The Special Assistant on New Media to Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno, Venerable Richard Peters, has said the state government has paid N83 billion out of the N111 billion inherited gratuity backlog, describing the development as part of the administration’s implementation of its ARISE Agenda.
Peters disclosed this while speaking with journalists in Abuja on Monday, saying the administration remained committed to clearing the outstanding balance within the governor’s first term.
He also attributed the pace of project execution in the state to increased funding and collaboration between Governor Eno, President Bola Tinubu and Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
“Our governor has paid over N83 billion of N111 billion inherited gratuity backlog, with commitment to clear the rest in first term. He has doled out over N6 billion in business grants to youths and farmers. Thousands of youths trained at Ibom-LED and DASAC with N750,000 start-up packs while Youth Development Centre was recently launched in Oron and will be replicated in all 31 LGAs with focus on e-commerce, creatives, and fashion,” he said.
Peters said the administration had also launched the Oil Palm Tree Crop Revolution to revive oil palm production in the state and established an Agricultural Equipment Leasing Company to provide subsidised services to farmers.
“The governor has distributed farm implements, seedlings, and N2 billion in grants, ensured the establishment of Ibom Model Farm and LGA farms ongoing to reduce food prices,” he said.
He added that the government had approved N7.3 billion for women cooperatives across the state’s 369 wards, amounting to N20 million per ward.
According to Peters, the administration is also providing solar-powered Braithwaite tank boreholes in partnership with GIFA as part of efforts to improve access to water in communities.
On infrastructure, he said the government had constructed or commenced about 1,300 kilometres of roads and 40 bridges, alongside rural roads, wet markets, model healthcare centres and model primary schools across the state’s 31 local government areas.
Peters said the administration had also prioritised education and human capital development through various interventions.
“Our children are enjoying free and compulsory primary/secondary education, bursaries have been paid to tertiary students and grants to state institutions. Akwa Ibom College of Education, Afaha Nsit has been upgraded to a University of Education,” he said.
