Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has constituted a 15- man Enugu State Economic Advisory Committee that will guide his administration on the best economic policies to engender sustainable economic growth.
According to a statement from the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Uwakwe Abugu, the Vicar-General of the Catholic Diocese of Enugu, Msgr (Prof). Obiora Ike, has been named the chairman of the committee; while the Economic Adviser to the governor would serve as the secretary of the committee.
Among prominent Nigerians that made the list of the 15-member Enugu State Economic Advisory Committee are the former minister of power, Prof. Barth Nnaji, deputy senate president, Chief Ike Ekweremadu, industry giant and chairman of Innoson Group of Companies, Chief Innocent Chukwuma, former Economic Adviser to the president and current Director of the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Nigeria, Prof. Osita Ogbu, Chief Chilo Offiah, among others.
In setting up the economic advisory team, the administration of Governor Ugwuanyi desired that the pool of experts would effectively discharge its obligations by “thinking of new ideas on economic issues” and or give government pertinent advise on what should be done to enhance the economic fortunes of the state.
According to the statement, the functions of the economic and development experts would revolve around three key objectives, namely, to promote balanced and sustainable economic growth, to promote and engender adequate employment for the people of Enugu state and to promote a system of fair income distribution among the various income groups in the state.
Other members of the committee put together by the governor include former Aviation minister, Amb. Fidelia Njeze, a successful investor and civil society activist, Chief Loretta Aniagolu, Dr. Chikelu Mba, Mr. Kelvin Emeka Onah, Mr. Emeka Odo who had mercurially ‘transfigured’ from a business reporter with the Daily Times of Nigeria to become a banker and financial guru, Princess Ngozi Nnaedozie, Mr. John Okoye and Mr. Ikechukwu Chioke.
The membership of the committee cuts across states other than Enugu, according to the statement, to ensure that nothing was left undone in the current efforts to shore up the revenue base of the state in view of his burning desire to fulfil his campaign promises to the people of the state who gave him overwhelming support at the polls last April and have continued to show their love for him since he assumed office.
The committee according to the statement was a response to the concern across the country owing to the frightening development in the oil sector which has made it difficult for some states and even the federal governments to pay staff salaries and meet other obligations starring them in the face as governments that should be responsive to the yearnings of the people.
