Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, says his administration has paid more than ₦98 billion of the approximately ₦111 billion in inherited gratuities and other emoluments, while sustaining investments in infrastructure, education, healthcare, agriculture and youth development across the State.
Eno stated this in a state broadcast to mark the 39th anniversary of Akwa Ibom State, highlighting the interventions as evidence of his administration’s commitment to translating the ARISE Agenda into tangible benefits for citizens.
The Governor said the payment of inherited obligations was not merely a financial intervention, but a deliberate effort to restore dignity to retirees and their families.
“Of the approximately ₦111 billion in gratuities and other emoluments inherited, more than ₦98 billion have been paid by our administration to date. These are not merely financial figures.
Behind every payment is a family.Behind every home is a human story. Behind every intervention is a citizen whose dignity matters.”
On infrastructure, Eno said the administration had undertaken, commissioned or continued work on more than 1,500 kilometres of roads, including 43 bridges since May 29, 2023.
“These are not simply kilometres of asphalt.Every road means a community brought closer.A farmer brought closer to the market.A child brought closer to school.A patient brought closer to healthcare.An investor brought closer to opportunity,” he said.
He said the administration had deliberately extended infrastructure to rural communities, stressing that no community was too remote to matter.
Free and Compulsory Education
In education, Eno said the State had sustained free and compulsory education at the primary and secondary levels, disbursed ₦1.69 billion in bursaries and recruited 3,000 teachers, with further recruitment approved.
He also said that the transformation of the Akwa Ibom College of Education, Afaha Nsit, into a University of Education was being advanced.
“The greatest resource of Akwa Ibom is not beneath our soil.It is within our people.Our children are our greatest investment.Their education is our most enduring infrastructure.”
On healthcare, the Governor said 258,000 people, including the elderly, had enrolled in the State-run medical insurance scheme, while every local government area had an ambulance service for emergency medical situations.
He stated that more than 4,000 youths had been trained through IBOM-LED and Dasac, with grants totalling over ₦2 billion disbursed, while 1,700 farmers had received grants under the State’s agricultural development initiatives.
Looking ahead, Eno said the next phase of the ARISE Agenda would shift emphasis towards industrialisation, agro-industrialisation, enterprise development, jobs, tourism and the knowledge economy.
“Our task is to move from infrastructure to industrialisation.From agriculture to agro-industrialisation.From skills to enterprise.From enterprise to jobs,” he explained.
He reaffirmed commitment to the Ibom Deep Seaport, electricity-sector reforms, Ibom Air and tourism infrastructure as part of efforts to expand investment and economic opportunities.
The Governor also urged citizens to protect the State’s peace and unity, stressing that development was a shared responsibility.
“The Akwa Ibom of tomorrow is therefore a shared responsibility.”
Congratulating Akwa Ibom people at home and in the Diaspora on the 39th anniversary of the State, h concluded with a call for continued collective commitment to the State’s development; “And above all:We shall continue to ARISE.”
