Enugu State Governor, Dr Peter Mbah, has said that his governance model is in key alignment with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) also known as 2030 Agenda, as his administration strives to ensure the delivery of democracy dividends to the people of the Coal-City State.
Governor Mbah, who spoke during the hosting of the Regional Stakeholders Consultation on Nigeria’s 2025 Voluntary National Review (VNR), South East, at the Old Government Lodge, Enugu on Thursday – yesterday, March 13 – disclosed that in compliance with the SDGs, his administration is committed to ensuring zero poverty headcount index, eradication of hunger through food security, affordability of clean water, hygienic environment and provisions of quality education and healthcare delivery.
Delivering his address, the Governor, represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof Chidiebere Onyia, at the event themed “Advancing sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals for leaving no one behind”, stressed that the SDGs are not just global aspirations but also a call to action for every region, community and individual.
He insisted that the South-East, with its abundant human capital resource, entrepreneurial spirit, and resilience, has a vital role to play in accelerating progress on the sustainable development goals in Nigeria.
Noting that while the gathering is a crucial step in assessing progress, identifying challenges and charting a way forward in achieving the SDGs 2030 agenda in Nigeria, Mbah pointed out that the South-East Region has made tremendous progress in areas such as access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities.
He called for deliberate efforts to ensure that the opportunities cascade to those in the rural areas.
”The Voluntary National Review process provides a unique platform to showcase our achievements while also engaging in honest reflections on the areas that require improvement. This consultation process therefore provides an opportunity for inclusive dialogue for all stakeholders—government, civil society, private sector, academia, development partners, and traditional institutions—to contribute their perspectives, share experiences, and propose practical solutions. Your voices, experiences, and recommendations are essential in ensuring that Nigeria’s VNR reflects the realities on the ground and strengthens our collective commitment to the SDGs.
“As we engage in discussions, let us remain focused on the ultimate goal—building a South-East region, and by extension, a Nigeria, where the sustainable development goals are not just a concept but a lived reality. Let us not only be bold in identifying challenges but also innovative in proposing solutions. Let us strengthen collaborations and partnerships that will drive meaningful change. Most importantly, let us ensure that the voices of the people—especially those at the grassroots who we, as various stakeholders, represent, are heard, respected, and integrated into the overall national report,” he added.
In her keynote address, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, said the participation of the South East region in the consultation was a clear demonstration of the commitment of the States to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Nigeria.
Adejoke, who was represented by the Assistant Director, Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, Dr. Yahaya Umar, asserted that the consultation would see to the reviewing of the Nigeria SDGs Progress Report (2024) through the lenses of institutional frameworks, progress on the 17 SDGs, lessons learnt, implementation challenges and key recommendations, adding that the reflections and feedback are crucial in ensuring Nigeria’s VNR meet global standards.
”Incidentally, this year’s VNR is coming at a time when world leaders adopted the ‘Pact for the Future’ during the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) last September. Through the ‘Pact’, our leaders have collectively reaffirmed their commitment to take bold, ambitious, accelerated, just and transformative actions to fast-track the achievement of the SDGs,” she said.
Speaking earlier, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Mbah on SDGs, Engr. Onyinye Akubuilo, revealed that the Sustainable Development Goals in Enugu State under the current administration in Enugu, has witnessed an unprecedented progress as the state has always shown commitment in the establishment of Type-2 primary healthcare centres and smart green schools in the 260 political wards while dedicating over 33% of its budget to education.
According to her, the state government is doing extremely well across all the goals of the SDGs, saying that the review would go a long way to help the state to appreciate how it has fared, the challenges facing it and areas to make improvements across the overall 2030 Agenda.
“The SDG implementation in Enugu has over the years seen progress, especially in the administration of Dr. Peter Mbah. You can see the huge progress that has been made towards SDGs, especially in the establishment of smart schools in all the political wards and of course the Type-2 primary health care in the state. That includes other infrastructural facilities, ensuring clean water and sanitation, gender equality, affordable clean energy, among other programmes,” she stressed.
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