Features
Mbah and Water Scarcity: Breaking the Barriers of Failure in 180 Days
By Prince Ejeh Josh
For the residents of the city of Enugu and those that have been following the disturbing trend over the past 20 years, what Enugu has in coal it lacks in water. Coal is in abundance and that informs the reflective sobriquet of Enugu as the “Coal City State,” while water had not only become a scarce luxury and expensive commodity but also a perennial endemic the people of the state had come to live with. They had accepted their fate in the face of helplessness, frustration and entrenched despondency. Thirsty tongues could only wag in despair, raspy voice from a droughting throat and the endless search for water continued. The people of Coal City often put up melancholic faces whenever the issues of water were raised, and their hearts palpitated once they remembered that dry season was around the corner. An offer of water to a visitant was like a priceless gift treasured by the benevolent host.
The beautiful city of Enugu over the past two decades became an epitome of desert in an obscure oasis. The hope of having water restored to the people had long been dashed with such recondite, lengthy and puzzling narratives that all Enugu had were coal and shale. It became a mystery and a spiritual affair that required spiritual warfare to defeat the demons bewitching the state with deliberate drought. Such was a version of the narrative often told in our religiously gullible society. People bought into it and there they engaged in a battle that could only be won not by flesh and blood. Hence, when Dr. Peter Mbah, the now Enugu State governor, began his campaign, sermoning that he would make water available in abundance in the first 180 days of his administration, many cast doubts and vigorously defended their position. That promise alone elicited debate in the charged political atmosphere. Opposition hurled scorn, skeptics tossed and howled. 180 days? Impossibilia! Was Mbah living in the moon or feigned not to know the dimension water had assumed before he made such a promise? Questions were raised. Opposition members and detractors saw the promise as a landmine laid by the governor for himself. They started counting days for him.
Indeed, water is an essential commodity to human existence. It has been described as life itself (Mmiri bu ndu). This could have informed the reports of the United Nations Peace, Dignity and Equality on a Healthy Planet and the United Nations World Water Development Report that water is at the core of sustainable development and is critical for socio-economic development, energy and food production, healthy ecosystems and for human survival itself. The reports also recognized water as not only a rights issue for the ever-growing human population but also essential for sanitation and for reducing the global burden of disease and improving the health, education and economic productivity of the population. This is why water occupies a strategic position in the goal-target of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as number six on the rung of the ladder. The SDG 6 clearly sets to “ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.”
Despite the essentiality of the role water plays in human ecosystem, the WaterAid presented scary graphics of water challenges in Enugu and its environs. Half of the state’s population, approximating 2.27 million people, lacks access to potable water services. They depended on polluted and often disease-infested water from upstream or their sources. They further submitted that lack of access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) contributed to poor sanitation, poverty and amplified the degree of health challenges and primarily increasing infant mortality. In a representation that showed the body had given up hopes of having water in Enugu again due to its strained geological formation and topography, it capped its report with the following sad finality; “The government and the International Non-Governmental Organisation have played their parts to see a lasting solution to this problem, but all to no avail.” This submission had the corroboration of the finding of the International Centre for Investigative Reporting of August 8, 2022 which gave a frightening horror and pointblank eyesore narrative of the Enugu imagery. The alarming description titled, “Amid widespread scarcity, Enugu residents pay tanker drivers for dirty water”, would leave no one in doubt about the crumbling dignity of humanity, but that was just the sad situation on ground in the state before the recent intervention.
“Adults and children squatting and defecating into trenches and pools of floodwater under the bridge at the New Artisan Market is a common sight, with some others washing their clothes and children swimming at the other end. Those who cannot descend into the trench when they need to defecate use polythene bags and fling the content into the trench. The water flows from a gully that passes through the market, characterized by improper waste disposal, lack of toilet facilities and hygiene practices. Residents say they depend on the dirty water for everything. Bathing, washing of cloths and sometimes, cooking and drinking,” the report submitted.
