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From Joe Effiong, Uyo
Akwa Ibom State Governor Pastor Umo Eno has congratulated President Bola Tinubu on his one year in office and commended him for signing the old national anthem bill into law.
Governor Eno said the National Anthem law which reflects the nation’s aspiration has also given credence to the Akwa Ibom State anthem.
The Governor equally congratulated the President of the 10th Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, whose collaboration, according to him, has helped him reduce the political temperature in the state.
Speaking at the event of his administration’s first-anniversary celebration at the Uyo Township, Stadium Eno attributed the successes recorded in his first year in office to God’s grace and the massive support of the Akwa Ibom people, even as he outlined plans to increase the tempo of governance in the following years of his administration.
He expressed gratitude to God and Akwa Ibom people across ethnic and socio-political divides but particularly paid glowing tribute to his predecessor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, members of his campaign team and those who voted him into office.
He reviewed development in the past year and said his government has kept faith with its aspirations in rural development, education, housing, job creation, agriculture, human capacity development and several infrastructural developments.
Making projections into the coming years of his administration, the governor said his administration would step up the tempo in rural development, food security, housing, market development, infrastructure upgrade, and real estate development in Lagos and Abuja, just as he announced approval for a second round of one project per LGA and construction of more strategic rural roads.
“In our second year in office, we plan by the Grace of the Almighty God and the support of all people both at home and in the diaspora to increase the tempo of governance in the coming years, we will be focusing on implementing projects in line with the five pillars of the ARISE agenda.
“In agriculture, we will complete the Ibom Model Farm and Resort, in partnership with the Songhai Farms of Porto Novo. We will significantly increase food production and price stability of our staple foods among others. We plan to link up existing infrastructure to a full value chain and consolidate on existing policies and programmes,” he stated.
Other things in the subsequent years forecast, according to the governor, include the ARISE Shopping City in Uyo, a mall that will attract certified global brands, commercialisation of the state’s existing facilities in Lagos and Abuja, medium-density housing estate in Ewet Housing for upwardly mobile professionals, and activation of the industrial park with several industries coming alive, as well as upgrading the Ibom Specialist Hospital by adding a renal centre in the corridor, among many other things.
Also in the pipeline are the building of an elderly people’s recreational centre, International Market in Ikot Ekpene, construction of the Oron Beach, construction of more model schools provision of an ICT centre in Ibom-LED to be used for all exams including recruitment tests into the State Civil Service, construction of more model schools, implementation of students exchange programme to London, consolidation of the Dakkada Skills Acquisition Centre among others.
“We remain committed to our obligation with our flagship Airline Ibom Air. In July, we will receive the second A220-300 brand-new Airbus to the Ibom Air fleet. We will complete and put to use the Smart International Terminal Building Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) building and the Taxiway and we will build a complete Aviation ecosystem in Akwa Ibom State,” Umo Eno added.
Stakeholders from the various strands of the State presented goodwill messages to express satisfaction with Umo Eno’s governance disposition and achievements recorded within one year, therefore expressing optimism that the State and the people will be better in the coming years.
In their separate remarks, former Military Administrator Yakubu Bako, Senators Ekong Sampson, Effiong Bob and Emmanuel Ibok Essien for their respective senatorial districts, the Oku Ibom Ibibio for the traditional institutions, Chairman of Association of Local Governments of Nigeria for the third tier of government, the Speaker, Rt Hon. Udeme Otong for the Legislative arm, the Chief Judge of the State on behalf of the Judiciary, and Elder Aniekan Akpan for the PDP congratulated the Governor stressing, “we are proud of you achievements within one year in office.”
High points of the event featured cultural displays and special musical presentations celebrating Governor Eno’s one year of remarkable development, while some ordinary people and supporters of the ARISE Agenda were identified and honoured as ARISE Ambassadors by the Governor for making significant and outstanding contributions to the state.
