– Pst. Solomon Essiet
“Good Governance is treating development as mass movement in order to see that fruits of development reach the poor and downtrodden”. Narendra Modi
When asked of a signature project that the Governor has executed so far since he assumed the office as the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, the Governor simply recounted his lives changing programmes for Akwa Ibom people such as the Arise Compassionate homes he built for the poor and vulnerable, the Arise Initiatives for Elders of which Senior Citizens across the State are receiving monthly financial assistance to support their income, the youths entrepreneurial/empowerment training Programme in Ibom-led of which thousands of Akwa Ibom Youths are currently being empowered with half a million Naira to either Start-up or Top-up in various businesses of interest ,after being trained at the Ibom Leadership and Entrepreneurial Development Centre, Ibom-led, the Millions of Naira set aside as educational trust fund for the students with disabilities, first of its kind in the history of educational empowerment in Akwa Ibom State.
In an attempt to improve the living standard of teachers, the Governor has approved 1.1 Billion Wardrobe allowance for primary and secondary school teachers, provide massive support for traders through approval of 1.5 Billion Naira interest free loan to be distributed to traders across the State, approved 2 Billion Naira that was released to the management of Bank of Industry (BOI) in Akwa Ibom State, for onward disbursement to businessmen at a single-digit interest rate, kicked off over 80 roads construction projects, ongoing in the State at various stages of completion, gulping over 120 Billion Naira, set up the Bulk Purchase Agency of which staple foods items are distributed to the poor and vulnerable in all the 368 political Wards in Akwa Ibom State, approved the payment of over 20 Billion Naira as Gratuities to Civil Servants in just a year and few months in office as the Governor of Akwa Ibom State and many more. These initiatives certainly worth more than a signature project.
What is the meaning of a signature project that is gulping several Billions of Naira when there is hunger in the land? Pastor Umo Bassey Eno, The Governor of Akwa Ibom State knows how to connect the dots of development across Akwa Ibom State. He also knows the right time to strike the cord on what the people referred to as Signature project.
I did not tell you about the Model School Schools and Model Healthcare facilities with State-of-the-art facilities the the Governor is building across the State, various housing projects carried out in the State such as the Grace Estate and the Ewet Luxury Gardens Estate, Uyo, for ease of accomodation, the United Kingdom Exchange programme for Public secondary school pupils, payment of WAEC fees and bursary for our students in various higher institutions, construction of Ibom Model Farm, a replica of the Songhai Farming Model in Porto-Novo, Benin Republic. All these are lives changing programmes that will contribute heavily to the development of our State’s economy in the nearest future.
Any Government that cannot close the gap of governance between the rich and the poor is not a successful Government. All over the world, those classified as the poor and less privileged often outnumbered the rich. Therefore, if a certain Government must succeed, there must be a deliberate plan to provide succour for the vulnerable in such region. Other than that, the government cannot boast of impacting on lives to justify the essence of good Governance.
Pastor Umo Bassey Eno, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State is a symbol of sympathy. Before he became the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, he was said to be the highest employer of labour in Akwa Ibom State, through his hospitality business that successfully employed over 2000 workers directly and over 10,000 people indirectly. The Governor has been actively involved in youths development to the extent of establishing what is widely known as Ibom ignite conference, an annual training and empowerment event that has seen various youths testifying of its efficacy as they have leverage on the programme and the opportunities the Ibom ignite conferences presented to the beneficiaries of the yearly programme.
Pastor Umo Bassey Eno, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State is a promise keeper. He has fulfilled his campaign promises, most especially in the area of youths development. The Governor has paid very high premium on youths empowerment. Pastor Umo Eno does believe in using and dumping the people, ask the female youths who are currently, undergoing entrepreneurial training programme at Ibom-led. According to the Governor, “These female youths have been with us, supporting us all through the campaigns, even in Governance, they are still here supporting me and cheering at every success we have recorded in this administration, it is time to also empower them to have their sources of livelihood. Soon after the Governor made the statement during the flag-off ceremony of the 60M span Nto Ide/Ikot Amba bridge with 800M adjoining rural road project in Obot Akara on 26th May, 2024, before they say Jack Robinson, the female youths, about 400 hundred of them, drawn from different female groups had reported for training at the Ibom-led. Still at Obot Akara, the Governor told the male youths to come up with a vibrant male youths group to be called the Arise youths. The moment that is done, I am sure the Governor will come up with a workable plan for their empowerment.
If the youths are truly the future leaders, they must be empowered through good Governance. The Governor has also moved ahead to create an empowerment Programme for about 6000 youths across Akwa Ibom State. This is in appreciation of the youths in the State who honoured the Governor and refused to engage in destructive protest in Akwa Ibom State during the period that youths all over the Country were protesting in what they tagged #EndBadGovernment# in Nigeria. The Governor of Akwa Ibom State is a man of peace. Akwa Ibom State has been relatively peaceful since he came in as the Governor of Akwa Ibom State. Where there is few challenges, the Governor has penchant for wading in and nipping it in the bud as a true leader he is. There is nothing more we can ask for in Akwa Ibom State in terms of a leader. We have a leader in person of Pastor Umo Bassey Eno who himself confirmed of being blessed with the ministry of reconciliation. As such, the Governor has been able to carry everyone along in his administration across party lines, ensuring good governance at its best.
Pst. Solomon Essiet ACIA, writes from Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area, the Raffia City