This, of course, was just one out of many. At Ilukwe, Nzekwe, Obosi and Lagos streets in Ogui Layout, the vicious cycle continued without hope of abating. I did a check at the only source of water at Ilukwe Street which had close to a thousand residents and had my heart palpitate at the gory scramble by the elderly and children alike over gully water running out slowly from a source decorated with the laurels of heaps of rubbish dumped indiscriminately over the years. Women and children who often lined up like the mai-bara of the Almajiranci every morning waiting, perhaps, with such unending patience for their turn to scoop the dirty, foul-smelling water, disclosed that the water was their “everything”. Interestingly, most of the children born within the vicinity in the last couple of years could only hear like a tale in the moonlight or read in their primary school textbooks, about Enugu water but had not seen, felt, touched, and used the purported water. This was in addition to the Imri-Ani at Chinatown, Independence Layout, Ugbo-Ogrugru stream at New Haven, with all the water declared unsafe for human consumption. As a result of this, in July 2021, the Premium Times reported an outbreak of cholera in the state with over 14 fatality recorded and 100 of residents infected with the disease. All efforts to consign this challenge into the state’s historical past could only end up draining into futility.
Then Mbah came. He campaigned on the unpopular trajectory of ending water challenges. It was, to many, the norm and platitude heard over and again as part of campaign promises for all politicians. Mbah, weird as that could be, did not only campaign to defeat the intractable problem of hydra-headed dimension, he assured of his resolve to bring water to the people in 180 days. Analysts were alarmed. Maybe he meant to say another thing. Maybe it was a slip of tongue which could occur to any human being. But he insisted. He was unambiguous. That was uncanny! Even insiders in his political party recused themselves from the 180 days promise. Mbah’s reaction to the skeptics reinforced conviction in some quarters that political actors were good in oration. But the man was not an orator. He says what he means and means what he says. Mbah had told doubting residents that he understood their disbelief because they were used to “bad leadership and bad government”.
Like the 65th United States Secretary of State, Colin Powell, once said, “A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work”. Determined to demystify leadership and deliver on his solemn promise, shortly after the election, Mbah embarked on a voyage, in search of water. He mobilized the best hands, drawing professionals across the globe to do the seemingly impossible. Even with the gloomy meager resources at the reach of the state, the governor was unrepentant about his conviction to do things differently. For the first time in the history of the state, the political lexicon had a radical shift. It became a more sophisticated register such as disruptive innovation, technology deployment, ICT, robotics, artificial intelligence, optimal performance, meritocracy of idea, traceability, responsibility, etc. All this, the governor deployed in the water resource sector to frame a new narrative and prove the can-do spirit.
Workers worked round the clock. It was a tortuous journey with labourious nights of creativity and technology. In his 1927 poem, Journey of the Magi, T.S Eliot presented the worst of the journeys of the Magi in search of a new beginning. Probably, a worst time of the year full of challenges for the wise men. For the Magi, it was such a long journey. But for Mbah, the journey could be shortened with the right approach. This accounted for why it took past administrations decades of strenuous efforts only to end up on a treadmill. Robert Frost, in his “The Road Not Taken”, stated that men, in making decision, preferred to taken the popular, more comforting road which usually ends in ineffectuality. However, understanding that the road less taken by men because of the grumpy path and sore-footed potentials could lead to success, the governor took the challenge upon himself and rode through it. And his motivation? Result. He could be heard reinforcing the conviction that “we are the people known to turn deserts into fertile plains”.
As the countdown to the 180 days continued by the residents, on the media, in the markets, in churches, and became almost a household song, detractors were impatiently waiting for a 180-day of requiem lamentation. Mbah would prove them wrong sooner than the very day. From the occasional two million litres of water to 120 million litres of water in less than 180 days. That was a magic, or probably a miracle as many had argued. But he broke the jinx and set a new pace. Writing in 1992 in his work titled, “The End of History and the Last Man Standing”, the American political economist, Francis Fukuyama, argued that western civilization had weathered all storms to emerge from the relics of the Cold War as the only idea. From the rubble of challenges, Mbah defied the stormy water to emerge as the man with magic wand to erase the history of water failure in the state with a new beginning.
Today, with all the reservoirs working in full capacity across the metropolis that could house the 70 million litres from the 9th Mile Ultra-modern Water Scheme, 50 million from the Oji River water project and the ongoing work on facility extension, an end has been put to the drought in the state. The barriers of failure in the sector was shattered. Once again, the people of Enugu could taste fresh, potable, clean and disease-free water after over 20 years. The 9th Mile Water Facility with a 4.4 megawatt power station is a world-class project that is becoming a subject of research. This guarantees a 24-hour water supply to the people. Schools, hospitals, hotels, industries, businesses and residents can now heave some sigh of relief. Before I forget, I have been inundated with calls from members of the public asking the list of other promises the governor made with timelines so that they could be counting down on the pegged timelines. It is now goodbye to open defecation, bad and contaminated water. A new dawn has just begun.
