FISCAL DISCIPLINE, REVENUE DIVERSIFICATION CRITICAL FOR SUSTAINABLE DEV.- GOV UMO ENO

... as Senate President applauds his leadership style

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has emphasized on the need for states and local governments to embrace fiscal discipline and revenue diversification to achieve sustainable development.

The Governor stated this while delivering a public lecture on the theme: "Leading Economic Development in Sub-Nationals of the Nigerian Federation: The ARISE Agenda," at the University of Uyo.

He noted that the ARISE Agenda was borne out of the desire to grow the economy while developing abundant human resources in the State, focuses on eight lofty goals including; Poverty reduction, Job creation, Price stability,sustainable economic growth, improved standard of living, environmental sustainability, highly educated, healthy and skilled people, and the Security of lives and property

He further explained that the ARISE Agenda, a flagship economic blueprint that guides his administration's development efforts, is an acronym for ‘five-group aspirations’: Agricultural Revolution, Tourism Development and Environmental Management; Rural Development, Women & Youth Empowerment; Infrastructural Maintenance and Advancement; Security Management, Sound Educational and Health Sector Management; and Economic, Industrial and Social Advancement

The Governor who holds a Doctorate degree in Public Administration from the University, said that since the inception of his administration, wastages in government have been minimized, and the government is determined to expand its revenue base by digitalization of government operations.

"Soon, we will launch AKWAGIS, a digital platform where we will be collecting ground rent, which as we speak is in the region of N16 billion. Through this platform, we will be able to seamlessly offer Certificates of Occupancy, which would help attract businesses to our State.

"We are also investing heavily in the tourism sector that has been variously described as the “New Black Gold.” From agricultural tourism, through our Ibom Model Farm, to medical tourism, with our planned Ibom International Medical Centre - a 200-bed hospital that will come with 24 different departments under one roof. This hospital, once completed, will compare to any such facility anywhere in the world.

"The ARISE Resort, which we hope to commission in the first half of this year, the International Conference Centre, the Ibom Tropicana Hotel, which we are poised to complete will signpost our ascendancy as the tourism hub of our nation and bring in billions of Naira in revenue.

" We remain committed to the growth and expansion of Ibom Air and work is ongoing in the Aviation Village, as part of our investments in the aviation eco- system.

"We are committed to the human capital development of our people and this has been acknowledged by the Federal Government and the World Bank, leading to the launch two days ago, of the Human Capital Development Strategic Plan by the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, GCON.

"We have achieved a success rate of 3.5% out of school children, against the national average of 25.6% - a truly remarkable feat.

"We are positioning our State for growth beyond oil by these strategic investments in tourism and human capital development," he said.

The Governor said to ensure the success of economic development in sub-nationals, policymakers must develop action plans before implementation, strengthen governance and institutional capacity, enhance internally generated revenue (IGR) to reduce reliance on federal allocations, promote regional economic cooperation and trade among states, encourage private sector-led development through investment incentives, and focus on collaboration rather than conflicts.

He appreciated the crafters of the ARISE Agenda, and expressed his determination to go the extra mile to further development in the State, while urging policymakers, corporate bodies, the academia, and citizens to join hands with him in the journey towards a prosperous, self-reliant, and globally competitive sub-national economy.

In his remarks, the President of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio applauded the Governor for his inclusive leadership disposition which according to him has engendered unprecedented peace and security in the State.

Senator Akpabio who was represented by Dr. Saviour Enyiekere, Chairman of the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC), also commended the Governor for his collaboration with the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Federal Government, and assured of the support of the All Progressives Congress in the State to ensure the Governor's second term victory in 2027.

Chairman of the Occasion, Emeritus Prof. Akpan Ekpo, the University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Nyaudoh Ndaeyo and the Dean of the Host Faculty, Faculty of Social Sciences, Prof. Christopher Ekong as well as Dean of the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, Prof. Peter Esuh appreciated the Governor for accepting to share his thoughts through the public lecture, stressing that the ARISE Agenda is a comprehensive document that can drive development in the State and other sub-nationals.

