We’ve Executed 1,500km Roads, Paid ₦98bn In Inherited Gratuities – Gov Eno

• Governor Eno says his administration has undertaken, commissioned or continued work on over 1,500km of roads and 43 bridges since May 29, 2023.

• ₦98bn of the about ₦111bn inherited gratuities and other emoluments paid to retirees. ₦1.69bn disbursed as student bursaries; 3,000 teachers recruited.

• 258,000 residents enrolled in the state health insurance scheme, while all LGAs have ambulance services. Over 4,000 youths trained, with more than ₦2bn disbursed in grants.

• More than 500 ARISE Compassionate Homes completed and handed over to vulnerable citizens, announcing ₦190m scholarships for two outstanding Akwa Ibom students.

September 24, () – Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has said his administration has undertaken, commissioned or continued work on more than 1,500 kilometres of roads and 43 bridges since assuming office in May 2023.

Eno disclosed this yesterday, in his state broadcast to mark the 39th anniversary of the creation of Akwa Ibom State, highlighting infrastructure, education, healthcare, agriculture, youth empowerment and social intervention as major areas of his administration’s three-year performance.

The governor said the road projects were designed to connect rural communities with urban centres and open up opportunities for farmers, businesses, students and residents.

According to him, the administration’s infrastructure drive was part of its commitment to ensuring that no community was left behind in the distribution of government projects.

“As part of our 39th anniversary celebrations, we are commissioning projects across the State, including roads, schools and healthcare facilities”, Eno said.

On education, the governor said the state had continued to sustain free and compulsory education at the primary and secondary levels, while ₦1.69 billion had so far been disbursed as bursaries to students.

He said his administration had also recruited 3,000 teachers, with further recruitment approved, while work was ongoing to transform the Akwa Ibom College of Education, Afaha Nsit, into a University of Education.

Eno also announced the fulfilment of a scholarship commitment to Uwakmfon Unwana Jacob, a brilliant student who will receive a ₦30 million scholarship to study Software Engineering at Nile University, Abuja.

Another beneficiary, Dr Joseph Akpan, who emerged as the Best Graduating Student in Medicine and Surgery at the University of Uyo for the 2024/2025 academic session, will receive ₦160 million for his master’s degree programme in Surgical and Interventional Science at McGill University, Canada. The two scholarships amount to ₦190 million.

In the health sector, the governor said 258,000 residents, including elderly citizens, had been enrolled in the state-run health insurance scheme, while every local government area had an ambulance service for emergency medical situations.

He said the administration was also investing in primary healthcare facilities, human resources and the development of the Ibom International Hospital.

On agriculture, Eno said 1,700 farmers had received grants, while the government had approved the acquisition of hundreds of thousands of oil-palm seedlings under its Palm Tree Crop Revolution.

He said the administration’s objective was to reposition agriculture as a viable business capable of creating wealth and employment for young people.

The governor disclosed that more than 4,000 youths had been trained at IBOM-LED and DASAC in skills development and entrepreneurship, while grants totalling more than ₦2 billion had been disbursed.

He said the government was also developing youth-friendly centres to support technology, entrepreneurship and the creative industries.

On social intervention, Eno said more than 500 units of ARISE Compassionate Homes had been completed and handed over to some of the poorest and most vulnerable citizens in the state, alongside financial support to enable beneficiaries to rebuild their lives.

He further disclosed that his administration had paid more than ₦98 billion out of approximately ₦111 billion in gratuities and other emoluments inherited from the previous administration.

“This is not merely a financial figure. Behind every payment is a family. Behind every home is a human story. Behind every intervention is a citizen whose dignity matters”, he said.

The governor also highlighted the expansion of Ibom Air, saying the state received the fifth Airbus A220-300 aircraft acquired by his administration during the month.

According to him, the state is preparing its international airport facilities for expanded operations, with the ambition of positioning Akwa Ibom as an aviation and economic hub in the South-South.

On the long-awaited Ibom Deep Seaport, Eno reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the project, describing it as a potential economic gateway for trade, industry, logistics, jobs and investment.

He said the state would continue to pursue the project while following due process and putting in place the necessary foundations for its development.

The governor also listed tourism infrastructure, including the Arise Palm Resort, International Convention Centre and Arise Shopping City, among projects being developed to expand the state’s tourism economy.

In the power sector, Eno said the state had established the Akwa Ibom Electricity Regulatory Commission and the Akwa Ibom State Electrification Agency, following new constitutional and legislative opportunities in the electricity sector.

He said the initiatives were intended to improve electricity supply and extend access to underserved communities, noting that reliable power was critical to businesses, industries and young entrepreneurs.

Looking ahead, the governor said the next phase of his administration would focus on moving the state “from infrastructure to industrialisation, from agriculture to agro-industrialisation, from skills to enterprise, from enterprise to jobs, and from tourism potential to a tourism economy.”

He described this next phase as the challenge and promise of ARISE 2.0.

Eno, who also urged Akwa Ibom people to preserve the peace in the state, said political, ethnic and other differences should not be allowed to undermine the unity of the people.

He said the government could provide platforms and opportunities, but citizens had a responsibility to use them to build businesses, value education, create wealth and protect the state’s peace.

The governor said the 39th anniversary was therefore not only a celebration of the state’s achievements but also an opportunity to reflect on the work required to build a more prosperous future.

“Thirty-nine years is not the end of our story. It is another chapter. A new chapter that demands courage, sacrifice, unity and faith,” he said.

Eno congratulated Akwa Ibom people at home and in the diaspora on the anniversary and pledged that his administration would continue to invest in infrastructure, education, healthcare, agriculture, youth development and economic opportunities as the state moves into its next phase of development.