By Petrus Obi
It was a remarkable demonstration of political loyalty, solidarity and appreciation as the university town of Nsukka came to a virtual standstill during the flag-off of the Enugu State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign, with thousands of enthusiastic supporters trooping out to identify with Governor Peter Mbah and his administration.
From the massive turnout to the palpable excitement that greeted the governor’s arrival, the event offered a compelling picture of the growing political momentum behind Mbah in Enugu North Senatorial District.
Economic and social activities were significantly disrupted as residents, party faithful, traditional and community leaders, youth groups, women organisations and other supporters converged on Nsukka to be part of the historic political gathering.
For many observers, the mammoth crowd was more than an ordinary party
mobilisation. It was an eloquent expression of appreciation by a people who believe that the Mbah administration has brought renewed attention to their zone and demonstrated a commitment to balanced development across Enugu State.
The excitement surrounding the campaign flag-off was particularly significant given Nsukka’s strategic position in the state’s political
equation. As the headquarters of Enugu North Senatorial District and home to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, the town occupies an important place in the political, educational, commercial and cultural life of the state.
The enthusiastic reception accorded Governor Mbah therefore carried considerable political significance.
It was also a moment for the people to publicly identify with a governor whose development agenda has continued to place infrastructure, education, healthcare, security and economic expansion at the centre of governance.
Beyond the party banners, colourful displays and political speeches, the gathering reflected something deeper: the desire of the people of Nsukka and the wider Enugu North Zone to be part of the development story unfolding in the state.
Governor Mbah’s administration has consistently projected a vision of a new Enugu built on modern infrastructure, improved public services, investment attraction and economic transformation. From the construction and rehabilitation of roads to the modernisation of schools, healthcare facilities and security architecture, the administration has pursued an ambitious development agenda.
For the people of Nsukka, the campaign flag-off provided an opportunity to demonstrate their support for that vision and signal their desire for its continuation.
The turnout also reinforced the importance of political inclusion and the governor’s engagement with communities across the three senatorial zones. In a state where political support is often shaped by perceptions of fairness, development distribution and accessibility to government, the reception in Nsukka was a strong statement of confidence.
The university town, which has historically played a major role in shaping intellectual and political discourse in the South-East, once again became a centre of political activity, with residents turning out in large numbers to welcome the APC campaign.
Indeed, the scale of the mobilisation suggested that the Mbah administration’s political appeal in Enugu North is not limited to party structures alone but is also being projected through community participation and the enthusiasm of ordinary residents.
For Governor Mbah, the Nsukka outing was an important opportunity to consolidate political support, strengthen the APC’s grassroots structures and take the administration’s message directly to the people.
For the people of Nsukka, it was equally an opportunity to make a statement of their own: that they appreciate the direction of governance in Enugu State and want to remain part of the journey towards a more prosperous future.
The message from the university town was unmistakable. Nsukka turned out in impressive numbers, and the enthusiasm surrounding the campaign flag-off offered a powerful reminder that political support is often expressed most convincingly through the people themselves.
As the APC campaign gathers momentum across Enugu State, the Nsukka reception will undoubtedly stand out as one of the defining moments of its engagement with the Enugu North political constituency.
Features
New Cement Factory: Is Ebonyi Governor Misleading the People Over Proposed Nkalagu Project?
By Okey Maduforo
From the boundaries of Awka and Enugu State across the Ezu River, through the swamp rice fields of Awba–Ofemili, and from the borders of Igbariam in Anambra East to Achalla, the headquarters of Awka North Local Government Area, the story was once the same: ten communities largely abandoned and resigned to fate.
Predominantly agrarian, Awka North for decades presented the picture of rustic settlements struggling for basic infrastructure. Before the creation of the old Anambra State, many communities could not boast of electricity, while pockets of development recorded in a few areas were largely due to their proximity to Awka, the state capital.
Successive administrations at the local government level made attempts to stimulate development, but the scale of neglect meant that critical projects continued to beg for attention.
The ThankGod Anagu Intervention
In just 14 months since the emergence of the Mayor of Awka North Local Government Area, Chief ThankGod Anagu, the narrative has begun to change. His administration has pursued what many describe as a coordinated and people-centred delivery of social infrastructure, repositioning the once-forgotten council area and highlighting its vast socioeconomic potential.
