A two-time Federal Minister in Nigeria and former Director General of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, Frank Nweke has called on the Enugu State government to adopt a policy of transparency, accountability, and inclusiveness, as provided by the Open Government Partnership Initiative in managing the state’s affairs.

The 2023 governorship candidate of Enugu State, under the umbrella of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, made this known in a statement while commemorating the 32nd anniversary of Enugu State. 

Nweke also questioned the government's failure to disclose the current financial status of the state, noting that the funds received from the Federal Allocation should be over N20 billion.

In the 18-page statement, Nweke further addressed issues ranging from insecurity and the militarization of the Southeast to economic instability, Water, Sanitation and Health, Local Government performance and accountability, and the E-Ticket scheme for tax management. 

He said; "I salute the administration for adopting the tactics I shared in several communiques to address the insecurity concerns around the Monday sit-at-home. The deployment of technology and establishing the command center in the Statehouse will contribute significantly to the government’s ability to keep a pulse on potential criminal activities across the state."

"Introducing a new Distress Rapid Response Squad is a good move, and they must be fully supported for improved strategic, tactical, and combat operations" he added. 

The Social Innovator therefore enumerated expectations for improved communication, stakeholder engagement, and data gathering to ensure accountability and inclusion in government.

On Security, he also shared reservations about the heavy presence of the military across the state and the Southeast, citing reports of excessive checkpoints, which he noted were characterised by intimidation and undue embarrassment, stressing that there were detrimental to personal safety and off-putting for potential investors, as he charged the government and the Nigerian military to address the concerns and revisit the approach.

Meanwhile, he commended the government’s initial action to address pensioners’ welfare and further called for better data-driven approaches to economic and social planning, paying attention to slums, senior citizens, and People Living With Disabilities. 

Nweke charged the government to create a verifiable State Social Register, that would work with traditional rulers and town unions in communities across the State, revealing that it was required to ensure that the vulnerable members of society were protected and included in social, economic, and infrastructural planning.

He further charged both citizens and the media to take a greater interest in the economic development of the state and demand information from the government, stating that “we must consistently remain curious about the management of our affairs in the state, ask questions, and be active partners in the development of Enugu.”