28/02/2023
Why Akwa Ibomites Are Disenchanted With Gov Udom Emmanuel
Barely a couple of months to the end of Mr. Udom Emmanuel's eight year reign as Governor of Akwa Ibom State, a cross section of Akwa Ibom people have posited that his administration has performed abysmally.
Respondents say, to the disappointment
of Akwa Ibom people, most of the promises during Emmanuel's electioneering campaigns in 2015 and 2019 have been unfulfilled.
Hinging their stance on indices including unemployment, poverty, huge debt burden, lack of fiscal transparency, dearth of infrastructures, poor healthcare delivery, crippled civil service, out of school children, poor welfare of retirees and others, respondents asserted that the next administration in the state has a huge task of clearing up the woes befalling the state since 2015.
*Insecurity
In spite of Akwa Ibom's reputation as a 'peaceful state', residents have however noticed that under the reign of Governor Udom Emmanuel, the prevalence rate of violent crimes have been quite high.
As the Chief Security Officer of the state, Udom Emmanuel is said to have failed to sufficiently galvanize the security architecture to perform at an optimal level. His reported injections of support of only vehicles and communication gadgets have been grossly insufficient.
Essien Udim, Oruk Anam, Obot Akara, Ika and riverine areas like Mbo and Oron have been witnessing prolonged communal and cult-related clashes. Those areas are also epicenters of banditry, kidnapping and sea piracy.
Also, Oku Iboku in Itu Local Government Area have been repeatedly attacked by invaders from Cross River to no avail.
A resident of Essien Udim Local Government Area, Pastor Julius Eshiet, reasoned that although the Federal Government should take the blame since the security agencies are federal institutions, state governors like Udom Emmanuel shouldn't be exonerated because they have failed to support the security agencies as expected.
He said "In neighbouring Oruk Anam, the police said the only operational van is dysfunctional. How then does one expect such a large local government area to be effectively policed? State governors should support the police and other security agencies. The naval men in the riverine areas also need support from the state government.
Monthly allocations and internally generated revenue of Akwa Ibom State is very massive, so part of it should be ploughed into tackling crimes."
The state government, since 2015, has donated about 15 operational vehicles to the Akwa Ibom State Police Command but such is deemed insufficient.
Also, many police stations in the state are dilapidated.
*Unemployment
With an estimated population of 7 million, over 52 percent of the youth in Akwa Ibom State are unemployed, according to the National Bureau of Statistics corroborated by the European-African economic journal.
The causative factors are poor state of the economy, falling educational standard, poor attitude to agriculture, poor enabling and secured environment, poor renumeration for government employees among others.
According to the European-African economic journal, the prevailing unemployment has triggered social vices such as prostitution, armed robbery, oil bunkering, internet fraud, drug trafficking and addiction, r**e, kidnapping, political thuggery, assassination and other acts of criminalities.
The journal advised the Akwa Ibom State Government to redesigned the education sector to become technology-based in order to enhance skill acquisition for self-employment as well as encourage the youths to embrace agriculture as a profitable business venture. "Honest effort should be made towards revitalizing the moribund and ailing industries in the state," it also suggested.
*Failed and abandoned projects
Observers say the Udom Emmanuel administration is bequeathing liabilities of failed and uncompleted projects to the next administration.
Data sourced from our correspondent cut across road projects, purported industries and other structures.
Chinese Market in Eket, Otung Aya Bridge project in Oruk Anam, Mbiatok Bridge project in Oruk Anam, fictitious bamboo plantation for industrial value chain, fictitious Mexican cattle rearing, abandoned fertilizer factory in Abak, fake revamping of Peacock Painting Limited, Ikot Ekan, Etinan, dead Pencil and Toothpick factory.
Others are false claim of CCTV Camera installation in parts of the state, unyielding multi-billion naira coconut plantation, fictitious ultra-modern International Market project in Uyo, Ultra-modern International Market project in Itu LGA, fake claim of Eket Remodeling, fictitious Ibom Super highway, abandoned ONNA Sports Complex etc.
Those are among projects on the long list of failed and abandoned projects of the state government.
Also, hundreds of abandoned road projects dot the landscape of Akwa Ibom State.