Under his watch, a total of 39 classroom blocks have been renovated and fully equipped, significantly improving the learning environment across communities. In addition, more than 12 roads have either been constructed or attracted through his administration, easing movement and boosting economic activities.
To address insecurity, the Anagu administration installed security surveillance cameras across strategic communities, a move that has strengthened crime prevention and enhanced public safety.
The Achalla Local Government Secretariat, previously a shadow of itself, has also received a comprehensive facelift. Renovation works covered the main administrative building, the conference hall, and the Rt. Hon. Justice P.K. Nwokedi Hall, restoring dignity and functionality to the council complex.
Tackling Flooding and Erosion
Communities along river lines that had long suffered perennial flooding and erosion have not been left out. Erosion control projects executed in Ebenebe and neighbouring towns have helped protect over 36,000 buildings and vast farmlands, preserving livelihoods and preventing further environmental degradation.
Agricultural Outreach and Empowerment
As an agrarian society, Awka North has also benefited from targeted agricultural interventions. Through collaboration with the Anambra State Government, farmers have been empowered via outreach programmes such as the Farming to Feed initiative and the Palm Revolution, both of which have accelerated agricultural productivity and rural economic growth.
As Chief ThankGod Anagu continues to chart a new course for Awka North, many indigenes believe that with more time, the council area could fully consolidate its developmental gains and evolve into a modern, smart local government with agriculture, security, and infrastructure as its pillars.
On Sunday, the 4th of April, history stirred quietly beneath the ancient hills of Nike as we — alongside the CEO of Landmark Africa, Dr Paul Onwuanibe and others ; the custodians of the iconic Nike Lake Resort — stepped into a journey that promises to reshape the landscape of tourism in Enugu State.
Guided by the visionary momentum of His Excellency, Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, we traced the green spine of the Nike-Ohum Tourism Corridor — a corridor not merely of geography, but of destiny. From the rhythmic whispers of the Nike caves to the majestic gaze of the Udi escarpment, the land told stories waiting to be heard by the world.
This wasn’t just a site visit. It was a pilgrimage into promise, a handshake between heritage and opportunity. It signaled that Mbuluoweje, once a hidden jewel in the hills, is now poised to become a beacon of eco-tourism, cultural revival, and sustainable prosperity.
We went, not just with eyes open — but with hearts aligned to a future already unfolding. For indeed, tomorrow is no longer a distant horizon. It has arrived, dressed in the colors of innovation, investment, and inclusive growth.
The Governor’s transformative tourism blueprint — forged with intentionality earlier this year — is no longer ink on paper. It is spirit on terrain. And in that spirit, we walked. We envisioned a world-class tourism ecosystem — resorts nestled in nature, trails that tell stories, and villages turned vibrant through the power of shared culture and commerce.
This visit will be remembered not just as a meeting of minds, but as a turning of keys — unlocking Mbuluoweje Zone to the world.
To the people of Nike, to the youth, to investors, and to dreamers across Nigeria: prepare for the unveiling. The world is coming to Enugu, and the hills are ready to sing.
Ozo Ossy Onuko the MD Awka Capital Territory Development Authority ACTDA writes from China where he is currently on a working visit and takes a look of ine the hospitalities and culture of the Asian Tiger.
As I sit calmly in my 26th-floor hotel room, overlooking the beautiful city of Changsha, glancing through my new book – Chimamanda’s masterpiece, “Dream Count,” I’m immersed with thoughts, kind thoughts I must say about the emerging new world order – CHINA. I’m reminded of China’s remarkable journey. Some 45 years ago, China opened itself to the rest of the world, ready to deal. After undergoing significant disruptive economic and administrative reforms, a new China emerged from the rubble of numerous wars including the 2nd World War and the Cold War that followed.
I was shocked to learn that in 1839 Britain/Europe brutalised China in a war for refusing the sale of opium to its citizens by the British government in a bid to balance China/Europe’s trade deficit… opium a hard drug with strong addiction tendencies impacted the youth population of China, in other words, Britain was pushing hard drugs to China – keep pondering on that as I continue.
The superior military advantages enjoyed by European forces led to several easy victories over the Chinese military, with the consequence that China was compelled to sign unequal treaties to grant favourable tariffs, trade concessions, reparations and territory to Western powers. One of which was ceding Hong Kong to Britain.
