2019: I will place high premium on infrastructure, rural development – Ayogu

Sen. Ayogu Eze, the All Progressives Congress(APC) governorship candidate for the 2019 elections in Enugu State, on Monday said that he would place priority on provision of infrastructure and rural development, if elected.

The two-term senator, who represented Enugu-North Senatorial District at the national assembly, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) in Abuja.

“We shall embark on an aggressive development of infrastructure that will open areas, supply electricity to every community in the state, and ensure 24/7 water supply to our rural and urban areas.

“We shall also create an arterial motorway network that would weld every part of the state into an unbroken highway chain,” he said.

Eze said that this would not only encourage easier communication and interaction among the various communities in the state, but would also promote greater cohesion among the various units that constitute Enugu State.

Ayogu said that where it was necessary to build bridges, culverts and drainage, his government would do so, to facilitate the road networks.

On the various markets in the state, the governorship candidate said that his government would embark on a comprehensive face-lift for the markets, to boost business activities.

“Markets in far-flung parts of the state will be boosted to increase the volume of activities in them and attract more trade from other states, far and near, and even from outside Nigeria.

“The overall effect would obviously increase internally generated revenue for the execution of the urgently needed infrastructure and rural development.

“We have large markets dotted around the state, and these can be made even bigger. Among these are Ogbete, Oji-River, Obollo-Afor, Agbani, Gariki, Awkunano, Emene and Ogige Nsukka and Ozzi.

“There are also those that are within the Enugu metropolis such as Ogbete, New Market, Artisan Market among others, all of which will receive equal attention from government,’’ he said.

He described the step as another sure way of giving expression to his campaign slogan of introducing a new dawn in Enugu State.

“This way, we shall give every part of this state a real sense of belonging and reassure them that they are indeed part of the state, and part of the new Enugu Project.

“Enugu State is more than just the Enugu metropolis. It runs from Igbo-Eze North to Aninri, from Uzo-Uwani to Nkanu-East, and thus must be developed from north to west, and from east to west.

“In Enugu, it can no longer be business as usual;there is work to do, and the sooner we embark on the Project, the much better off we will all be,” Ayogu said.