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On Saturday, July 23, 2022, Frank Nweke Jr, the Enugu State All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, governorship candidate, sat with Uchenna Anioke, holding conversations to address his ambition to become the Enugu State Governor in 2023.

The interview touched on different issues as regards the election and pertinent concerns in the State.

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Here are excerpts.

“Enugu is not working. Anyone who says Enugu is working is free to hold their opinion but they need to tell us what is working”

Education

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“If the foundation which is the Primary education is so flawed and neglected, what then are we going to build on when we talk about secondary and tertiary education. You cannot build something on nothing and expect it to stand.”

“As a candidate and as a party we are clear that no progress can take place without significant investments in human capital development. You cannot train engineers or nurses or doctors if you have not given them quality primary and secondary education. As such our aim is to focus and invest significantly on these foundational levels of education”

“I am also going to focus significantly on technical colleges which was also one of the major investments made in the Okpara administration. Today, we have people from neighboring countries who see and take the opportunities available for artisans, but we have not trained our own people enough to take these opportunities as well or grow from there.”

Entertainment (On restoring Enugu as the hub for Nollywood)

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“The Nollywood foundation was laid here. The movie (Living in Bondage) that triggered the revolution in Nollywood was made here. But money will only go to where it is needed. If people do not feel welcome or protected, what is the basis or the reason why they should come here?”

“We are going to resuscitate the creative industry here in Enugu by bringing the people who have the knowledge and experience and engaging them to find out what they need to make sure that Enugu is restored as the hub for nollywood.”

“Is it the skills that we don’t have? Is the State not scenic enough? Is it not accessible enough? All these things are there. But the leadership must be there as well to bring the people and provide the right incentives for them to be here”

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On Security

“We need to recognize the sacrifice made by men and women in uniform. The government must also provide support and partner with established security agencies.”

“We must also recognize the circumstances that have catalyzed the emergence of some of these groups. Can we say that they have no valid reasons for doing what they do? But while I do understand, I do not support the methods that they have deployed. This is where leadership comes in to engage with them and ensure that there is improved security in the State.”

City planning and traffic

“The City of Enugu is bursting at the seams. Whilst population has increased, corresponding investments in infrastructure and housing have not been made. That is why we now find significant gridlocks emerging in different parts of the State”

“The City limits need to expand. Once you make the investments and take the right decisions, people will follow you to where you ask them to go. Think for a moment what would have happened if the Shoprite was not situated at Polo park but was moved to a different part of the city that can open it up. With visionary thinking and some political will, this State will be the best state in the whole world”

Road infrastructure

“If you are concerned about food insecurity, hunger and poverty, yet, in the food producing parts of this State, the roads are so bad that people cannot move their produce from the farms to the markets, how can any improvement take place?”

“Infrastructures need to be built with clear purposes in mind. We don’t build a bridge just to have it. We need to be certain that it is what best serves the purpose intended and is most cost effective.”