INTRODUCTORY MATTERS
The meeting commenced at midday, presided over by HE the Governor, Pastor Umo Eno and had in attendance HE the Deputy Governor, Secretary to the State Government, Head of the Civil Service, Honourable Commissioners and Special Adviser.
The Governor welcomed members to the first meeting of the second year and stressed that members must inject speed into quality delivery as the learning moratorium was over. He stressed that safety awareness must be increased. He charged members to ensure that safety should be made a primary consideration.
REPORTS
1. HC-Education informed the Council that the Governor has directed that Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic and Akwa Ibom State College of Science and Technology, Nnung Ukim be prepared for accreditation of their courses.
2. The Council approved the training of permanent secretaries by the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON).
3. The Council received the Quantitative data perspective report on the performance of the state Government in the past year from the Economic Adviser to the Governor. The report stated that:
• 2,984 persons have benefited directly from agricultural programmes.
• 100 public secondary schools and 30 public primary schools have received agricultural input.
• 600 elderly persons have benefited from the State Government’s financial support.
• 2,195 people who were within the multidimensional poor category have been scaled up through various government programmes.
• 4,600 persons were engaged (Skilled and unskilled labour) have been employed in all sectors, across the state.
• 229.411 Km of roads, with 14 bridges and 3 underground discharge drainage have been constructed.
• 37.7Km of feeder roads have been constructed in rural communities across the state
• 16,522 patients benefited from free medical healthcare sponsored by the State Government.
• 48,797 students have benefited from the payment of 2023/24 SSCE fees.
• 4,603 people have benefited from the different entrepreneurship schemes of the state government.
• 3,583 retirees (from the state and Local Government Services) have received their retirement benefits to the tune of N18.234 billion, as at May 2024.
4. The State Medium Term Expenditure Framework was presented by HC- Economic Development for 2025-2027. The MTEF will guide the budget for the next two years. After detailed deliberations, the MTEF was adopted by the Council.
5. The projects proposition report for the administration for 2024/2025 was presented and exhaustively deliberated to ensure compliance with the ARISE Agenda. The Ministries of Finance and Economic Development were charged to ensure that the budget adequately provides for their execution.
The meeting ended at 6:35 pm.
Photos:
Signed:
Comrade Ini Ememobong
Honourable Commissioner for Information
Akwa Ibom State
02072024
