Ekweremadu ‘slumps, dies during budget presentation’ on Enugu

Enugu State Commissioner for Transport, Matthias Ekweremadu, has died after he slumped during his ministry’s budget defence before the Enugu house of assembly committee on transport on Thursday.

He was reportedly rushed to the Niger Foundation hospital, where he was later confirmed dead.

The deceased is a cousin to former deputy senate president, Ike Ekweremadu.

The late Ekweremadu had served as chairman of Aninri local government council, and was elected to the Enugu state house of assembly in 2015.

He became the chief whip of the assembly, after which he was appointed by Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, governor of Enugu, as commissioner for transport in 2019.

His death comes less than two months after he participated in the one-day citizens engagement on the 2021 budget of the state, a programme organised by the Enugu ministry of budget and planning on December 7, 2020.