I want my Commissioners to begin to step out and say the things they are doing in their ministries, “I know that I am accountable to the people,” the Governor of Akwa Ibom State Pastor Umo Bassey Eno said.
In the next few days, Governmment of A’Ibom will be flagging off the 31 projects, chosen by the Local Governments.
Gov. Eno said: “We don’t just want to keep paying money and pay bills.” He ‘really’ wants to see where these funds are going, what it seeks to achieve.
Eno said he wants his Commissioners to begin to step out and say the things they are doing in their ministries.
Considering about 7.9 Million population in the State, and it was a sacred responsibility to let the people hear. “Let them talk about the ministry that they are in charge,” he reiterated.
He assured that these are ways to try to be accountable, to let the people know that we are not in office for ourselves.
Revealing his plans for the immediate future of the state, Gov. Eno said his administration’s vision is that within the first two years, they should be able to have at least four projects each in the 31 LGAs of our State.
“We are giving six months window to finish one of them. This is where we create jobs in the local government, and we try to enrich and enhance the livelihood of those local Governments.”
“This is not just going to be the end,” he said they believe that within six months, they should be able to execute those projects, then go round again to chose another set of projects.
He said In five months of being in office, they have tried to show the direction they want to go, and they have tried to stay on their campaigns promises through the ARISE Agenda.
“Other than the Bible, the ARISE Agenda has become for us, a compass of which we want to follow.”
He said he was convinced beyond all reasonable doubts that that if they steadily follow ARISE Agenda, they will add to the developmental strides of their predecessors and will touch the lives of their rural dwellers, and help them feel the presence of Government.
“We need to each day show to the people that we are here to serve them,” he said.
Governor Eno also revealed that the Ibom Leadership Empowerment Center is currently training 400 personnel who would graduate with starter packs and cash to enable them set up their businesses, create employment and grow the economy.
According to him, the choice of the State for the 12th Annual Lecture Series by the Youth Affairs International Foundation was apt as it seeks to immortalise Chief Emeka Anyaoku.
“As evident in the inclusivity, distribution of projects and composition of the State Exco,” Prof Enefiok Essien said.
Prof Essien was the Chairman of the Occasion, and said the choice of Akwa Ibom State is apt as good governance has taken its root in the State.
Chief Emeka Anyaoku, GCON said that Akwa Ibom has set a “template” for good governance in the country, and added that he admired the ambience, with the Governor’s passion in education, healthcare delivery, agriculture and grassroot development.
Anyaoku who is a Nigerian diplomat of Igbo descent explained that the Lecture was first hosted by former Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fasola followed by his home State, Anambra where Governor Peter Obi honoured him as the host and now Akwa Ibom State under the leadership of Pastor Umo Eno who has taken the turn by hosting the twelveth in the series.
As the third Commonwealth Secretary-General, Anyaoku said his presence was his first visit to the State and thanked the guest Lecturer, Prof Echosa E. Osaghae, for giving justice to the discourse.
Truth Live News reports that Prof. Echosa E. Osaghae, the Keynote speaker identified behavioural approach to how institutions are set up as the key to good governance.
He said the rule of law, trust, confidence, credibility, transparency, constitutionalism, human rights and access to justice are the foundations of good governance.
