Governor Umo Eno: Listening and Leading With Action

ESSIEM UDIM Peaks

Governor Umo Eno: Listening and Leading With Action

By N.T.A. EFO

Essien Udim Local Government Area, with headquarters at Afaha Ikot Ebak, is home to Nigeria’s Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio.

The economy of the local government is driven by agriculture through farming with crops like oil palm, cassava, and rubber being cultivated, and craft as the area is known for block-making, pottery, raffia bin production, and fishing net manufacturing.

The area is host to two higher institutions, the Federal Polytechnic, Ukana, and the Topfaith University at Mkpatak.

Governor Umo Eno in Essien Udom

One of the major road projects ongoing in Essien Udim Local Government Area, the 16km Midim Atan-Ikot Inyang-Ikot Akpan Ekpeyong-Etok Uruk Eshiet-Ikot Imonte road, linking some villages in Essien Udim and Etim Ekpo Local Government Areas, came to be because Governor Umo Eno is a leader who does not only listen, but acts when developmental issues are brought to his attention.

After his attention was drawn to the state of the road by a concerned citizen of the area, Celestine Mel, the Governor immediately directed that the road, and the 30m span bridge on it, which had been nicknamed the bridge that kills pregnant women, be immediately constructed.

According to Mel, “In 2019, I documented my experience with a body of water that separates Essien Udim from Etim Ekpo Local Government Area because of a fallen bridge at Ikot Akpan in Midim, Ekpenyong Ward 1, in Essien Udim. A pregnant woman in labor was trying to cross the makeshift bridge to a health facility on the other side. Sadly, she fell into the water and died.While several development agencies, such as NDDC and the World Bank-funded RAAMP project, reached out to express interest in solving the problem, none did until Governor Umo Eno came on board. After I drew his attention to it, he called, after which he sent engineers to evaluate the rustic community and lift their fortunes. Today, a 16km road with a 30-meter bridge is under construction. The tiny health facility in Midim, which was built by community effort in the 1970s, is being transformed into a Model Health Center. That fringe community that never saw civilization is today bustling with life, brought into reality by the golden boy.”

Speaking at the ceremony to flag off the construction of the road, held at St. Paul’s Primary School Midim, Essien Udim, Governor Eno said his administration is committed to promises made during his campaign and urged the people to exercise patience as every part of the State will benefit from his administration.

Governor Eno said he was moved by the sad stories of the community and especially, the “pregnant-women-swallowing-bridge,” and assured that such sad tales will become history within the shortest time.

He said the immediate response to the road was a pointer to his administration’s sensitivity to the plight of the people, especially the women and children who had been exposed to avoidable risk by using the collapsed road and bridge.

An announcement for the award of contract for the construction of a model health centre for the community by the Governor was an icing on the cake same day.

Both projects are on different stages of completion.

Another road, the 2.7 km Nto Obio Akpan -Ikot Obong -Urua Akpan road is on the list of the administration’s road interventions in Essien Udim.

One of the one per Local Government Area project in the area, the St Ignatius Model Primary School at Ukana Iba, has been completed and commissioned.

Speaking at its commissioning, Governor Eno said his administration was committed to spread development to all areas of the state.

The school has state- of-the-arts facilities, including an assembly hall, a fully equipped computer laboratory, fully furnished classrooms, recreational centres and a modern staff quarters

Generally, several Essien Udim sons and daughters have been empowered by government.

They were among over 655 entrepreneurs, farmers, and small-scale business owners in Ikot Ekpene Federal Constituency the Governor empowered with N260 million grants and equipment support during a Town Square meeting held recently. Two indigenes of the area received N5 million each, while three other beneficiaries received cars of different makes.

A man of peace, Governor Eno played a critical role in resolving the crisis that surrounded the council poll results in the area. He appointed those who lost in the councillorship elections as his personal aides..This has ensured peace and stability in the area.

Several other indigenes of the area, including the State Commissioner for Transport, Dr Anthony Luke, have been appointed to the top positions in government by the Governor. Infact, one of his Special Assistants on Media, Anthony Udoh, who is from Essien Udim, has worked as his media aide right from the time he was Executive Director, Agric Investment at the Akwa Ibom State Investment Corporation.

Essien Udim people have equally benefited from salaries as civil servants, pensions and gratuities as retirees, bursaries as students, and the free food programme for the vulnerable.

The economically challenged poorest of the poor have benefitted from the Arise Compassionate homes programme. The programme reaffirms Governor Eno’s unwavering commitment to uplifting the vulnerable and ensuring that governance delivers dignity to the less privileged.

One of the beneficiaries ,
Madam Nko Udo Udo of Ekpenyong Atai, overwhelmed with gratitude during the handing over of the house to her by the Governor, overwhelmed with gratitude, expressed her joy: “I never believed I would ever become a homeowner. May God bless Governor Umo Eno.”

To Essien Udim people, Governor Eno is a good man.

Chairman of Essien Udim LGA, Elder Ntiedo Usoro, says the Governor is “an icon of peace and unity,”

Youths of Essien Udim say he is “ Father of Rural Development.”

Hon. Prince Ukpong Akpabio, member representing the area in the State House of Assembly, says his people are grateful for all his interventions in the development of the area.

Senate President Akpabio says Governor Eno “has distinguished himself as a peacemaker, a reconciliatory leader, and a true democrat.”

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