Politicians make bogus promises to get elected and they make more promises once they get power only to renege. But we tend, most times, to fail to hold them to account for their stewardship. That is why I have taken pains to reflect on the stewardship of Governor Udom Emmanuel, the governor of Akwa Ibom state where I hail from. I look at his promises during his inaugural speech and whether he has delivered or not on his words.
In his inauguration speech, he had promised to continuously develop mobilise, and empower women and the youths via planned and well-articulated welfare and capacity-building programmes.
I note that he introduced compulsory basic education in public schools, take-over of seven(7) community secondary schools, construction and renovation of sixty-two(62) school blocks, Strategic interventions in tertiary institutions (roads, equipment, academic blocks, etc), Procurement and distribution of free text books and other educational materials, Subventions to public primary and secondary schools, Over N600 million WAEC fees for indigenes in public secondary schools annually, Upgrading of Akwa Ibom state college of Arts & Science, Nung Ukim, Ikono to College of Science and Technology.
He further demonstrated his commitment to this by ensuring over 20,000 youths were trained in various skills. There is an ongoing construction of ten (10) Modern Sports Centres to combat youth restiveness and a two billion naira (N2bn) interest free loan for small scale entrepreneurs and traders.
A social welfare program was initiated in which over Eight Hundred (800) Orphans and less privileged children are catered for in five (5) Government Homes. viz: Special Children’s Home, Uyo; Divine Children’s Home, Uyo; Correctional Centre, Uyo; Shelter Afrique Transit Camp, Uyo; Government Children’s Home, Ikot Ekpene.
Some of them are presently in higher institutions.
Under the social welfare scheme, there was a provision of Two hundred thousand naira (N200,000.00) grant each for about 500 women organisations across the 31 LGAs to enable them leverage on the public-partnership Initiative of the State Government and another provision of N50,000.00 grant each and wrappers for about 600 widows across the 31 LGAs to boost their businesses and alleviate poverty and lastly, a provision of N50,000.00 each and wrappers as well as food item for about 350 mothers with multiple births across the 31 LGAs.
In that inaugural speech, he pledged to improve trade, commerce and tourism between Akwa Ibom and the rest of Nigeria, and in fact, the rest of the world. To deliver on this campaign promises, Governor Emmanuel Udom embarked on improvement of existing infrastructure by constructing and carried out repair works when needed on over 1700km of roads and thirty-five (35) bridges. He also constructed the second (2nd) Airport Runway and upgraded the Airport main runway to category 2. It is noteworthy to state that these efforts made Akwa Ibom State the only state in Nigeria to independently own and maintain an airport.
Emmanuel Udom promised immediate diversification of the economy of the state, and this went about with so much commitment. He initiated a massive industrialization agenda for the state which brought about the establishment of Syringe Manufacturing Factory (Largest in Africa), Pencil Factory & Toothpick factory, Electric Digital Metering Solutions Manufacturing Factory, and resuscitation of Peacock Paint Industry.
The Flour Mills and Coconut Refinery, Ibom Deep Seaport, Ibom Industrial Park/ Jetty, Plastic Manufacturing Factory and Fertilizer Blending Factory are ongoing projects in the economic diversification agenda of the Governor.
There is also a lot of governmental effort in the agricultural sector of the State’s economy by the Emmanuel Udom-led administration. This is not only part of the economic diversification agenda, but also to serve as youth empowerment. The agric projects include an 11,000 hectares coconut plantation; 1,600 hectares cassava plantation in 15 LGAs (FADAMA), Registration of 4,920 rice farmers in the state.
Others are the 450 youths trained on cocoa maintenance, subsidized fertilizers; oil palm & cocoa seedlings, Akwa Prime Hatchery – 10,000 day old chicks weekly, Free Improved Corn seedlings, Construction of Vegetable Green houses, Cultivation of 100hectares of rice farm, Cultivation of about 2,100 hectares of cassava in partnership with World Bank under FADAMA III among many others
Premium importance is placed on manpower development and workers’ welfare as the payment of outstanding pensions and gratuities to retired workers of ten (10) years was effected. There is also regular and prompt payment of salaries and entitlement to public servants. In a bid to motivate the workforce of the State, Udom approved the release of backlog of promotions from 2012 to 2014 affecting 10, 352 public servants. He also ordered the implementation of immediate switch –over from salary payroll to pension payroll system for retirees.
There is also training of public servants for effective service delivery, while recruitment of 4, 761 Teachers into the Education Sector, Spanning through Primary and Secondary School Teachers, Polytechnic and College of Education Lecturers as well as into other critical areas was carried out.
The governor’s speech also dwelt on healthcare development especially of the rural dwellers. True to his words, he gave serious attention to the crucial sector through the free medical services for children below 5 years, pregnant women and the aged. There is importation of over 25 Containers of state-of-the art medical equipment and construction of, and upgrading of secondary healthcare facilities across the state. The General Hospital, Etinan was reconstructed, renovated and equipped.
In furtherance of a robust health policy, there is ongoing reconstruction of Ituk Mbang General Hospital and Ikono General Hospital. Other projects include, ongoing reconstruction work at; Ikot Okoro General Hospital, Awa Cottage Hospital, Relief for over 4,000 mal-nourished children, Free screening and treatment of over 15,000 people for various eye diseases, Training of 20 Biomedical Engineers, Provision of residential quarters for 48 House Officers in the State Hospitals and 50 in the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH), Accreditation for Schools of Nursing, with 272 Registered Nurses, Training and Certification of 100 Doctors and Nurses in Basic Lives Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Lives Support (ACLS) with Medical Emergency Experts from the USA, Procurement of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and Electrocardiograph (ECG) Machines for use in Emergency Response (now fitted in all our ambulances).
I may not have been able to capture all that is on the ground on the state that matches his promises on day one as they are quite much but I believe his achievements should be enough to reward him with another four years.
Atim wrote in from Yenagoa, Bayelsa.
END
Be the first to comment