Advertisement

APGA standard-bearer, Frank Nweke, to explore Enugu’s Knowledge Economy

Debbie Egbo & Chetanne Chinelo, Enugu

Advertisement

A former Minister for Information and the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, governorship candidate in Enugu State, Frank Nweke II, has decried the level of unemployment in the state, promising to ignite interests in what he called the state’s “knowledge economy”. 

The former Director General of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, NESG, made this known during an interactive session with Enugu’s Online Publishers, Wednesday, August 3, 2022.

Nweke expressed concerns about the level of insecurity that had taken over the state despite the “peace mantra”, stressing that this was a “classic symptom of state failure”.

Advertisement

Speaking on the damage, hardships and devastation caused by insecurity, environmental degeneration, water scarcity and bad leadership in the state within the last seven years, he expressed his intention and eagerness to create a conducive business environment. 

He said: “The responsibility of a good government is to maintain security, law and order, improve the welfare and wellbeing of the citizens for the economic progress of the society.

“The welfare and wellbeing of the citizens cannot exist if there’s no law and order. Farmers will be unable to go to farm which will result in food insecurity, hunger, poverty.

“Man by nature will tow the path of least resistance if there are no consequences for certain actions. Every state must retain her coercive powers. The moment you begin to share those coercive powers, it becomes a classic symptom of state failure.

Advertisement

“The reason for the lack of investments in Enugu is very simple, the current state of affairs is not conducive for businesses to come. This also is the cause of the increase in unemployment because there aren’t so many jobs that the government can provide. Giving 200 young people ‘Executive Assistant’ jobs is not enough.

“I believe in sustainable jobs and this can be done through investments.

“I’m also interested in talking about the knowledge economy. The knowledge economy is the new economy, right? Through technology you can catalyze thousands of jobs and Enugu can be transformed as the technology hub of southeast of Nigeria.

Advertisement

“And how do we do this? We need to create the environment. The access to land must be easy. The acquisition or receipt of certificate of occupancy must be easy. I mean, what will you be doing as a commissioner for land? So as a governor, if you cannot guarantee the issuance of a certificate of occupancy to a potential business within 48 hours to one week maximum which we’ve been doing, what exactly are you doing?

“We will establish what I call a Geospatial Land Management System, similar to what was done under President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration in the Federal Capital Territory. And these things don’t require geniuses. It is the political will, it is the vision, it is the determination and then it can work”, Nweke said.

Lauding the efforts of past leaders of the state, he stated that their works created conducive business environment and economic development which the current administration had failed to sustain.

“When our revered Senator Jim Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo was in government, he built Nike Lake Hotel, established the then Anambra State University, Sunrise Flour Mills, Anambra TV, Premiere Breweries, Anambra Vegetable oil product and so many others within 4 years. Think about the number of jobs that were created.

“The 40 billion naira Ama Breweries built during the government of His Excellency Chimaroke Nnamani is a testament to how jobs can be created and other businesses established because of the conducive business environment.

“Under the government of Governor Sullivan Chime, the Mexicans established a major farm in Enugu which led to exportation of pineapple products, bananas and others.

“Most of these businesses have shut down within two years of the emergence of the current administration, as a result of the unfriendly and obnoxious policies of the government. The key to job creation and economic regeneration is in a very strong partnership with the private sector underpinned by a conducive business environment.”

When asked what led to his campaign  slogan “Arise, Let’s Rebuild Enugu”, he said the theme was chosen because of its biblical meaning and reminder of Nehemiah’s cries to the then King of Babylon, informing him of the crumbling walls of his homeland, Jerusalem.

“The choice of the campaign theme is predicated on the fact that Enugu is not working today. In the last seven years, I believe that this state has retrogressed significantly and insecurity is at an all time high, water crisis persists in the state and Enugu has never been as dirty as it is currently,” he said.