Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, has announced plans to begin construction of a 135-kilometre rail line traversing key parts of Enugu State within the next few months. The governor disclosed this at the weekend, stating that feasibility studies for the proposed rail line have been completed.
The rail line will run from Ugwuoba through Udi, Ninth Mile, Enugu and Nsukka to Obollo Afor. According to Mbah, this infrastructure project will position Enugu State as a major economic hub in the region.
This announcement came as the people of Enugu North Senatorial District turned out in large numbers to formally endorse Mbah's re-election, along with that of President Bola Tinubu. The endorsement rally took place at Nsukka Township Stadium, where Mbah also highlighted his administration's achievements and defended ongoing reforms across various sectors.
Mbah reiterated his government's target of growing Enugu's economy to $30 billion within eight years. He emphasized that the focus remains on building strong economic fundamentals while ensuring development stays people-centred. The governor noted that investments in transport infrastructure, including modern terminals and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses, are aimed at improving mobility and boosting commercial activities across the state.
Additionally, Mbah promised to compensate traders at Ogige Market whose shops were demolished about two years ago. The demolition made way for the Nsukka ultra-modern bus terminal, which has since become operational. The governor explained that the compensation is intended to stabilize the businesses of affected traders.
Speaking on the demolition, Mbah said: "I was misunderstood when we went on to remodel Ogige Market. What was going through my mind was imagining what it would have looked like if we had transformed Ogbete Main Market with two modern terminals, the inter-state and intra-state, and we did nothing about Ogige Market or Nsukka! How would that have been interpreted? The people are the centrepiece of everything we do. It is not about self-aggrandisement, posturing or politics, but about the people. We saw Ogige Market as a keg of gunpowder. If we didn’t do anything, and we had an emergency in that market, you would have been asked if you had a government in the state."
