(200 more homes set to be constructed in phase two)
“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.” Dalai Lama
When the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Bassey Eno first made mention of building a two-bedroom bungalow with Solar powered lights and constant water respectively, called Arise Compassionate Homes, to be given to the poor and vulnerable across the State, many dismissed it as a usual political talk, without recourse to the realization of the fact that we are in our golden era of possibilities in Akwa Ibom State.
Today, it is no longer a news item that the first phase of the Arise Compassionate homes has been completed in all 31 Local Government Areas in Akwa Ibom State and handed over to the beneficiaries with a cash of 500,000.00 Naira to support their businesses. The Arise Compassionate Homes Initiative has been widely celebrated by Akwa Ibomites both in Nigeria and Diaspora.
Pastor Umo Bassey Eno, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State is indeed a man of compassion. By this act of benevolence, the beneficiaries, who ordinarily may not have dreamt of living in a well-furnished rented one-bedroom apartment, are now living in their own two-bedroom bungalow apartment, tastefully furnished with solar-powered lights and constant availability of Water supply. This act of love appears simple, but, permit me to mention that the gesture is very difficult to be conceived by an individual who is naturally stingy, no matter how highly placed.
Do not be deceived. We are what we are when at the stage of poverty and when we become rich. A poor man who cannot give yesterday is the same rich man who cannot give today. Have we not seen rich men in our society who find it very difficult to identify with the poor and vulnerable? Should such individuals become the Governor of a State or even the President of a Country, nothing will change in their attitude towards the poor and vulnerable. I have always said that in life, you cannot give what you don’t have. These and many more are the reasons we should pray for God to give us good leaders. We are grateful to God for giving us a Governor like Pastor Umo Bassey Eno, a man with a Compassionate heart.
During the electioneering campaigns, several attempts were made to smear the character and personality of the Governor. The principal amongst the things mentioned was that Pastor Umo Bassey Eno used to deduct some of his employees from the source, not minding the take home of workers. Now, with the way the Governor is going about his much talked about administration, touching lives and changing the stories of men and women, can any sane person still believe the insinuations? Should Akwa Ibomites have thrown away the baby with the bath water, we could not have had the opportunity of being led by one of the best Governors in Akwa Ibom State.
As I speak, just like mushrooms, over 31 Arise Compassionate homes have been erected successfully across the 31 Local Government Areas, with some Local Government Areas having more than one, like in the case of Onna Local Government Area, where a particular neighbour, not having so much, decided to surrender his landed property for Arise Home to be built for a vulnerable neighbour who found favour before the team of the Governor’s humanitarian services. Trust Governor Umo Eno, he did not waste time in giving approval that a three-bedroom Arise Compassionate home be constructed for the good Samaritan couple. Note, not two, but three bedroom apartment of which the Governor promised to be the one handing over the home to the good Samaritan couple upon completion. Meaning, in typical Nigerian parlance, “That Couple don blow be that”, just like they had three bedroom flat instead of a bedroom, they may end up receiving more than 500,000 Naira for business support as the Governor of Akwa Ibom State will personally be on ground to handover that very Arise Home upon completion.
The Governor in his magnanimity has also ordered that 200 Arise Compassionate homes be constructed in the second phase of the project across some political Wards in the State signalling his averred commitment to delivering more homes to the vulnerable in our society. What manner of Governor is this?
Giving has always been an innate characteristic of Pastor Umo Bassey Eno. As a private businessman, the Governor had empowered so many youths in Akwa Ibom State through the platform of Ibom Ignite Conference that started in September 2017. He had sponsored many less privileged youths in many higher institutions across the Country, Pastor Umo Bassey Eno has always been a philanthropist even before he dreamt of becoming the Governor of Akwa Ibom State. No wonder we are witnessing this voracious pace of development as it’s evident in the golden era administration of Governor Umo Eno.
Before the end of the Governor’s first term in office, over 400 units of Arise Compassionate homes are expected to be built and successfully delivered to the beneficiaries as part of the plan captured in the Arise Agenda, the blueprint of the golden era administration of Pastor Umo Bassey Eno, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State.
It is on this note that I want to commend the Governor of Akwa Ibom State and the team of Humanitarian Services who are working tirelessly to interpret the vision of our golden Governor in the area of their given assignment. Arise Agenda is for everyone. Please key into it for the betterment of our society and the world at large.
Arise, that same God.
Pastor Solomon Essiet is a Seasoned Chartered Administrator, he writes from Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area, Raffia City.
