AKSG, UNDP To Strike Partnership For Full Actualisation Of ARISE Agenda

By Bassey Nkponam
UYO
To explore possible ways to ensuring full actualisation of the ARISE Agenda, the Akwa Ibom government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), have indicated interest to strike partnership to successfully deliver on the development blueprint. 
The development came up, Wednesday, at Government House, Uyo, when the State governor, Pastor Umo Eno, played host to a delegation from the UNDP, who were on a courtesy call on him, during which he made known his administration’s readiness to partner the UNDP to successfully deliver on the ARISE Agenda, even as the delegation led by its Resident Representative for Nigeria, Ms. Elsie Attafuah, said they were in Akwa Ibom to explore possible areas of partnership to ensure full actualisation of the State’s development blueprint.
Eno said the State was open and ready to partner UNDP on the different thematic areas of the ARISE Agenda ranging from agriculture to tourism, environment, rural development, women empowerment, youth empowerment, sports, power, aviation, transportation, housing, ICT, education, healthcare and others.
He noted that the ARISE Agenda has gained momentum with some developmental strides including the reclamation and transformation of a life threatening gully erosion site into a resort with state of the art facilities, model primary health centres, model primary schools among others.
The governor made known plans to host summits on tourism and power as the government under his leadership was leveraging the new International Airport, Ibom Air, the ongoing International Convention Centre and Hotels, as well as the different tourism sites to boost tourism.
He directed his Executive Assistant and Chief Delivery Advisor, Mr. Aniefiok Johnson, to liaise with the Resident Representative to fashion out specific areas of partnership.
Eno appreciated the UNDP for the ongoing ICT hub at the University of Uyo, and their willingness to partner the State government, and expressed hope that the partnership will yield positive results in future.
The team lead, Ms. Attafuah, said her visit was to explore possible areas of partnership to ensure full actualisation of the Agenda as she was endeared to the State following the well articulated development blueprint of government, the ARISE Agenda. 
She expressed the UNDP’s readiness to promote the vision of the ARISE Agenda by focusing on the areas of agriculture, tourism, rural development, infrastructure development, energy, security management and economic advancement. 
Attafuah noted that the numerous achievements of the Umo Eno-led administration, particularly in the areas of peace, security and quality infrastructures was a testament of pragmatic leadership, thanking the governor for receiving them with so much warmth.