January 02, (THEWILL) – Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State assured of improved governance in 2025 and beyond, even as he gave a pass mark to his administration within the last 19 months as governor of the state.
In a broadcast to usher in the new year on Wednesday, the governor vowed sustainable development across all sectors of the state’s economy under the ARISE Agenda of his administration.
He explained that the improved N995 billion appropriation for the 2025 fiscal year would be the driving force and development catalyst in the state.
“In 19 months since you gave me the mandate to be your Governor, and in line with our governance and economic blueprint, the Arise Agenda, we have worked twice as hard to translate the vision into measurable and impactful levels.
“We came with an agenda to engender an agricultural revolution, aimed at ensuring food security for our people. On that, I make bold to say that we are right on track. Let me thank you again for heeding our clarion call to return to the farm. From what I have seen and heard, we are very hopeful that in the course of this year, we will experience a bountiful harvest.
“We remain dedicated to opening up our rural areas with economically viable roads, potable water, and model primary healthcare facilities, all aimed at stemming the rural-urban migration. There is no local government area where there is no ongoing project based on our “One Project Per Local Government Initiative”, and the second phase of the project has commenced in some LGAs.
“Our commitment to expanding and maintaining infrastructure has been upheld. Within 19 months of assuming office, we have undertaken 157 road projects across the 31 LGAs.
“This includes roads inherited from the previous administrations, many of which have been completed and commissioned. Additionally, we launched a zero-pothole campaign, transforming our state into a thriving construction hub.”
Governor Eno spoke on sustainable development aimed at repositioning the state Infrastructurally and wealth creation for the people.
“We will continue to commission more model primary schools across the state this year, support our secondary and public tertiary institutions with subventions, pay WAEC fees and other fees for our students, provide uniforms, shoes, and books for our pupils, hire more teachers and conduct regular training to bring them up to speed with modern teaching techniques, continue to pay bursaries to students in public tertiary institutions and prepare our children to be as competitive as their peers elsewhere.
“The health and well-being of our people will continue to be our priority even as we will pay greater attention to healthcare delivery. In the New Year, we will continue to commission more model primary healthcare facilities across the state, in addition to those already commissioned.
“We will enrol more people into our Arise Care Medical Insurance Scheme in addition to almost 10 thousand public service employees and some senior citizens who have already been enrolled. Ibom Specialist Hospital will be reorganised to enable it to fulfil the mission of its founding.
“It is going to be run as a stand-alone medical facility in the model of Ibom Air. We hope to flag off the construction of the Medical Village along the medical tourism corridor between the Ibom Specialist Hospital and the Raffia City of Ikot Ekpene. We will formally launch the State Ambulance Services to complement the Insurance Scheme.
“In the new year, in line with our avowed commitment to improve our power sector, we will reinvigorate our power system and also hold a Power Summit which will produce a step-by-step roadmap on power for the state”. he maintained.
