By Bassey Nkponam
UYO
The Akwa Ibom government has expressed full support for the autonomy granted the third tier of government via the ruling by Nigeria’s apex court.
The state governor, who indicated his support, Monday, at the foundation laying ceremony for the Ewet Luxury Gardens, at Ewet Housing Estate by Destiny International Missions, Uyo, reaffirmed the state’s commitment to working with local governments to support communities, despite the court judgement.
Eno recalled that Akwa Ibom has long provided financial independence to its local government administrations, noting the increased responsibilities that come with the freedom and urged local governments to prioritise the payment of salaries for their workers and teachers, making reference to the current backlogs of gratuities that the state government is clearing.
He expressed concern about the potential impact on local communities if these responsibilities are not met, as residents may not fully understand the shift in fiscal responsibilities from the state to local governments, to past failures at the local level, saying, “when you ask for something and you are given, please understand that with freedom comes responsibility”.
Eno also highlighted several ongoing development projects in the state, including the imminent construction of an 18-storey “Ibom Tower” in Lagos, which contract is being evaluated for the project based on their performance on the Ewet Luxury Garden project, and the commencement of construction of the 64 compassionate housing projects across the state, to be cited one in each ward aimed at impacting rural communities directly.
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