By Francis Igata, Enugu

Visitors and staff at the Lion Building,Enugu Government House are upbeat about  the rehabilitation  of decrepit structures dotting the seat of power by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

Most of the structures,built during the era of Micheal Okpara,Premier of the old Eastern Region,had caved in,as successive governments ignored  maintenance.

From the Lion sculpture to the entrance gate, and the neatly trimmed lawns on the driveway to the Lion Building, you have a remarkable ambiance which filters the air of governance. The aging five-storey Abuja Building, which houses  the administrative paraphernalia responsible for oiling the wheels of governance,is being re-roofed with steel rafters and aluminum roof.

•The Abuja Building with Steel rafters for re-roofing

•The new Deputy Governor’s Office complex

Sunday Vanguard’s investigation showed that the   Abuja Building was constructed with concrete roof which required constant maintenance with a substance to prevent water from penetrating. The failure of successive governments to maintain the roof led to it leaking state, where the present administration met it.

Apart from the roof,findings also showed that the Ugwuanyi lighting,plumbing and office equipment  were being replaced with modern accessories to provide comfort for staff in a manner that the trajectory of productivity will notch higher in order to achieve the administration’s  agenda of alleviating poverty and improving standard of living.

Also,the Deputy Governor’s Office, built during the old Eastern Region, has been rebuilt.

Similarly,the Protocol Office,which used to be a garage, has now become a structure with state-of-the art facilities.

Now sitting in the Lion Building is a car park spanning over 2,000 square meters that can accommodate over 130 cars to halt the indiscriminate parking of cars within the Government House.

‘Why we did it’

Patrick Ikpenwa,the state Commissioner for Works, spoke on the massive rehabilitation: “The  renovation work has been going on for some time in the Government House. The Deputy Governor’s office has been renovated. The Lion Building is about being competed. The Lodge also is being renovated. The Abuja Building is equally being renovated. In the Abuja Building,we are re-roofing because the roof is concrete.

“There has been this problem of Felt. Anywhere you use concrete roof,you need to Felt it periodically. Whether you like it or not,there must be penetration of water when you concrete roof if you do not Felt it adequately. So,the Abuja Building is leaking at the moment. The best thing to do in the course of the renovation is to change the roof. That is why we are now using Long Span aluminum.

“Again,we shunned the use of wood for the rafters to ensure that wind does not blow off the roof. That is why we are using steel now. We are using steel for durability. If we used wood,under strong wind it will be blown off at that height. That is why we are using steel as the roof carcass. Successive governments have not used Felt for the concrete roof which is Bitmus material used to prevent water from entering the roof.

“Felt is applied to discourage water from staying too long on concrete roof. It is even applied when the concrete roof has slopes.   Whenever concrete roof is aging,there must be openings here and there. That is why we have sought for a permanent solution by using aluminum roof. We are also removing all the wooden partitions and painting the inside,outside. We will equally remove all the window and doors to bring the building at par with others in the Government House premises.

“This administration is bent on ensuring preventive maintenance culture. This is aimed at shutting our doors to reactive maintenance culture. We cannot be waiting for our building to rot before we start renovation. The leakage did not start today. Previous governments were managing it. But this administration led by Ugwuanyi decided to take the bull by the horn and ensure a permanent solution. That is how you now people who are prepared for governance. Preventive maintenance culture is cost effective. Had it been  the building was maintained, what we are spending now, we would not have spent it”.

‘Dividends of democracy’

The Enugu State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, commended Ugwuanyi for his, “uncommon vision, steadfastness and leadership role” in providing dividend  of democracy to the people in spite of the current economic challenges in the country.

The party Chairman, Hon. Augustine Nnamani, expressed delight that Ugwuanyi has so far discharged his duties diligently and to the satisfaction of the PDP  and the people of the state at large.