China a poor country, now with a 1.4 Billion population, almost negligible in global affairs then contributed less than 1% to global GDP and in 1978, the year China began to open and reform its economy its GDP increased to 149.5 billion dollars, accounting for 1.7% of the world economy.
Since then, GDP growth has averaged over 9 per cent a year, and almost 800 million people have been lifted out of poverty.
Today, China’s GDP stands at 18.5 trillion US dollars accounting for 19.6% of the global economy. Generally far higher than the contribution of the entire European countries and particularly a far cry from the UK’s 2.0% contribution to global GDP.
China is projected to contribute 22.5% of the global GDP by 2030 and “economic marabouts” prophesy that China will surpass the United States in ten years to become the world’s largest economy and that if that happens, it will be impossible for the US to catch up given the speed of their growth.
Now one wonders less why Donald Trump shouts America First at the top of his voice…it could be that the marabouts have also leaked these things to him. His man Friday, Elon Musk was once amazed at China’s growth, so astonished that he tweeted thus, “China’s progress in advanced infrastructure is more than 100 times faster than the US” – Elon Musk, 27th Feb 2018.
The US is the world’s economic powerhouse, with a GDP of 29 trillion US dollars, contributing approximately 26.3% of the global GDP, its continued economic dominance is threatened by this emerging new world order…the future of the United States lies solely on the ongoing economic reforms under President Trump. While various opinions continue to trial Trump’s reforms, the global magazine The Economist published an article on April 10th, 2025, with the topic “Trump’s incoherent trade policy will do lasting damage”. Whichever way it goes, the jury is out.
Still savouring the bliss of Changsha – the Capital City of Hunan Province of China. Changsha has a population of 10 million people and occupies 11,819 km² space, which is more than five times the size of New York.
This morning, I flew for two hours from Beijing to Changsha, my guide, the delightful and ever-smiling Vivi ( not her real name, you know Chinese names rumple tongues), told me a lot about the history and development of Changsha especially the fact that it is the shoppers delight, as it’s notable amongst many guides they emphasize on shopping areas believing that foreigners have a lot of shopping appetite.
If she had not told me the City was more than 3,000 years old, I would have passed it as a newly emerging green city of China, I was thrilled by the urban regeneration that has transformed a 3000-year-old city into a modern infrastructural masterpiece, the type I have not seen anywhere else.
Can one ever overemphasize the friendly nature of the Chinese, especially those not familiar with blacks? When we walk the streets of urban areas of China, we can be called celebrities. Chinese – couples, students, old and young grapple to either say a cheering and sincere “Ni hao” (hello or hi China), or a selfie photo with you.
We don’t often get that treatment in the West where there’s an overbearing sense of dominance of whites over blacks. Permit me to posit a hypothesis and let our scholars put it to the rigourous test…” blacks are tolerated in the West but celebrated in China”.
As I retire to sleep tonight, it will be unfair not to mention a young Chinese I met at one of the Macdonalds in Chengsha.
When I rushed to grab lunch today, I was greeted with so much warmth and given endearing attention by this McDonald’s staff in a manner I have not experienced anywhere else, regardless of the language barrier between us, we related seamlessly. He would bring out his translator to interpret every word I speak or translate his. But mentioning him here is simply to highlight the National Culture Consciousness I observed in China amongst its teaming youth population.
Because of how cordial the young man was with me, I mistook him for an adult and asked him for a pub where I could ease off. The young man cheerful replied to me and said he’s a minor and by law, he’s not allowed to have such discussions with me…I froze, I just had to.
To make my new foreign friend happy, I would in his shoes simply point at the bars around, but that was not him, he knew the law and didn’t want to flout it. Then again I offered him a tip after my meal, tips elsewhere are a ritual almost like a compulsory part of a bill, he also declined and told me in clear terms that in China, my satisfaction mattered more to him than my tip, that it is their culture.
While I cannot generalise with this isolated case in McDonald in Changsha, it is a strong indication of a strong national orientation anchored on shared values and rooted in excellence where hard work and diligence take priority over rent-seeking and frivolity, a similar social orientation promoted in Nigeria by Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo CFR, Executive Governor of Anambra State.
Did I mention that there’s an emerging zinger in China now? Your guess is as good as mine…”America second!”
Ozo Ossy Onuko the MD Awka Capital Territory Development Authority ACTDA, wrote from China.
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