Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, on Monday swore in 13 newly appointed Permanent Secretaries, charging them to immediately align with his administration’s delivery-driven governance model and warning that there would be no honeymoon period in office.

The swearing-in ceremony, held at the Executive Council Chamber, Government House, Enugu, marked a significant step in strengthening the state’s civil service as the government scales up reforms and capital-intensive programmes across sectors.

Those sworn in are Chigbogu Sunday Nnaji, Phoebe Nkechinyere Edeh, Philip Anthony Arum, Egbonwonu Jeremiah, Ifeoma Justina Igwe, Ngozi Sylverline Egbo, Nkiru Henrietta Ede-Ogunnaike, Pamela Ikpa, Kennis Ngene, Anyaora I. Okereke, Adaobi Theresa Nwodo, Ikechukwu Ezenwukwa, and Paul Nwabuisi, bringing the total number of Permanent Secretaries in the state to 27.

Governor Mbah said the appointments were strictly merit-based, emerging from a rigorous and transparent selection process, while also addressing existing vacancies in the civil service to promote equity, inclusion and fairness.

While congratulating the appointees, the governor reminded them of the enormous responsibility that comes with their elevation, stressing that excellence at one level only attracts greater expectations.

“I believe you worked very hard to get to this level in your career, and you went through a very rigorous process to be selected. So, it is well deserved. But let me also remind you that the honeymoon is over. To whom much is given, much is expected,” Mbah said.

Describing Permanent Secretaries as the engine room of government and custodians of institutional memory, the governor said his administration was implementing far-reaching and irreversible reforms designed to transform Enugu State.

Referring to the 2026 budget proposal currently before the Enugu State House of Assembly, Mbah noted that the state had crossed the trillion-naira appropriation threshold for the first time, with over ₦1.3 trillion committed to capital expenditure.

“These reforms are not makeshift. They are meant to be institutionalised and to outlive us. You have a duty to ensure that processes are properly documented and sustained,” he stated, adding that the expanded scale of government programmes demanded a more skilled and technologically competent workforce.

The governor further stressed the importance of ICT proficiency, noting that all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) had been fully integrated into the state’s e-governance platform.

“As leaders and chief accounting officers, you must not be beginners in ICT. We expect at least medium- to advanced-level competence,” he warned.

Governor Mbah highlighted major sectoral interventions of his administration, including the smart green schools initiative in education, the construction and equipping of Type-2 primary healthcare centres across all 260 wards, transportation reforms with CNG buses and modern terminals, and the establishment of 260 farm estates to boost agricultural productivity and exports.

In the tourism sector, he reiterated the administration’s target of attracting at least three million visitors to the state through massive investments in hospitality infrastructure, tourist sites and access, while the launch of Enugu Air was aimed at enhancing connectivity and accelerating economic growth.

He also disclosed that the administration had exceeded the 35 per cent Affirmative Action benchmark in the appointment of Permanent Secretaries, underscoring its commitment to gender sensitivity, inclusion and fairness.

“The world is watching us. We must hold ourselves to the highest standards of discipline and imbibe our governance philosophy of transparency, accountability, accessibility and collaboration, as enshrined in the citizens’ charter,” the governor added.

Speaking on behalf of the newly sworn-in officials, the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Mr. Ikechukwu Ezenwukwa, thanked the governor for the confidence reposed in them and pledged their unwavering commitment to the administration’s vision.

He acknowledged the significant gains recorded by the Mbah administration in revenue generation and infrastructure development, assuring that the new Permanent Secretaries would add value to the achievements.

“We pledge to add value to these achievements. We assure you that you will not be disappointed in appointing us,” Ezenwukwa said.