By Reuben Onyishi
( Ugoachataberu)
Enugu State Executive Leadership Retreat with the theme “Strategic Leadership for Disruptive and Sustainable Development” was held at Nike Lake Resort Hotel, Enugu between Friday, September 22nd and Sunday, 25th September, 2023. All appointees of Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, ranging from the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia; Chief of Staff to the Governor, Barr. Victor Udeh; Principal Secretary to the Governor, Mr Ken Chukwuegbo; Head of Service, Mr Kenneth Ugwu; Commissioners; SPAs; SSAs; Heads of MDAs and SAs, were participants at the retreat. The retreat was a deliberate effort by Governor Mbah to fill in on his aides the mission, vision, values, and strategies of his administration, meant for the delivery of his campaign promises to the people of Enugu State, anchored on disruptive innovation with a view to grow the economy of Enugu State to astronomical proportion of $30 billion GDP.
As a matter of fact, every one of the aides to the governor has got a portfolio to deliver in line with the strategic frameworks and patterns by means of which outputs are delivered and performance measured. That was actually the takeaway from the three-day retreat where Governor Mbah and his Deputy, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai, trained the participants.
Besides Barr. Mbah and his Deputy, Barr. Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai, the erudite Professor, Chidiebere Onyia, who is also the Secretary to the State Government, demonstrated his expertise and knowledge of development economics, and administration as he anchored the programme to effective delivery. Chidiebere Onyia no doubt was part of the eggheads that crafted the roadmap to the values the Mbah Administration proposes. He was carefully chosen by Governor Mbah in the drive to upturn the status quo, and shoot Enugu to unexplored lofty heights. All can so far attest to his competence and commitment to help drive the goals and objectives of the Mbah Administration.
The lecture series had begun with His Excellency’s, Barr. Peter Mbah’s, presentation on “Envision the Future.” It was as usual an excellent delivery extempore. Mr Linus Okolie, a renowned leadership development coach and human capital development expert, had followed with his topic “Leadership,” and Prof. Melvin Ayougu, an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Financial Services, London, delivered on “Strategic Thinking,” while Dr Joe Abah, an internationally recognized expert in governance and institutional reforms, rounded off the day with his on “Sustainable Development.” That was besides the breakout session where the participants discussed in groups topics assigned to them and made presentations subsequently.
The second day had begun with the lecture by the Deputy Governor, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai, on the topic “Understanding Delivery,” an excellent delivery that engendered paroxysmal applause from the participants. His was followed by Dr Sam Onyia’s delivery on “Understanding Performance.” Onyia is a development expert and public affairs management specialist.The globally recognized Professor of Development Economics and Vice President of African Development Bank, Prof. Kevin Urama, delivered his virtually online and realtime lecture from New York, United States, on “Strategic Positioning.” Mrs Ibukunle Awosika, an African enterpreneur, author, international leader and global culture shaper, also did deliver realtime online from United States of America on the topic, “Understanding Strategy: Case Study and Feedback.” Quite another online realtime delivery on “Climate Change: Strategic Positioning and Action” was presented by Prof. Chukwumerije Okereke, himself a professor of global climate governance and public policy at the School of Policy Studies of the University of Bristol, Uk. Then Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, the SSG, rounded off the day’s presentations with his lecture on “Team Culture.” The participants had earlier had breakout sessions and panel sessions moderated by Dr Sam Onyia, involving the following panelists: Prof. Obiamaka Egbo(SPA public Financial Management); Ozurumba Afigbo (SPA Delivery) and Louisa Chinedu-Okeke (SSA Policy and Project).
The third day was of no mean dimension as the Commissioner for Trade, Investment and Industrialization, Adaora Chukwu, did a recap of the previous day’s presentations, before the erudite SSG, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, took the participants on “Team Activity and Team Building Exercise.” Daniel Chukwuma, SSA Protocol, had delivered on “Understanding Governance Protocol,” before the Personal Secretary to the Governor and former Head of Service, Mr Ken Chukwuegbo, took the governor’s appointees on “Governance Processes and Structure.” Osita Onuma, Senior Adviser,Technology and Innovation, would handle “Understanding the E-Governance Process and its Value Addition in Governance Administration,” before Ken Chukwuegbo would take the team yet again on “Handling Disciplinary Issues in the Public Service” and Executive Council ( EXCO) Memo Process. His Excellency, Barr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, wrapped up the programme with his address of the participants. The quality of facilitators at the retreat points to Governor Mbah’s determination to impart in his appointees the great spirit that drives his resolute determination and commitment to the development of Enugu State on all fours.
Governor Mbah while wrapping up the retreat commended his appointee participants for their commitment to the retreat in the last three days. He said he personally observed their dedication to the interesting and exciting programme. He said everything unpacked during the retreat would feed into why “we find ourselves where we are today.” While acknowledging the incremental values previous administrations of the state had brought to bear, Mbah said it was time to do things differently in order to engender quantom leap in economic growth of the state, and doing things differently would require disruption of the status quo.
“We are at the threshold of history; and history beckons on us to act, You are leaving here with clear understanding of our mission, vision and values,” Mbah said.
All the appointees would form the team, and have to understand the whys and wherefores of the Mbah Administration, and adapt the strategies by means of which the vision of the administration is delivered to the people of Enugu State. This vision is clearly anchored on exponential economic growth to the GDP size of $30 billion from the present $4.4 billion GDP with a view to eradicate poverty to zero percent headcount index. This goes on show that Governor Mbah is a team players, seeking to wrought synergy among the team towards effective delivery of the goals and objectives of his administration. Targets are set and key performance indicators are put in place to measure outputs, the baseline and optimal performance against inputs.
“All we have here is achievable. The idea is to change the pattern of growth. That future we want to bequeath our children is possible, and that is the spirit we want to take home from here,” Mbah said.
Governor Mbah went on to explain the vision, mission and values of his administration, while urging his aides to imbibe and act them out, leveraging the strategic frameworks presented to them during the retreat. He also urged them to inspire the people they lead while paying attention to output, holding that target is key to delivery and strategy is nothing without execution.
For the Mbah Administration, it is not a question of what portfolio you hold. It is about the economies of scale wrought in seamless collaboration among the ministries, departments and agencies to achieve the vision of the administration. If all understands the mission- to make Enugu State the prime choice of investment by derisked business environment via ease of doing business anchored on infrastructure, friendly fiscal measure and regulations- the governance philosophy of the administration based on continuity, collaboration, transparency and accountability- then they are in the hope of reasonably doing great. The retreat and the lessons thereof is an elastic stretch that would shoot far into the high pedestals that would also crystalize into the Enugu State of Governor Mbah’s dream. All is armed with performance tools in the hope that performance is achieved to the delight and wellbeing of Ndi Enugu. Indeed, tomorrow is here.
Reuben Onyishi is SSA New Media to the Governor of Enugu State
