SULLIVAN CHIME; A VISIONARY

City busses, multiple estates and layouts , uniform taxis, traffic lights, shopping malls, good roads, lesser crimes, and a city of lights at night; the cliché quote “growth is a slow process” has be successfully defied unarguably in Enugu State, since 29th May 2007 and the swearing in of Barr. Sullivan Iheanacho Chime the visionary Governor who changed the looks of Enugu and the minds of her citizens. The 1978 product of college of Immaculate Conception Enugu and The university of Nigeria Enugu Campus law graduate was born April 10, 1959. Subsequent to acquiring education he ran a private legal practice in Enugu for 17 years during when he was once the sectary of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Enugu branch between 1992 and 1994 and afterward appointed special Adviser (legal matters) to the then Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani In 2001.
Sullivan Iheanacho Chime also became the Attorney General and commissioner of Justice Enugu State. Then In 29 May 2007 he was sworn into power after winning the gubernatorial election on the platform of People’s Democratic Party.
Development in Enugu have since then been growing rapidly and Sullivan Chime’s government has been identified to have a strong concern on human development citing the achievements in his first term. Barr. Sullivan Chime regularized the state’s salary payment within the 25th f every month after he increase the minimum wage, clearing the arrears accumulated by past administrations, paying up gratuity and pensions, and also initiating a comprehensive healthcare plan for workers. Aggressive Construction and rehabilitation of roads and creation of good, adequate and regularly cleaned up drainage system that goes with the good road to prevent spoilage due to flood, was a major achievement in his first tenure and still is now. Roads like Ugwogo Nike-Opi Nsukka Road; Ninth mile-nsude-Obioma – Abia –Udi –Oji River; Eke- Ebe- Egede- Affa- Akpakume-Aku Road; Iwollo- Oghe- Olo- Umolokpa Road and zik avenue/bridge and Abakpa bridge are still under construction and also setting up a new road maintenance agency to monitor and maintain the roads networks . More stable electricity even in rural areas and electricity connections to rural areas where there was no initial power connection and improved water scheme . It really doesn’t need a rocket science brain to figure that all these development creates an enabling environment for a more stable economy and human development. Sullivan Chime has created a comfortable environment for foreign investors by improving the Security standard of the state compared to past dispensation. He donated over 50 jeeps and power bikes, modern communication equipments to the state police command enhancing their mobility and rapid response aptitude even in rural areas. Stand-by generators have been installed for street lights to keep the city bright at night even if there was power failure; since the street light development, crime rate at night dropped. The city of Enugu haven’t witness such amount of remarkable rapid changes in past times within a short period of time.
Sullivan Chime also deemed it necessary to enhance the Education system in the state by signing approving 195 million naira for the rehabilitation of some public primary school and also donated 300 busses to secondary schools in the state. Also the reconstruction of the state’s secretariats have commenced intensively. Sullivan Chime improved the standard of Enugu State generally putting the state ahead of others; He is a visionary that sees more than the eyes can meet, creating a platform for higher development for the state in future times tackling the foundation problems to the economic and general development of the state and it citizens like the good roads, electricity, water and security which creates an enabling environment for the citizens to take advantage of and develop themselves, viewing Enugu; the city touched by an angel, one can easily agree that Sullivan Iheanacho Chime is the finger of God.  

By Nnagoziem Udensi