Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, has sworn in 13 newly appointed permanent secretaries, charging them to immediately align with his administration’s delivery-oriented governance model, stressing that there would be no honeymoon period for them in office.
The governor gave the directive during the swearing-in ceremony held at the Executive Council Chamber, Government House, Enugu, on Monday.
The new Permanent Secretaries are Chigbogu Sunday Nnaji, Phoebe Nkechinyere Edeh, Philip Anthony Arum, Egbonwonu Jeremiah, Ifeoma Justina Igwe, Ngozi Sylverline Egbo, Nkiru Henrietta Ede-Ogunnaike, Pamela Ikpa, Kennis Ngene, Anyaora I. Okereke, Adaobi Theresa Nwodo, Ikechukwu Ezenwukwa, and Paul Nwabuisi.
This brings to 27 the number of Permanent Secretaries in the State.
Mbah explained that the appointments were strictly merit-based, having emerged from a rigorous and transparent selection process, while also filling existing vacancies in the civil service to promote equality, inclusion and fairness.
Governor Mbah reminded the new Permanent Secretaries that so much responsibility accompanied their elevation, noting that the reward for hard work was more work.
“I believe you worked very hard to get to this level in your career, and you went through a very rigorous process to be selected. So, it is well deserved. But let me also remind you that the honeymoon is over. To whom much is given, much is expected,” he said.
He described Permanent Secretaries as the engine room of government and custodians of institutional memory, stressing that governance under his administration was carrying out far-reaching reforms across all sectors.
Referrimng to the 2026 budget proposal before the Enugu State House of Assembly, Mbah noted that the state had crossed the trillion-naira appropriation threshold for the first time, with over ₦1.3 trillion earmarked for capital projects.
“These reforms are not makeshift. They are meant to be institutionalised and to outlive us. You have a duty to ensure that processes are properly documented and sustained,” he said, adding that the expanded scale of government programmes required an enhanced and more skilled workforce.
Governor Mbah further stressed the importance of ICT competence, noting that all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) had been integrated into the state’s e-governance platform.
“As leaders and chief accounting officers, you must not be beginners in ICT. We expect at least medium- to advanced-level competence,” he told them.
He highlighted key sectoral reforms, including the smart green schools revolution in education, the construction and ongoing equipping of Type-2 primary healthcare centres across the 260 wards, the transformation of the transportation system with CNG buses and modern terminals as well as the establishment of 260 farm estates to boost agricultural production and exports.
In tourism, the governor reiterated the plans to attract at least three million visitors to the state, supported by massive investments in hospitality infrastructure, tourist sites and access, while the launch of Enugu Air was aimed at improving connectivity and driving economic growth.
He also noted that the administration had exceeded the 35 per cent Affirmative Action benchmark in the appointment of Permanent Secretaries, reflecting its gender sensitivity and commitment to inclusion and fairness.
“The world is watching us. We must hold ourselves to the highest standards of discipline and imbibe our governance philosophy of transparency, accountability, accessibility and collaboration, as clearly outlined in the citizens’ charter,” he added.
Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Mr. Ikechukwu Ezenwukwa, thanked the governor for the confidence reposed in them and pledged their unwavering commitment to the administration’s vision.
He acknowledged the gains recorded by the Mbah Administration in revenue generation and infrastructural development.
“We pledge to add value to these achievements. We assure you that you will not be disappointed in appointing us,” Ezenwukwa concluded.
