The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has praised Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State for his impactful leadership, citing his administration’s significant investments in education, primary healthcare, and infrastructure as transformative for the state.
Speaking at the signing ceremony of the UNICEF/Enugu Government Multiyear 2025–2027 Workplan on Tuesday, the Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Enugu, Mrs. Juliet Chiluwe, lauded the governor’s commitment to improving the welfare of children and women. She highlighted the state’s advancements in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and commended Mbah for pioneering smart schools and upgrading primary healthcare to Level 2.
Chiluwe acknowledged the visible progress in infrastructure, security, and economic development under Mbah’s administration. She emphasized that Enugu is leading in WASH masterplan implementation and praised the government’s commitment to human development indices, particularly in education and healthcare.
The governor reaffirmed his administration’s dedication to social development, announcing plans to provide daily nutrition to over 300,000 children in Smart Green Schools starting September 2025. He expressed appreciation for UNICEF’s ongoing support and described the agency as a valuable development partner.
Mbah revealed that the social services sector had received the highest budget allocation for two consecutive years, with education consistently receiving 33% of the budget in 2024 and 2025. He reiterated the government’s commitment to strengthening the healthcare sector, including the completion of 260 Type-2 primary healthcare centers across all electoral wards, fully equipped with modern medical facilities and round-the-clock electricity.
Addressing challenges in healthcare, Mbah disclosed that his administration approved the recruitment of 2,500 health workers to bridge the personnel gap. He also reaffirmed plans to launch smart schools in September 2025, ensuring that students benefit from quality education, healthcare, and free daily meals.
The governor further emphasized efforts to enhance living conditions in the state, including the first phase of a 7,500-unit mass housing scheme aimed at relocating residents from urban slums and eliminating open defecation.
As part of the ongoing Country Programme of Cooperation (2023–2027), UNICEF reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with the Enugu State government to advance the rights of children and women. Chiluwe also called on local government authorities and stakeholders to intensify efforts in achieving open defecation-free status and implementing social protection policies to combat poverty.
