By Newspot Nigeria News Desk
In a bold reaffirmation of people-centered governance, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, visited the Eket Federal Constituency on August 2, 2025, distributing over ₦400 million worth of grants, equipment, and vehicles to more than 1,076 beneficiaries during a town hall meeting held at the Cenotaph near Eket Stadium.
According to a field report by Ekemini James, the Eket Town Hall—part of Governor Eno’s ongoing constituency outreach series—touched the lives of residents from Eket, Esit Eket, and Onna Local Government Areas, who received empowerment support under the administration’s ARISE Agenda.
The detailed empowerment breakdown included:
- 268 ARISE Farmers’ Grant recipients
- 549 ARISE Traders’ Grant beneficiaries
- 239 individuals equipped with work tools and machinery
- 8 MSMEs awarded ₦5 million each in support grants
- 12 business owners gifted cars and mini-buses to scale services
Addressing a diverse audience across party lines, Governor Eno stressed the non-partisan, merit-based nature of the empowerment:
“This is not a political show. It is about people. The empowerment is for every eligible person duly registered on our ARISE portal, and today, I am proud to say we are delivering on the Agenda.”
He also received a needs assessment document from the constituency—covering priority infrastructure and social demands—and promised to consider it for inclusion in the 2026 state budget, while noting that implementation would depend on resource availability.
The Governor used the occasion to update residents on ongoing ARISE projects, including:
- Road upgrades across the constituency
- Rehabilitation and construction of model health centres
- New compassionate homes for vulnerable groups
- Modernization of public schools across wards
In a symbolic gesture underscoring his ties to the area, Governor Eno described Eket as the “land of my rebirth”:
“Uyo Senatorial District and Etinan Federal Constituency are the land of my birth, but Eket is the land of my rebirth. It is in this land that I cut my teeth in business. I am overwhelmed by your warm welcome.”
He further resolved a lingering land dispute by announcing the formation of a special committee, promising transparent resolution and protection of the environment from illegal encroachment.
Highlighting his grassroots connection, the Governor announced the promotion of Ayara Johnson, a ward-level personal assistant, to full Personal Assistant in recognition of exemplary service to community.
In a show of solidarity, federal and state lawmakers representing the constituency moved and unanimously adopted a motion endorsing Governor Eno as their sole candidate for the 2027 governorship election.
From infrastructure to microeconomic support, the town hall reaffirmed the Governor’s posture as a listening leader with a developmental blueprint rooted in local inclusion.
Newspot Nigeria will continue to monitor the delivery of these promises and keep constituents informed as the ARISE Agenda unfolds.