*Poor welfare of civil servants
Under the current administration, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has severally complained of non-payment of promotion arrears and leave grants. Promoted civil servants stay on their previous salary scale.
*Non-payment of gratuities
Checks reveal that the Udom Emmanuel administration only paid a backlog of two years (2011 and 2012) gratuities. Civil servants, especially retired health workers and teachers, have been unpaid ever since.
*Exploitation of transporters
Mr. Julius Akpan, a commercial taxi driver and member of Township Drivers Association of Akwa Ibom State, bemoaned the administration's failure in the public transportation sector.
He said despite humongous sums allocated to the Ministry of Transport, the state through its agents have subjected transporters to misery through exploitative taxation, harassment, and arrests.
"That is why our organization (TDAAKS) sued the transport ministry, environment ministry, and other ministries for exploiting us. We say no to exploitative taxation and levies. We need interest free loans, or grants for purchase of vehicles. For now, government is against us," a livid Akpan said.
*Lack of fiscal transparency
A notable feature of the administration is lack of transparency in the finances of the state. Spending of budgetary appropriations is not easily monitored. Government's reluctance to come clean on the various external and internal fund streams. Paris Club refunds, 13% derivation arrears, ecological funds, and others have so been unaccounted for.
*Perceived exploitation of the Local Government
A staff of Uyo Local Government Area who pleaded anonymity said Udom Emmanuel is the worst thing to have happened to the local government system.
She said the governor has been milking the local governments since 2015.
"The situation is that funds from the Federal Government are first cornered by the governor who later disburses only 10% of the total allocation to respective local government areas. That is why the local government is ineffective, she told our reporter.
*Failed promises
It is widely believed that Udom Emmanuel has overtime earned notoriety for failed promises.
Ace entertainer, James Essien, reinforced the stance in a Facebook post made on Tuesday.
"I served for 7 years as Secretary, Akwa Ibom State Entertainment Industry Working Committee. A position I was opportune to have first hand information about plans of Government to Entertainers. We had lofty ideas and expectations from the Governor.
"His Excellency promised us ENTERTAINMENT VILLAGE, FREE INTEREST LOANS to aid start ups etc, but sad to say that for 7 years plus, till now, the Governor has not fulfilled any of the two promises mentioned.
Within his 7years plus as Governor, my boss and SA on Entertainment hosted about 4 events yearly & NONE HAD THE GOVERNOR HONORED WITH HIS PRESENCE.
"The only time entertainers had the Governor attend their event was the day he came to seek our support for a second term, and he didn't spent up to 30mins with Entertainers but he captured us with his wordings, we believed & trusted him.
During his speech that day, he told us to PUT UP OUR BEST SO WE CAN EARN HIS SUPPORT.
OUT OF EXCITEMENT: WE TREKKED FROM IBOM HALL TO HILLTOP MANSION, just to show him we are ready to do our best. That trekking kept me sick for 1 week, but I never bothered, knowing it was part of the requirements to making the Governor see my best.
Everytime event is hosted on his behalf, we go out to borrow money to finance and pay artistes, with the hope of refunds. Yet upon the stress, NOTHING CAME OUT. All efforts to have him at our events kept bouncing back till now. I toured 31 LGAs, 10 Federal Constituencies etc., driving my Hyundai Coupe Sport car to all campaigns venue, that car suffered.
"The last time we had a Governor whose love for people was massive was Godswill Akpabio. He loved crowd, he was always fond of breezing into markets, burials, marriages uninvited.
He often go on project supervision at night to have a glue of an assignment he gave people. Akpabio RAISED boys to becoming independent MEN. He was a giver to the core. His happiness was seeing others happy. He used State allocation to fund projects and left office with massive COMPLETED project. He was loved because he was not just closer to citizen, he also executed people oriented projects/policies.
He loved and supported Entertainers and won't just host event without having them dance with them. Akpabio never deceived Entertainers with appointments that will make you run from village because salary isn't even enough to reach people at the village."
Governor Emmanuel is one of the most fortunate Governors in Nigeria with the largest monthly allocation from the Federation Account, but it is galring that he will leave office in three months with a long list of unfulfilled promises.
