Gov Eno unveils two-year scorecard

Akwa Ibom Governor, Umo Eno, has presented a comprehensive review of his administration’s achievements over the past two years, emphasising transparency, measurable impact, and inclusive governance.

The event, themed “Measuring Progress, Deepening Impact,” drew stakeholders from across the political, media, civil society, and corporate spectrums.

Held at the Banquet Hall of the Government House, Uyo, the state capital, the Governor described the forum as a fulfillment of his inaugural promise to periodically render account to the people.

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“It gives us joy to open ourselves to public scrutiny, Peter Drucker once said, and I quote: ‘‘You can’t improve what you can’t measure.’ That’s why we are here today—to measure, to improve, and to impact.” the governor said.

The Governor expressed deep gratitude to key figures and departments for making the scorecard possible, especially the Secretary to the State Government, the Executive Assistant and Chief Delivery Advisor, the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, and the Statistician-General, alongside Professor Chris Ekong, who led the data collation process.

He described his administration as data-driven, hence the establishment of an independent Bureau of Statistics, already signed into law, to strengthen the integrity of data collection and policy implementation, thanking the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly for its cooperation in accelerating the legislative process.

In response to critics who accuse his administration of frugality, Governor Eno maintained that prudent resource management has helped eliminate procurement waste. “We’ve saved billions of naira by streamlining contracts,” he said. “We’ve redefined procurement processes to eliminate leakages and enforce compliance with the new procurement law.”

Highlighting his social impact initiatives, Governor Eno revealed that over 205 ARISE Compassionate Homes have already been constructed for the indigent across the state, with a target to reach 500 before the end of his first term.

“We intervene where we see the need, our mission is to uplift the most vulnerable.” he mentioned.

The Governor also addressed the state’s handling of gratuity arrears, disclosing a reduction of liabilities from ₦90 billion to ₦78 billion. In addition, significant investments have been made in public infrastructure, including economic roads, healthcare, and aviation. Two brand-new CRJ-900 Bombardier aircraft and Airbus A200-300s have been acquired outright for Ibom Air, while the international terminal at Victor Attah Airport nears completion.

In the health sector, he highlighted the rollout of model primary healthcare centres, expansion of free medical care under the ARISE insurance scheme, and the commissioning of a Mother and Child Hospital in Ibiono Ibom LGA. “So far, over 130,000 people have been registered under the scheme,” he noted.

“Tourism and economic diversification are also key pillars of the administration’s ARISE Agenda. Governor Eno announced that the state is constructing a tourism hub, ARISE Resort, on a previously erosion-threatened ravine near the Government House. This will be Nigeria’s mini-Disneyland,” he stated.

Citing employment creation through infrastructural development, agriculture, and education, he reaffirmed his administration’s belief in self-reliance. “We’ve distributed food items, launched home garden competitions, and I grow the vegetables I eat in Government House myself,” he added, encouraging residents to return to farming.

On funding, the Governor proudly declared that all ongoing projects, numbering over 50, are being executed without a single bank loan.

“We are using Akwa Ibom’s resources to serve the Akwa Ibom people. I acknowledged the Tinubu-led Federal Government for supporting subnational governments through improved disbursement and reforms.

Touching on education, the Governor disputed some national statistics on out-of-school children, insisting that the state’s free and compulsory education policy, alongside student grants, had significantly improved enrollment figures. He called on the National Bureau of Statistics to collaborate with the state to verify the new data.

The Governor also hailed security agencies and local policing structures for maintaining peace in the state. “From 2023 till now, we’ve had extremely low incidents of crime,” he said, citing reduced kidnapping, armed robbery, and pipeline vandalism. “We are among the most peaceful states in Nigeria.”

In a unifying message, Governor Eno called for collaboration beyond party lines, emphasizing that development must take precedence over politics. “We play politics with a human face. When it comes to Akwa Ibom’s development, we are first Akwa Ibomites.”

Eno, however, reiterated the call for support, investment, and critical engagement, stressing that his government is open to suggestions, even criticism, as long as it comes with solutions. Together, let’s reason and rise. Akwa Ibom is indeed rising.”

With a robust foundation laid, the Governor affirmed that the next phase will focus on building on achievements and accelerating delivery.

“The fundamentals are solid, Akwa Ibom is open for business, for living, and for thriving. Let’s continue building a future we can all be proud of,” he maintained.