By Ogenyi Ogenyi,Uyo
Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom has described as lies insinuations in some quarters that his predecessor, Mr Udom Emmanuel has collected N20bn from the state govt allocation as part of settlement for making him governor.
He has also said that the state government would soon commence the printing of one million exercise books for distribution to public schools in the area for this school term.
Eno told a media parley in Uyo weekend that it would be impossible for anyone to contemplate such a thing even with an average of N11bn as monthly allocation to the state.
“The state collected just N11bn in the last federation account and out of this first line charges will amount to more than N9bn leaving us with a balance of just about N1bn. So how can someone even think of giving N20bn to just one person.” The Governor explained.
He tasked the leadership of the Nigerian Union of Journalists,NUJ, to exercise more control over the conduct of it’s members and also find a mechanism to discipline erring members who fall short of the standard procedure and guidelines in their practice.
Eno who also urged indegenes and residents to be patient with bhis administration said the Arise Agenda although moving slowly would surely usher in a period of prosperity for the people with commuttment from all and sundry.
In furtherance of his rural agricutural programme, the Governor said that more than 3,100 hectares of land have been donated by the 31 local councils for demonstration farms while his government has created an Asset Management Company to help in maintaining infrastructures already built by the state government.
Already he said, a bill to create a security outfit to boost the work already done by security agencies and help protect government infrastructure has been sent to the state assembly with over 4,000 persons from across the 31 local councils expected to be employed in the outfit.
The Governor insisted that his leadership style and some of his actions were aimed at cutting cost and called for patience from the political class even as he disclosed that he has already received threats from some of them.
“But I wouldn’t mind doing the right thing because I prefer a good first term than doing two terms of no impact.I don’t like the idea of everybody waiting on government for everything. I want people to make efforts on their own.” He said.
The Governor warned that he would no longer continue putting money into govt businesses without returns and called on heads of MDA to be up and doing adding that the recent audit of Ibom Power Company was not meant to witch Hunt but to also enable them transmit and distribute optimally.
He said that free uniforms to schools is aimed at creating a level playing field for all pupils and students while schools in each federal constituency would get 100,000 exercise books per term.
Eno maintained that he would encourage and support the zoning arrangement of the different Local Councils in the next LG elections and called on those not favoured by zoning not to bother to put pressure on him.
