Governor Eno, Etiebet praise Oruk Anam Chairman’s impactful leadership

Tony Okoh, Uyo

Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State and former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Atuekong Don Etiebet, have praised the Chairman of Oruk Anam Local Government Area, Hon. Sunday Festus Akpan, for his remarkable developmental strides within 14 months in office.

Eno urged other local government chairmen in the state to emulate the developmental strides of the Oruk Anam council chairman in order to accelerate rural development in their respective domains.

Speaking during the commissioning of an ultra-modern motor park and a new gateway at the council headquarters in Ikot Ibritam over the weekend, Eno said the council chairman had invested in almost all sectors captured in the ARISE Agenda, thereby improving the economy of rural dwellers.

“You have utilized 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 the prudent spending of local government revenues allocated to them by the federal government.

“This is how local government administration should be. The government is happy that you have diversified your resources and generated internal revenue to augment what the federal government has given you for development, without waiting solely for allocations.

“I appreciate you, as agriculture is contributing massively to the revenue pool of the council.

“The government is also happy because you have invested in securing the future of the Oruk Anam people through the payment of bursaries to students.

“You are replicating what the state government is doing at the state level. Indeed, the beautification project you have executed around the local government secretariat is commendable.”

Eno, who was represented by the Chairman of ALGON in the state and Chairman of Uyo Local Government Area, Dr. Uwemedimo Udo, further appreciated Hon. Festus Akpan for transforming the dumpsite near the council into an ultra-modern motor park.

He added that the governor had also transformed an erosion-prone area in Uyo into a tourism site for the growth of the state.

The former Minister of Petroleum Resources and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Atuekong Don Etiebet, also hailed the council chairman for not disappointing him after he struggled for the creation of the local government area in 1989.

“I fought for the creation of this local government area in 1989. I thank God because you have brought rural transformation to our communities,” he said.

Earlier, the chairman of the council said he had initiated several projects in the area, including the construction and commissioning of the motor park where commuters would be conveyed to Bonny Island, Uyo, Aba, Rivers State, Calabar, and other cities.

He also disclosed that the Assured Farm project had recently generated ₦27 million as internal revenue for the council.
“Our Assured Farm project at Ikot Akpan Essien has generated ₦27 million for the local government.

“We have paid ₦10 million in bursaries to students from the area, provided classroom desks, trained farmers and supplied them with farm seedlings, paid allowances to traditional rulers, given business support grants to 300 rural women, and provided free JAMB forms for 150 students from this area, among other initiatives.”