AKWA IBOM, UYO – Governor Umo Bassey Eno, of Akwa Ibom state has commissioned a multi-million-naira auditorium for the NUJ and handed out new cars to its executives, in what he described as a gesture to strengthen media collaboration.
Speaking during the event at the NUJ Secretariat in Uyo, the Governor applauded journalists for promoting the ARISE Agenda and resisting the temptation to “demarket” the state.
“You’ve shown loyalty not just to government, but to Akwa Ibom. Governments come and go, but our state is constant,” Eno stated.
He announced the appointment of outgoing NUJ Chairman, Comrade Amos Etuk, as his Senior Special Assistant on Local Media, citing the need to continue the media synergy.
The gesture, however, has drawn sharp criticism from citizens, many of whom questioned the government’s priorities amid harsh economic realities and industrial distress.
“While the state is spending billions on cars, Kings Flour Mill Ltd in Onna just placed over 600 staff under redundancy due to poor management and zero government intervention,” Facebook user Abundant Pan posted in reaction.
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Another commenter, Udiminue Edet Effyonete, described the project as “rubbish,” accusing the state government of focusing on superficial gains. “Who dey advise you for this nonsense?” he queried.
The Governor acknowledged the decision to name the auditorium after his late wife, Patience Kemi Eno, as touching, calling it a comfort to his family.
Though NUJ members hailed the Governor’s support as unprecedented, critics argue the celebration of media infrastructure feels hollow in the face of collapsing private sector jobs and minimal investment in long-term infrastructure.
“Comrade Etuk pledged our continuous support for the ARISE Agenda,” the NUJ confirmed, but discontent continues to spread among the public who feel excluded from the state’s developmental focus.
Experts warn that gestures like this, if not balanced with policies addressing economic hardship, risk alienating citizens and deepening public distrust in government spending.
The auditorium commissioning, meant to celebrate journalistic achievement, may end up being remembered more for the growing public outcry than the ribbon cutting.