The governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno and former minister of petroleum, Atuekong Don Etiebet, have commended the chairman of Oruk Anam local government area, Sunday Festus, for effectively deploying council allocations for development projects in line with the financial autonomy granted the the councils by the federal government under President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking at Ikot Ibritam, the council headquarters during the commissioning of some life – touching projects under taken in the last one and a half years by chairman, Governor Eno, noted that the strides align with the ARISE Agenda blueprint of his administration at the State level.
The governor, who was represented by the chairman of the state chapter of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Rt Hon. Uwemedimo Udo, urged other chairmen of councils to emulate, noting that such interventions would go a long way towards accelerating grassroots developments.
He noted that the council chairman has invested in almost all sectors as captured in the ARISE Agenda thereby improving the economy of rural dwellers.
“You have utilised the resources of this local government and the federal allocation for the well being of the people.
“I urge other local government chairmen in the state to emulate your example in rural development and by extension in spending local government revenues as given to them by federal government
“This is how local government administration should be . The government is happy that you have diversify your resources and generate internal revenue to augment what the federal government has given you for development without waiting for allocation.
“I appreciate you as Agriculture is contributing massively to the revenue pool of the council. Government is happy because you have invested to secure the future of Oruk Anam people through payment of bursary to students
“You are replicating what the state government is doing at state level . Indeed the beautification project you have done around the local government Secretariat is commendable,” the Governor stressed.
In the same vein, former minister of petroleum, Atuekong Don Etiebet, applauded Hon. Festus, for various development programmes in roads, council renovation, new motor park, agricultural interventions, scholarships, social empowerments and job creation.
He pointed out that his development policies have complimented the ARISE Agenda blueprint of the State government and the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) of the federal government.
He recalled that since he fought for the creation of the council in 1989, Oruk Anam, has witnessed positive development imprints under Hon. Festus, and attributed the feat of inclusive politics engineered by the Senate Godswill Akpabio, and Eno, and prayed for the sustainability of the ties
Responding, the LGA Chairman said he had brought many projects to the area including the construction and commissionIng of motor park where passengers would have easy ride to the nearby Bonny Island in Rivers State, Uyo, Aba, in Abia State; Port Harcourt, Rivers State; Calabar, Cross River State and other cities.
In the area of agriculture, Hon. Festus, said the Assured Farm (AF), his address administration’s strategic food intervention scheme, has generated N27 million as Internally Generated Revenues (IGRs) for the council recently.
“Our Assured Farm project at Ikot Akpan Essien community has generated N27 million for the local government. We have paid N10 million bursary to students from the area, provide classroom desks , train farmers and provide them with farm inputs, paid allowance to traditional ruler, provide business support grants to 300 rural women and free JAMB forms for 150 students from this area among others,” he stressed.
