••• Council Chairman Says Nkanu West Ready to Host Farm Estates
● Stephanie Daberechukwu
In a bold pivot from the old order of local government idleness, Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, is ushering in a new era of grassroots productivity – and he’s starting with farm estates, tractors, and the hands of everyday council workers.
On Thursday, the heart of this revolution pulsed in Agbani, headquarters of Nkanu West Local Government Area. There, the Executive Chairman of the Enugu State Local Government Service Commission, Nana Ogbodo Esq, delivered the governor’s message with clarity: the local government system is no longer a cost center – it’s a growth engine. And the target? A whopping $50 billion GDP in six years.
Nana Ogbodo didn’t mince words. “The governor wants this to be a workers-oriented project,” he said, addressing a sea of eager civil servants. “You will be required to form cooperatives that will be eligible to access loans from our financial partners. The state government will also provide tractors, seedlings, and other farm inputs to support you in achieving massive yields.”
R-L: Nkanu West LG Council Chairman, John Ogbodo; his deputy, Friday Nnam; secretary to the Council, Onochie Igwesi; and other LG workers at tge council headquarters Agbani, Thursday.
But first things first – salaries. Barr. Ogbodo assured the workers their pay would hit their accounts the same day. The earlier delay, he explained, stemmed from verification hurdles and staff record discrepancies. That said, he urged workers to recommit themselves to diligence, punctuality, and the broader vision of the administration.
And that vision is vast. Governor Mbah has ordered every local government to secure 200 hectares of land in each ward for the mechanized farming programme. Council workers won’t just be participants – they’ll be pioneers. “Local government workers will form the backbone of the programme and stand to benefit significantly,” Nana emphasized.
Nkanu West LG Council Chairman, Hon. John Chukwuma Ogbodo, is wasting no time in delivering. “We’ve already secured the required 200 hectares in nine out of our 14 wards,” he revealed. “We’re now moving ahead with perimeter fencing and gates in readiness for the full rollout.” With visible excitement, he urged council workers to embrace the initiative with passion, promising them the lion’s share of the benefits.
Continuing, Hon. Ogbodo affirmed that efforts to secure land in the remaining wards are underway.
The council boss also used the occasion to highlight development strides under his leadership, aligning with Governor Mbah’s state-wide transformation agenda. These include a modern abattoir, new toilet facilities, solar-powered boreholes, improved waste management with new dumpsters at strategic locations, the reorganization of Four Corners Ozalla park, and a massive box culvert project at Ngene-Ukwa, Achikpa, Ndiagu Akpugo.
Closing the event with warm gratitude, NULGE Chairperson of Nkanu West, Mrs. Kate Nnamoko, praised the farm estate programme as a timely intervention. “Such a project will benefit us, create jobs, and make food readily available not only in the local government but throughout the state,” she declared. Also present were other top council officials, including Deputy Chairman Engr. Friday Nnam, Leader of the Legislature Hon. Onyekachi Nnamani, Secretary Prince Onochie Igwesi, Chief of Staff Barr. Chidi Anih, councillors, and supervisors – a full house united under one goal: turning soil into state wealth. GMTNewsng
