Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom has called on citizens to be strongly united as the state could achieve more when united.
Emmanuel made the call in a state broadcast to celebrate the 34th anniversary of creation of the state in Uyo on Thursday.
The Governor advised that political interests should not allow decent people to veer off the path of nobility, and should not motivate to destroy the best in the state , just to satisfy the political paymasters.
“I want to urge us all to once again wrap ourselves up in a garment of unity.”
“Our founding fathers were united in love, shaped by the ennobling ideals of unity, and propelled by the endless possibilities each felt and believed we were capable of appropriating in unison.
“My fellow Akwaibomites, politics will come and politics will go, but the Akwa Ibom spirit and blood that flows in us all will endure and flourish.
“Political foes you see today may be political allies tomorrow. May our Only God continue to strengthen the bonds of our unity and draw us closer to one another in truth and in spirit, Amen.” He said.
The Governor said his administration has done well, given the resources available to move the State forward in all indices of development maintaining that he has made impact in the areas of industrialization, infrastructural consolidation, education and human capital development.
Other areas of achievement according to him include food sufficiency and agro allied concerns, health care delivery, ease of doing business through land, sea and air, power, aviation development, youth reorientation and empowerment, and rural development.
“All the three Senatorial Districts and ten Federal Constituencies, have been deeply impacted by the economically viable roads we have constructed.” He said.
The Governor challenged youths in the state to look inwards and see what they could legitimately do to lift themselves and live productive lives. “Akwa Ibom youths are very skilled in technology and I urge them to band themselves together, and come up with ways they can seize the vast opportunities provided by the Internet to provide services that will help expand their growth and development.” Emmanuel maintained.
He called on the people to protect the gains made by have administration by ensuring that his successor would sustain and expand on the gains made. “As the politics of 2023 beckons, we must be conscious of the moving forward as contained in our State Anthem “forward ever backward never.”
This State will continue to go forward; we the proud heirs and heiresses of our forefather’s hopes and dreams will still ensure that our unity, our development and our onward movement remain non-negotiable articles of faith.” he said. “We cannot gamble it away neither can we put it to risk. This is our collective charge, this is our collective expectation. In unity and in faith, this will come to pass.” The Governor said.
