Enugu has once again demonstrated its leadership in digital innovation and public sector transformation under Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, as the state has earned two prestigious awards during the ongoing GovTech Awards organised by the Federal Government and held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
At the event, Enugu Geographical Information System (ENGIS), under the leadership of Chiwetalu Nwatu, received the award of excellence in Geographic Information Service.
The award, which recognises ENGIS’s notable strides in digital mapping, land administration, and geospatial intelligence, was admired by all.
Governor Mbah had in March, 2024 signed ENGIS Bill into law before the system was officially commissioned on December 16, 2024.
ENGIS, since its inception under the leadership of Chiwetalu Nwatu as its Managing Director, has enhanced access to land title documents from its usual perpetual delay to 48 hours, promoted efficiency in land transactions by reducing land grabbing, which has been a mayhem to the state, and digitised land records, which has almost curbed land disputes.
Putting all these together, ENGIS has been recognised as one of the most critical agencies under the administration of governor Mbah owing to its efficiency in service delivery.
Addressing journalists, Mr. Nwatu, said he was happy with the commendation and acceptance received by the agency from people across the globe, especially the Bureau of Public Service Reforms, an office being handled by the Presidency, which he said is known for its focus on effective public service delivery.
According to him, the success of ENGIS exemplifies the strong leadership style of governor Mbah, who has shown clear direction in the use of technology to transform governance, adding that his reforms have given agencies the support needed to work smarter and serve the people better, while his vision has brought a new era of efficiency and digital growth in the state.
It has been reported that many residents, pundits, and analysts have praised the governor for creating an environment where digital platforms can thrive.
Governor Mbah, who has made Enugu the leading state in transparency in land administration, has also shown that good governance powered by technology can bring real change.
This is owing to his approach, which has inspired various state agencies to embrace innovation and improve service delivery for the benefit of the people.
In another major development, Enugu North Local Government Area (LGA) Chairman, Dr. Ibenaku Onoh, was also named the Digital council Chairman of the Year.
This honor by the Presidency is to celebrate the LGA’s groundbreaking initiatives that include the recently deployed Shop Allocation Management System, the automated revenue collection portal, the digital website for the LGA, amongst others, that center on digital innovations in governance.
The GovTech Awards, which seek to honor excellence, innovation, and the transformative use of technology within Nigeria’s public sector, is one whose awardees undergo a series of scrutinies before being nominated.
Speaking with newsmen, Dr. Ibenaku Harford Onoh described the award as a call for more.
He stated that Enugu North LGA, under his leadership, took its programmes and policies from the “Tomorrow is Here agenda” of Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, who he said is an innovative leader.
He explained that the governor’s forward-thinking policies have inspired local governments to embrace technology in their operations; adding that Enugu North LGA will continue to build on these efforts to serve the people better.
The grassroots-renowned leader also assured that more technology-driven projects will be introduced in the coming months to make governance closer to the people and to improve the quality of service delivery in the LGA.
