Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has expressed sincere appreciation to stakeholders in the Akwa Ibom project across party lines for their cooperation, counsel, and especially to his critics, saying that constructive criticism is what makes the world a better place.
The governor made this statement during his second anniversary media dialogue yesterday at Akpan Isemin Hall, Government House. He stated that he prefers being told what he has not done rather than being praised for what he has accomplished, noting that he holds the people’s mandate in trust and has the responsibility to justify it.
“I’d like to say upfront, if we’ve succeeded at all, there are two reasons: one, the grace and faithfulness of God; two, we have the right teams in place. That’s why I surround myself with members of my ‘first eleven,’ as I call them, because they are the ones who make things happen,we work through them. They are the ones interpreting the vision. So, if we’ve succeeded, it’s been teamwork.
“My sincere appreciation goes to the stakeholders in the Akwa Ibom project across party lines for their cooperation, counsel, and especially those who criticize me. I must thank them too, because without such criticisms, the world would not be a better place.
“It’s been two years of learning and discovery for me. So, I’d like to use this opportunity to thank everyone. In my earlier broadcast speech, I highlighted some of the things we’ve accomplished. What I want to hear now are the things you believe we haven’t done, so that we can leave here with some lessons,” he said.
Governor Eno said his administration has not performed badly midway into his first term, claiming he could score himself as having achieved over 50 percent of the content in his Arise Agenda Blueprint.
However, he noted that it is ultimately up to the people and residents of the state,who are the direct beneficiaries of the agenda to assess his performance over the last two years.
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Eno highlighted significant progress in agriculture, rural development, infrastructure expansion and maintenance, security, and education, which he described as the five pillars of his administration’s agenda.
He attributed the successes of his first two years in office to teamwork, public support, and divine grace.
“This administration has enjoyed enormous goodwill and support from the Akwa Ibom people since it came on board on May 29, 2023.
“I say this boldly: the teamwork from members of my cabinet, support from our people, and the grace of God have empowered us to serve Akwa Ibom.
“We’ve had our government assessed by independent organizations, and I believe we are on the right track.
“We haven’t reached our destination yet, but the midterm report of our first tenure shows that we’ve crossed the 50 percent mark.
“Take a look at all the indices of the ARISE Agenda from agricultural revolution, rural development, infrastructure, security, to education and you’ll agree that we’ve been able to tick the boxes. We have tangible achievements we can point to,” he said.
He urged residents of the state to actively engage in agriculture to help reduce the prices of essential food items and ensure food security.
He further stated: “I prefer to leave the assessment of the last two years to the Akwa Ibom people. If you ask me to score myself, I might be biased and say I’ve done well.
“Whether we’ve done well or not, it would be unwise of me to say otherwise. It is the people who should judge our performance.
“We’ve not yet arrived at our final destination, but the midterm report of our first tenure shows we’ve surpassed 50 percent, and that’s the truth based on all the indices of the Arise Agenda,” he added.
The governor reassured the people of Akwa Ibom of his continued commitment to delivering the dividends of democracy in line with his administration’s goals.
According to him, his government is present in all 31 LGAs in the state, and more developments will be witnessed across the state in the next two years.
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