By Imoh Etimudo
Governor Umo Eno has a problem. No doubt, in the 17 months he has been in office, Akwa Ibom State is functioning like a 17-karat Swiss watch. That does not take away the fact that the governor has a problem, at least, the people know of one problem. Just that one problem!
So far, he has paid over 35 billion Naira of outstanding labour-related financial commitments – pension arrears, gratuities, leave grants etc. Touchingly, he approved the last release for this purpose in the middle of his mourning his departed beloved wife, vowing not to allow his personal loss to put a clog in the wheel of progress of Akwa Ibom State. He fought tears to help the retired workers to fight hunger, poverty and disease. But he has a problem, one big problem.
Governor Eno has reached more than 132,026 families with his fragrance of compassion, flit from a heart likened to an inexhaustible container. And from there comes the pleasant aroma of the staple foods – rice, beans and garri through the ARISE free food programme. Can that take away the governor’s problem? The advocates should neither blink nor compromise; Governor Eno has a problem.
His administration has distributed farm inputs worth over 1.5 Billion Naira to more than 11,702 farmers and public schools. Yet, the problem persists.
An icon of compassion, Governor Eno has so far donated 36 compassionate homes to the vulnerable members of the society. 164 more of the homes are on-going, out of which 62 will be handed over in the next few days. That is profile of the man who has a problem.
Under his administration, 600 thousand elders have received 50 thousand Naira monthly for their upkeep through the ARISE Elderly Care Initiative. What a problem, he has!
That same governor has graciously converted a 2Billion Naira loan earlier given to traders to a grant to support their businesses, grow their investments and boost the economy. Problem! And that rare gesture has been extended to the Arewa, Yoruba, Igbo and Niger Delta indigenes resident in Akwa Ibom State. Problem for a nationalist!
Any need to raise the issue of civil servants? The additional one-month basic salary (Enomber) paid to them, the approved 1.2 billion Naira wardrobe allowance to all public primary and secondary school teachers in the State, the medical residency training fund of 1 million Naira each to resident doctors in the State Civil Service! What a problem for a man given to solving problems!
How about the empowerment of 400 Akwa Ibom youths who graduated from the Ibom-LED Entrepreneurship Accelerator Programme who received 500,000 Naira each to start their businesses, with an additional 250,000 Naira to rent shops? And then the monthly 50,000 Naira business grants for 5,000 youths. Such a problem!
Good enough, in the next 24 hours, Governor Umo Eno will launch the ARISE Youth Employment Portal, the official online platform where unemployed and underemployed youths of Akwa Ibom State will register to access employment opportunities and training support from both Akwa Ibom State Government and the organized private sector. It will serve as a pool where the government and private sector can access to identify skilled youths for targeted employment into the civil service and private sector. One would say, good news for the youths, but problem for the governor?
Or how else would one explain that this same Governor Umo Eno with award-winning strong financial bent, running a very cost-effective government, who is exceptionally economical in expenditure disposition is being served propaganda from merchants of blackmail, who are accusing him of budgeting too high for the renovation of the governor’s and the deputy governor’s lodges and vehicles for the State legislators?
Because it is primarily aimed at disinformation, they deliberately put and display the figures on their showcase of blackmail to sensationalize but put the facts under the carpet. They put the cart before the horse because they do not want the State to go forward.
The wholesalers of half-truths have hoarded the truth that there are threats of erosion on the entire government house, and that no-one would sit and watch such property go down.
They have not added that even when two vehicles were budgeted to be purchased for the State legislators, only official vehicles have been purchased, and that the project inspection vehicles have not been purchased. And that very importantly, the seemingly scary figures (occasioned by economic realities) are mere budget estimates, mere projections which are totally dependent on what the time will bring.
That is why there is undeniable veracity that Governor Umo Eno has a problem. His performance has dumfounded the naysayers, and put them to shame.
Governor Eno has a problem. His only problem is that he has no problem. This story of lodges’ renovation and vehicles for Assembly members can be likened to the adage that when someone does not have something to tell, they say water has stuck in their teeth. Of the truth, Governor Umo Eno’s record-breaking performance and incomparable accomplishments so far, sticks water in the teeth of those who thought he will fail as governor of Akwa Ibom State. They lack what to say, and will wallow in that scarcity of words to condemn the performing governor. It shall be eight years of making them short of words!
