Our $30bn GDP target on course – Enugu gov

Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah has reiterated his administration’s commitment to growing the state’s Gross Domestic Product from $4.4 billion to at least $30 billion in the next four to eight years. The governor said his administration was also committed to attaining a zero percent poverty headcount index in the state.

He spoke during a public lecture entitled: ‘Enugu State, Nigeria: New Political Leadership; Bold Economic Vision – Spotlight on the Health and Education Strategies’ which he delivered at the London School of Economics on Thursday evening.

Mbah said only radical thinking and creative approach to governance would stimulate rapid economic development in the 36 states of the federation.

He noted that realising the set targets would depend greatly on the wellness of the state’s workforce, hence his government’s health projects and innovations.

He said: “We’re seeing decline, albeit marginal, in infant and maternal mortality rate in our state. We’re constantly eliminating factors that ordinarily cause maternal and under-5 deaths, such as the absence of skilled birth attendants, including doctors, nurses and midwives, at health facilities.

“From a pre-election statistic of 39 per cent, we have grown the number of births attended to by skilled health personnel at our facilities to 42 per cent. Our target is to achieve a 100 per cent threshold by the end of 2025.

“In addition, we’ve significantly expanded immunisation coverage for all childhood vaccine-preventable diseases for children on their first birthday. We’ve also increased the number of those attending ante-natal care for the first time.”