Enugu Approves Farm Support for 63,000 Farmers, Recruits 4,698 Teachers, Strengthens Ebola Preparedness

The Enugu State Government has approved a series of initiatives aimed at boosting agriculture, improving education and strengthening the state's healthcare system.

The decisions were reached during the latest meeting of the State Executive Council (SEC), with officials reaffirming the administration's commitment to delivering on its development agenda despite the ongoing political campaign season.

Addressing journalists after the meeting, the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Dr. Malachy Agbo, alongside the Commissioners for Agriculture and Agro-Industrialisation, Dr. Patrick Ubru; Education, Prof. Ndubueze Mbah; and Health, Prof. George Ugwu, outlined the key resolutions.

Dr. Ubru announced that the state government will commence the distribution of free agricultural inputs to 63,000 registered smallholder farmers across the 260 wards of the state beginning Tuesday. The initiative is designed to increase food production, lower farming costs and improve farmers' incomes.

According to him, beneficiaries will receive essential inputs including fertilisers, agrochemicals, rice seeds, maize seeds, pepper seeds and tomato seeds. He noted that the programme has expanded significantly from last year's intervention, which benefited about 40,000 farmers.

He added that only properly registered and verifiable farmers whose farms have been documented will benefit from the exercise, ensuring transparency and effective monitoring throughout the distribution process.

On education, Prof. Ndubueze Mbah disclosed that the Executive Council approved the recruitment of 4,698 additional teachers to strengthen staffing across the state's 267 Smart Green Schools.

He explained that the recruitment will help maintain uniform educational standards in all Smart Green Schools, using the model already established at the Owo Campus.

The commissioner also revealed that the government is expanding the Centre for Experiential Learning and Innovation (CELI) at the Enugu State College of Education (Technical). The centre will serve as a training hub where teachers will acquire the practical skills needed to implement the state's experiential learning model.

Beyond teacher development, CELI will also support young innovators and entrepreneurs by helping them refine and commercialise creative ideas, inventions and other innovative solutions.

Speaking on health, Prof. George Ugwu said the government has directed the immediate reactivation of all isolation centres established during the COVID-19 pandemic following the recent Ebola outbreak reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and parts of Uganda.

He explained that the proactive measure is necessary because Enugu has become an international gateway with direct international flights, making disease surveillance and emergency preparedness a priority.

The commissioner further disclosed that the Executive Council directed contractors handling expansion projects in state-owned hospitals to accelerate work and complete the projects before the end of the year.

Among the priority projects are the new high-rise buildings at the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (Park Lane), the teaching hospital at the State University of Medical and Applied Sciences (SUMAS), Igbo-Eno, while the Enugu International Hospital is expected to be commissioned in the coming weeks.

Also present during the media briefing were the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dame Ugochi Madueke, and the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Ben Osy Okoh.