The Chief Press Secretary to the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr Ekerete Udoh, has attributed the bourgeoning and internationally acclaimed infrastructural development being experienced in Akwa Ibom State, to the quality of successive administrations in the state since the return of democracy.
Udoh made the attribution in his office yesterday, when the new Executive of the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Akwa Ibom State Council paid a courtesy visit to him.
Udoh who applauded the strides of successive governors of the state in key areas of road development, aviation, electricity, education, health, industrialization and agriculture maintained that each has not just touched the lives of the people in all key sectors but has prioritised development in areas of need of the state at each point in time.
“I can say that the state has been quite lucky with the quality of Governors it has produced since the return of democracy. Right from Obong Victor Attah through Senator Godswill Akpabio and Mr Udom Emmanuel and now Pastor Umo Eno, the state has been blessed with quality leaders who have translated their quality into the infrastructural renaissance we are seeing in Akwa Ibom today.
“Not only have they touched all key areas of health, education, agriculture, industry and infrastructure, but each of them has also focused on areas that was of utmost importance to the state at their own time such that Akwa Ibom has become a reference point when you are talking about development within the Sub Nationals in Nigeria.
“For instance, if you know how Uyo, the state capital was in the 80s, a glorified rural area with thatch and mud houses in some major streets, with just one modest guest house in those days and compare that with the now modern city filled with quality neighbourhoods and wide boulevards, then you begin to appreciate the impact of successive governors of the state,” he explained.
The state the CPS maintained is now a destination of choice for business and tourism while Governor Eno remained determined to implement his ARISE agenda, especially in the areas of agriculture, rural development and social welfare.
He urged the media to key into the agenda by helping to promote its ideals, applauding the government in areas they have done well and criticising constructively in areas that performance is yet to meet set standards.
Udoh promised to assist the chapel in enhancing the working conditions of its members and secretariat and pledged to provide a generating set to replace the recently stolen one and to provide more alternative sources of power to address the energy challenges of the chapel.
He expressed confidence in the ability and capacity of the new chairman and his team to galvanize members of the chapel towards effective reportage of activities in the state and promised that his office would always be readily available with information whenever needed by journalists in the state.
The new chapel chairman Mr Anthony Bassey had earlier called for a development partnership between the state government and correspondents in the state.
Bassey who also called for increased editorial relationship between the office of the CPS and the Chapel added that such would not however jeopardize the quality and factuality of reports from the Correspondents about the activities and actions of the state government and its officials.
The new chairman used the occasion to inform the CPS of the many lofty programmes to be undertaken by his administration geared towards fostering greater working relationships between the chapel and the state government and improving the welfare of its members.
Present at the meeting were also the SSA to the Governor on Media, Mr Aniette Usen, Vice Chairman of the chapel, Comrade Isaiah Eka, Comrade Udeme Utip (Secretary), Comrade Lovina Emole(Assistant Secretary), Comrade Iniobong Ekponta(Treasurer) and Comrade Emeka Samuel (Financial Secretary).
