Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has reaffirmed the commitment of his administration to deliver on his social contract with the people, especially within the ambit of the ARISE Agenda, as he earns glowing accolades from the media community.
Governor Eno made the affirmation during an interactive session with members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, and media-related professionals where he also received commendation, Government House, Uyo, ahead of his administration’s first anniversary celebration.
Addressing the Press Community, the Governor thanked the State Council of the NUJ for being a partner in the Akwa Ibom project, asserting that his government has been focused on its drive towards the accomplishment of the ARISE Agenda.
This, the Governor said, has informed his willingness to work with everyone in the State as a stakeholder, irrespective of minor differences and to avail himself for interactions with the media at all times.
He solicited patriotism and objectivity from the Akwa Ibom media community as stakeholders in the state and partners in development.
He said, “we have tried in the last one year to stay within the ARISE Agenda. It’s just one year. Though we’re not the ones to say we have done well, but I can say without any shadow of doubt that I have served Akwa Ibom in the last one year with the integrity of my heart.
“The team that God has raised for us has done its best. We are servants and so we present ourselves this evening to interact with the media with trust that we will continue to work together and even when you criticize us, it should be constructive. It should be something that will help us do better because what we want for our state is actually to serve our people better and give them the best.
“We have shown you that we’re ready to serve. We will work with everyone across board, without any exception. It is our state and everyone has a stake in this state. Even if you’re not from here but you’re living here and doing business here, you’re a stakeholder and we owe it to you to be accountable. That’s why I make myself available most of the times to meet people, talk to people and that’s what we will continue to do,” he added.
Responding to questions on his food sufficiency programmes, Governor Eno said despite the success of the food voucher programme, it was regrettable for Akwa Ibom people to depend on outside supplies for staple food, reiterating his call for a return to farming and investment in agribusiness as the surest way to force down food prices and ensure food security.
According to him, “a people that cannot feed themselves are no people at all,” hence the directive of the state government to shutdown work every first and third Fridays for everyone to take to farming.
On the Akwa Prime Hatchery, the Akwa Ibom Chief Executive made his stance clear as not being a proponent of government engaging in business, rather government should provide enabling environment and necessary support for investors to thrive in business.
He explained that sustaining business outfits with government subventions only for them to crumble when such funding ceases makes no business sense, and unacceptable.
The Governor assured on his determination to continuously beef up security in the state and intensify ongoing war against criminality, as well as upgrade and sustain a prestigious Civil Service in line with present day realities and needs of the government predicated on merit not slots.
Commissioners for Information , Lands, Education, Internal Security And WaterWays, Local Government And Chieftaincy Affairs and Investment took turn to shed light on issues raised in their various ministries.
Earlier, the Chairman Akwa Ibom State Council of the NUJ, Comrade Amos Etuk, conveyed the felicitations of the Press community to Governor Eno on his first anniversary in office and commendation for his consistency in fulfilling his campaign promises to the people as well as maintaining a robust and inclusive working relationship with the media over the past year.
Comrade Etuk said, the adherence of the Akwa Media community to high ethical standards and objective reportage of events in the state has been complementary to the responsible governance of the Pastor Umo Eno led- administration and assured that the NUJ will sustain a healthy government-media relationship in the interest of the generality of the people.