbo-Eze South as resilient, saying he addressed them with “a heart overflowing with gratitude, humility and a profound sense of responsibility”.
He thanked God for his election victory and expressed deep appreciation for the trust and support of the people.
“To the good people of Igbo-Eze South, I offer my most sincere appreciation. Your confidence and support have been invaluable, and your decision to entrust this responsibility to us once again is a testament to the faith you have placed in our collective journey,” he said.
He added: “I recognise that this mandate does not belong to me; it belongs to the people, and we remain conscious that every mandate carries with it an obligation to serve. Your renewed confidence in us is therefore a renewed charge to deepen our commitment to the welfare of our people, to broaden the reach of development and to ensure that government remains responsive to the realities of the communities we are privileged to lead.”
Mr Ukwueze also thanked Governor Mbah for his trust and support, and for his commitment to transforming Enugu State, describing him as “a modern wonder in the realms of governance”.
He noted that the governor’s vision, especially in infrastructure, human capital development, innovation, economic growth, education and improved public health delivery, has continued to provide a broader framework for meaningful development across the state.
“As a Local Government, we recognise that our progress is intrinsically connected to the progress of Enugu State. We shall therefore continue to align our efforts with the development direction of the state government while remaining attentive to the peculiar needs, circumstances and aspirations of the people of Igbo-Eze South,” he said.
Outlining his second-term agenda, Mr Ukwueze promised to build on the foundation laid in his first term and to “accommodate more of the aspirations of Ndi Igbo-Eze South”.
He said young people would remain at the centre of his vision, noting that technology, digital enterprise, artificial intelligence and new forms of economic activity are rapidly transforming the world of work.
“We must therefore prepare our youths not merely to seek employment, but to acquire the skills, knowledge and entrepreneurial capacity to create opportunities for themselves and others. We shall continue to pursue skills development, entrepreneurship and digital empowerment, while supporting initiatives that can equip our young people to participate meaningfully in the economy of the future,” he said.
Education, he added, would remain a fundamental pillar of his administration’s development efforts.
“Education will equally remain a fundamental pillar of our development efforts, because every meaningful conversation about the future of a society ultimately returns to the quality of education available to its children. We shall continue to complement the broader interventions of the state government in education, ensuring that the child who should be in a classroom must not be condemned to the streets during school hours,” he stated.
Mr Ukwueze also renewed his commitment to the security and well-being of the people, and to the maintenance and improvement of rural roads, rehabilitation of existing water facilities and provision of additional infrastructure where necessary.
He further spoke on his vision for sports, environment, healthcare and agriculture.
“I must, however, emphasise that the transformation of Igbo-Eze South cannot be achieved by government alone. Government can provide leadership and formulate policies, but enduring development is a collective enterprise,” he said.
He acknowledged that some communities still require significant attention, young people need opportunities, roads require intervention, and farmers need improved access to infrastructure and markets.
“We are neither oblivious to these realities nor complacent about the journey so far. The road ahead may present its own challenges, but we are confident in what we can achieve when leadership and the people work together with a shared sense of purpose,” he said.
He concluded: “The mandate entrusted to us is both an honour and a covenant with the people of Igbo-Eze South. We shall therefore approach the years ahead with renewed vigour, greater experience and an unwavering commitment to the common good of our people. Together, let us continue the journey of building an Igbo-Eze South that is more prosperous, more secure, more united and better prepared for the future.”
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