… Says A’Ibom Now Construction Site
By Henshaw Nyong.
Against the backdrop of the growing pace of project delivery across Akwa Ibom, former Minister of Niger-Delta Affairs, Obong Umana Okon Umana, CON, has declared that Governor Umo Eno will not be distracted by propaganda, blackmail or other antics of the opposition, insisting that the projects being executed by the administration are visible across the State.
Umana stated this on Friday while representing Governor Eno at the commissioning of the ARISE Youth Development Centre in Ikot Edibon, Nsit Ubium Local Government Area, as part of activities marking the 39th anniversary of the creation of Akwa Ibom State.
The former Secretary to the Akwa Ibom State Government said the growing spread of development projects had turned the State into a construction site, with roads, other infrastructure, schools, healthcare facilities and several audacious projects taking shape across the 31 Local Government Areas.
He said the ARISE Youth Development Centres were among the Governor’s deliberate interventions to equip young people with skills that would make them self-reliant and create opportunities for them to become employers of labour.
“This centre will provide a platform for youths who want to acquire entrepreneurial skills and those who want to innovate. We are commissioning the fifth one today. So far, 14 of these centres have been completed,” Umana said.
The immediate past Managing Director of the Oil and Gas Free Trade Zone Authority (OGFZA) said Governor Eno’s decision to establish a standalone Ministry of Youth Development further demonstrated the administration’s commitment to placing youth development at the centre of its agenda.
Umana also said the pace of development in Akwa Ibom was attracting positive attention beyond the State, noting that he often felt proud when people outside the State referenced Akwa Ibom for its development strides.
“I always stand tall and I feel proud when I’m outside Akwa Ibom and people talk about our State as a reference point for good governance. Akwa Ibom is not just a project site; it is a miracle that is unfolding,” he said.
The former Minister of Niger-Delta Affairs urged Governor Eno to remain focused on his development agenda, saying the visibility of projects across the State would speak for the administration.
“Governor Umo Eno will not be distracted by propaganda, because the projects are there for all to see,” he declared.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Youth Development, Dr. Ekerette Ekanem, described the Nsit Ubium facility as a deliberate investment in the future of young people, saying the centre was designed to provide opportunities for skills acquisition, innovation, research and creative enterprise.
Also speaking, the Chairman of Nsit Ubium Local Government, Hon. Alfred Charles; Chairman, Akwa Ibom State Chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Comrade Emmanuel Ebong; Clan Head of Ubium, His Royal Highness Etebom Ukpong Noah Udoewah, and other stakeholders commended Governor Eno for his development strides, particularly in roads, education, healthcare, youth development and social intervention, and prayed for continued wisdom and strength for him to deliver on the ARISE Agenda.
