In his assured and determined desire to fulfil his campaign promise to regularly set aside substantial amounts of funds for the payment of gratuities and other entitlements for retired workers in the state, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has again, approved the release of the sum of N6,432,924,257. 62 for the above purpose.
A breakdown of the payment is as follows: N1,000,000,000 as payment of gratuities for retired primary school teachers (SUBEB); N500, 000, 000 for the payment of gratuities of retired local government workers, N2,220,524,257.62 being the payment of gratuities, pension arrears, and en-bloc for state retired Civil Service workers, N597,400,000.00, for the 2014 leave grant for local government workers and N2,115,000.000.00 representing the payment for leave grant for workers in the State Civil Service, bringing the total amount of funds released by Governor Eno in July and August respectively to N6, 432,924, 257.62
The release of the above amount brings to over twenty-eight billion Naira, that Governor Umo Eno has so far disbursed for the payments of gratuities and other entitlements since he assumed office a little over one year ago.
The Governor has always said that, with the rich infrastructural amenities previous administrations had provided, which he is determined to maintain and expand as outlined in the Arise Agenda, the focus now should be to grow the people, improve their material well-being and accelerate developments in the rural areas.
His passionate dedication to the welfare of the most vulnerable and the neediest in society has seen him construct, and hand over 36 fully -furnished and fitted 2- 2-bedroom bungalows under the Arise Compassionate Homes Initiative to the poorest and the most vulnerable so far, with 164 currently under construction.
He plans to hand over 200 of those units in his second year and 400 by the end of his first term.
Already 150 units out of the 236 units at the Grace Homes Estate, are to be given out to civil servants from grades level 1-8, free of charge through a raffle draw selection process.
Through the Arise Elderly Care Initiatives, N50,000 is given out monthly to 600 elders throughout the 368 wards in the state. Bursaries to students in public tertiary institutions are being paid, alongside grants for students with disabilities.
WAEC fees for all students continue to be paid and the State’s pass rate ratio has increased exponentially.
The Governor, through the Bulk Purchase Agency, is distributing staple food items directly to the most vulnerable in the State and also remains deeply grateful for the palliatives so far given to the people of the state by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.
Apart from the above humanitarian interventions, Governor Eno is also undertaking audacious capital projects such as the completion of road infrastructure inherited from previous administrations and the ongoing construction of numerous other road projects he has initiated throughout the state, the flood control tunnel on Atiku Abubakar Way which he started and was commissioned last May, the audacious Arise Park which is a miracle to behold given the fact that the location was previously a desolate and erosion- ravaged ravine, the plan to acquire two brand new CRJ-900 series Bombardier jets to expand the fleet and routes for Ibom Air, to be purchased outright; these add to the planned 19- Storey Ibom Towers in Lagos and the 3- Star Ibom Hotel in Abuja among others.
There is no doubt that Governor Eno is utilizing the resources of the State to touch lives as reflected in his regular payment of gratuities and to expand infrastructural amenities in the State. Akwa Ibom indeed is Rising, continuously!
