Akwa Ibom Governor: I Prefer Good First Term to Useless Two-Terms

*Pledges to invest in 7.9 million Akwa Ibom people than few individuals

Okon Bassey in Uyo

Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has said he would be satisfied creating an impactful single term than a two-term in office without anything to show.
The governor spoke against threats that his inability to service stakeholders’ structures may work against his chances to be re-elected for second term.
At a media parley at Government House, Uyo, at the weekend, Eno said he would rather invest in the 7.9 million Akwa Ibom people than a few individual.
“We are trying to ensure that my recurrent expenditure does not run at par with my capital expenditure. Whatever we save is to be put back in the rural areas. Every N500 million I save would give me a school, would give me a hospital.

“I prefer a good first term than a useless two-terms. It is only when you account for four years well, that you would be asked to go again.
“I’ll rather put money in rural communities.  My job is to ensure that the 7.9 million people are satisfied. I discovered that almost everybody is waiting on government,” he stated  

On infrastructure development in the state, the governor said, “the challenge before us is to maintain the existing infrastructure. We lack maintenance culture. That is why we seek to establish an asset management agency to help in maintenance of our assets. We build new ones when we have to.”
In order to turn around the rural areas in the state, Eno said the state government was working with the 31 Local Government chairmen on agricultural development.

“We will be using not less than 50 hectares of land per Local Government Area for farming.
“On rural development, we are doing the best we can to take development to rural communities. We have started building model schools, we are soon going to start ambulance services in the rural areas.

“I am not perfect, but i promise that I will not deliberately launch this state into something we would regret. We will do our best,” he pledged.  
He lauded President Bola Tinubu for making him part of the delegation of governors to the 78th UN General Assembly meeting in New York, which he said opened his eyes in international politics.