A’Ibom Gov Commends Catholic Church’s Efforts Towards Social Reformation

… As Bishops Begin Week-long Conference In A’Ibom
OBOT AKARA
The governor of Akwa Ibom State has applauded the Catholic Church for its critical role in social reformation.
Pastor Umo Eno gave the commendation at the opening session of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), held at the Diocesan Retreat and Youth Center, Nto Ekpu Ikot, Obot Akara Local Government Area.
Eno noted that the Catholic Church has played key roles all over the world by demanding fair, equitable, and good governance that places the welfare of the people at the centre of policy formulations and implementation.
He specifically commended some Catholic Bishops and priests in Nigeria including Cardinals Olubunmi Okogie, John Onaiyekan, and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah for their commitment in fighting injustice, enthronement of democracy, and other social issues, especially those concerning the poor, the vulnerable, and the voiceless.
He noted that the State under his leadership has since inception, heavily invested in lifting people out of poverty and giving voice and comfort to the poor and the vulnerable which, according to him, accounts for the billions of Naira spent in initiating programmes that seek to improve their living conditions and the creation of a stand-alone Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.
“To date, we have built and handed over 205 ARISE compassionate homes for the poor, widows, and the most vulnerable amongst us. Sometimes, I am almost drawn to tears when I see the joy expressed by the beneficiaries of these homes, all of which are fitted with modern features such as solar power and borehole.
“We are also paying N50,000 monthly to 600 elders drawn from all the 368 wards in the State, for them to take care of their medical and other urgent needs. We are currently undertaking another round of free food distribution exercise for the needy and the most vulnerable across the 368 wards, drawn from the Social Register. So far, we have covered 477,000 households in phases one and two and will do another round in time for the Yuletide period.
“This was the promise I made during our gubernatorial campaign that we will run a Christ-centric government, a fact that was re-echoed in my inaugural address,” he said.
Governor Eno said over N70 billion has been paid out of the N98 billion inherited from previous administrations in backlog of gratuities to enable the retirees live out their retirement in peace and in relative good health.
In the health sector, which the State recently declared an emergency on, the governor said besides the approval for the recruitment of 2000 health workers into the Civil Service, the government has also approved the recall of all retired but fit workers in the health sector to help boost the manpower need of the sector.
Governor Eno, who has heavily invested in the health sector especially in primary healthcare, said the State was upgrading its health facilities and working with nursing schools to nurture young nurses to prepare them for the future.
He welcomed the Bishops to the State and congratulated the Catholic Diocese of Ikot Ekpene, and its Bishop, Most Rev. Camillus R. Umoh, for hosting the Conference and for the warm and cordial relationship his administration has enjoyed from the Catholic Church and indeed the Body of Christ since assumption of office.
Earlier in his speech, the President of the CBCN and Archbishop of Owerri, Most Rev Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, decried the prevalence of Vitro Fertilisation (IVF), saying it calls for government’s regulation and ethical guidelines.
Archbishop Ugorji also called on the government to look into the erosion of educational standards taking place in “Miracle Examination Centres”, where malpractices are committed during examinations conducted by the West Africa Examination Council and the National Examination Council, respectively.
The session, which began with a Holy Mass, had in attendance, Nigeria’s President, represented by the Secretary to the Federal Government, Senator George Akume; President of the 10th Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio; Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Akon Eyakenyi; Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Elder Udeme Otong; Coordinator, Office of the First Lady, Lady Helen Eno-Obareki; Secretary to the State Government, Prince Enobong Uwah, and many others.