Ben Ezechime, Enugu
The Enugu State Government and the European Union (EU) are to partner in areas of renewable energy, education, security amongst other areas of public interest.
This was made known when the EU delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS led by the Head of Cooperation, Mr Massimo De Luka, paid a courtesy call on Governor Peter Mbah at the government house, Enugu.
The delegation was in government house to discuss projects funded by the EU in partnership with the state government.
The delegation commended the governor for his approach to infrastructural and human capital development.
De Luka expressed the readiness of the EU to partner Enugu in the provision of alternative power supply.
He acknowledged the efforts of the governor in establishing quality healthcare and education system.
He said the EU was working on providing electrification in all the primary healthcare centres as well as the local communities across the state through Solar Energy for sustainable and efficient healthcare.
He said the EU was willing to improve the living standards of the youths in the state especially school dropouts and drug addicts.
He said the state has the potential for industrialisation, hence the interest of the EU to make Enugu a hub for industrialisation, business and living.
Responding, Governor Mbah commended the delegation for the choice of Enugu as one of the states in Nigeria to partner with, while saying his administration is particularly interested in the activities of the European Union.
He noted that the state government was keen to eradicating poverty, hence the huge investment in the provision of basic amenities, expansion of economic opportunities especially in the rural areas and the construction of 260 Smart Green School as well as Type-2 primary healthcare centres across the state.