The event which attracted eminent personalities within and outside the State, had as discussants, Prof. Okechukwu Onuchukwu, Vice - Chancellor, Ignatius Aguru University of Education, Rivers State, and Prof. Ebebe Ukpong, a development expert and former Commissioner in the State.
______________________________________

I'm Kokoette Michael your EduPurpose Coach.

I speak, I mentor and educate undergraduates and individuals to pursue excellence, discover purpose, and build skills for global influence.

Follow me for More!!!

For those who rocked their childhood in the 70s, 80s and 90s. How can you ever forget those good old days?
where they spent most of there "growing up" life there and dey are very proud of there humble beginnings .. a time when everyone treated each other like family, dey went outside to play in the streets, played ema baba and climbed trees. Dey didn't eat fast food ....dey ate Groundnuts, Kulikuli, Puff Puff, Buns, agidi jollof with biscuit bone, choco milo sweets, Nasco or cabin biscuits and home made food and we got ice cream from the ice-cream man tied in a polythene bag. Dey played ten-ten, Suwe, game boy, hide and seek(bojo bojo), street football, tinkutinku little star, table soccer, kite, koso, open kolo, mama n papa, in and out police and thief, Pepsi Pepsi cola, etc. And then enjoyed visiting there neighbors, Families and friends.
There was no bottled water , dey drank water from the tap or bought Ice-water tied in a polythene bag, if we had a drink, dey would share the same bottle of juice...after giving it a wipe with our mucky sleeves, dey had analog tv, that can be open sideways like a wardrobe, only to be switched on at 4pm on weekdays and 10am on weekends; we ride our tyres, boris cart, or spoke wheel or played in the rain for hours. There was no such thing as a mobile phone or any other electronic device . Dey weren't AFRAID OF ANYTHING (except maybe the Nurse's injection, the Teachers at school and our parents ) If someone had a fight, that's what it was...a fist fight. Kids didn't have guns or knives, we played cowboys & crooks. The street lights were your curfew or until your Mom shouted out the window. School was mandatory, The days of going to school in groups just so we can gist, slab(walk) from our home to school, some cases 5 - 10 kilometers and buy dankuwa, Gudygudy and condense milk, babadudu with our pocket money. Ultimate power, and willi willi was our horror movie and nta channel 5 and BTV was our cartoon network. tales o

After the Vice President’s visit comes this, today.

May God bless Akwa Ibom State!

Tuesday, be nice to us.

Good morning everyone

PRESS RELEASE

ORUK ANAM WOMEN SET TO RECIEVE BUSINESS BOOST THROUGH SUPPORT GRANTS

The Office of the Wife of the Executive Chairman of Oruk Anam Local Government Council, Deaconess Mrs. Juliana Sunday Festus, in collaboration with the Wife of the Member Representing Oruk Anam State Constituency, Mrs. Ememobong Sampson Idiong, will on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, present Business Support Grants to women across Oruk Anam Local Government Area.

The event is scheduled to take place at 12:00 PM at the Oruk Anam Council Secretariat, Ikot Ibritam.

This initiative is part of a continuous effort to empower women economically, support local enterprises, and promote self-reliance among women in the area.

The second edition of the Business Support Grants is proof of the consistency and commitment of the organizers in reaching more women and deepening the impact of the empowerment programme across the local government.

Happy Birthday to Obi Cubana as he celebrate his @50 birthday in a grand style

"Ruh-roh... I think I ate the wrong Scooby Snack."

"Ruh-roh... I think I ate the wrong Scooby Snack."

Achieving success is often likened to climbing a staircase, where each step represents a fundamental concept or challenge one must overcome.

Risks and failures are inevitable aspects of the journey, demanding resilience and adaptability.

Consistent effort and discipline underpin progress, while the sacrifice and late nights are the investments made towards a greater goal.

Patience is crucial, as success rarely comes instantly.

Doubts and rejections test one's resolve, requiring a steadfast focus and an unwavering hustle.

Above all, having a clear vision motivates one to surmount each step until the summit is reached.

AKSG CONSTITUTES TASK FORCE ON PRIMARY HEALTHCARE(PHC) SERVICES

Editors please remove the mirorr