… As Gov Eno Unveils Partnership With GIFA To Boost Water Supply In A’Ibom 369 Wards
… Says State’s Ownership Of 76 Oil Wells Incontestable
By Bassey Nkponam
UYO
The Patience Umo Eno Golden Initiative For All (GIFA) has positively impacted 53,987 lives across Akwa Ibom in its two years of existence.
The chairman, GIFA Board of Trustees and coordinator, Office of the First Lady of Akwa Ibom, Lady Helen Eno Obareki, gave the indication, Friday, during the second anniversary celebration of GIFA which coincided with the posthumous birthday of its founder, Pastor Patience Umo Eno, at Ibom Hall in Uyo.
Lady Obareki described the milestone attained in the last two years as a demonstration of steady growth, maintaining that GIFA has recorded remarkable strides in all its eight thematic areas, including Maternal and Child Healthcare, Enhancing literacy and learning, Improving Environmental Health, Women Empowerment, Fight against Diseases, Care for the Elderly, Care for Persons with Disabilities and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Prevention and Response.
She pointed out that 9,776 mothers and children were reached through healthcare interventions; 19,587 adults and pupils impacted under the literacy and learning programmes; 13 borehole projects provided in rural communities; 5,064 women economically empowered; 4,900 rural women men and children treated through medical outreaches; 10,800 senior citizens supported; 160 persons with disabilities assisted and; 1,020 GBV survivors rehabilitated.
Lady Obareki announced plans by GIFA to “launch an intensive, year-round Tech-Empowerment Accelerator where every year, 500 Akwa Ibom women will be equipped with market-ready, hands-on expertise in Software Development, Data Analytics, and Digital Innovation. We will provide high-level mentorship and employment-ready internships, grooming women who will become the primary architects of Akwa Ibom’s burgeoning digital economy.”
While eulogising her mother, Pastor Patience Umo Eno, for birthing GIFA in the interest of families and vulnerable persons, Lady Obareki appreciated her father, Governor Umo Eno, for his support and spoke of plans to replicate GIFA Adult Education Initiative in all the 31 local government areas, together with the Back to School Programme for indigent pupils in public schools.
The Akwa Ibom governor, Pastor Umo Eno, in his remarks at the event, praised Lady Obareki, for her dedication and exceptional leadership in advancing her mother’s vision, saying, “I am pleased to note that this initiative is fulfilling the foundational ideals and objectives set forth at its inception. You have remained committed to implementing the eight thematic areas, as evidenced by the statistics and impacts you have shared.”
Eno announced that in honour of his wife, Pastor Patience Umo Eno, the Akwa Ibom government would partner GIFA to provide water in all the 369 wards in the state, and directed the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation and the Akwa Ibom State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, AKRUWATSAN, to immediately set up modalities to collaborate with GIFA to ensure that every ward in the state benefits from the GIFA’s “Water-of-Life” project, within the next one year, and that every ward in every local government area of the State has a GIFA water project for the benefit of the citizens.
The governor, who acknowledged the exceptional achievement of the initiative in its two years of existence, said, “You would agree that GIFA has done exceptionally and exceedingly well. So, a job well done means more job to be done. As a government, and to immortalise the desire of my dear wife, Her Excellency, Pastor (Mrs.) Patience Umo Eno, we will partner GIFA to ensure adequate water supply in all the 369 wards of the State.
“GIFA has truly shown leadership in this direction, and we will strongly partner with you. The 369 wards of the State will have a GIFA Water Project,” he assured.
“Please permit me at this point to deeply and most profoundly commend my daughter and coordinator of the Office of the First Lady, Mrs. Helen Obareki, for the great work she and her team have done in keeping this dream alive,” the governor said and appreciated Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for the mentorship, and guidance extended to the coordinator of the Office of the First Lady of Akwa Ibom State, and also congratulated her on her award as the Leadership Newspaper Person of the Year 2026.
Eno also appreciated the Nigerian Governors’ Wives Forum, especially the wives of the governors of Abia, Plateau and Edo States, who were in attendance at the event, for the love shown; the GIFA partners for their faith and steadfast support, and Akwa Ibomites for their prayers and support.
Speaking on the oil wells issue, he reassured the people that Akwa Ibom’s ownership of the 76 oil wells was absolutely incontestable and sacrosanct based on two valid judgments of Nigeria’s Supreme Court.
He expressed trust in the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as a strong lover and believer in the rule of law, declaring that “Akwa Ibom State will not cede any inch or one oil well belonging to the State to anyone.
“Let me take this moment once again to reassure our people concerning the much talked about oil wells. Let me say this loud and clear: there is no cause for alarm concerning our God-given resources.
“We have two Supreme Court judgments affirming our State’s ownership of the 76 oil wells. No committee and no government parastatal can overturn the Supreme Court judgment. Akwa Ibom State does not have a maritime boundary with Cross River State but with Cameroon.
“Any attempt to shift that boundary will be tampering with the International Court of Justice’s judgment, and Nigeria as a law-abiding country will never go there.
“Our society is guided and shaped by the rule of law. Supreme Court has given his ruling twice on the oil well issue in our favour, and those rulings are sacrosanct. And, those oil wells belong to Akwa Ibom State,” he said.
The governor reaffirmed the support of the government and people of Akwa Ibom for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying “we are rooting, supporting, and campaigning for him, and our State is working effectively to ensure he is returned for a second term come 2027, alongside our illustrious son, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, GCON.”
Highlighting some of the life-touching projects of the State, the governor implored the citizenry to continue to pursue the path of peace, as continued development and progress of the State can only be sustained in the face of peace, love and unity.
Speaking on behalf of the wives of governors in attendance, the wife of Abia State governor, Mrs. Priscilla Otti, commended the coordinator, Office of the First Lady of Akwa Ibom, Obareki, for the impact recorded by the pet project, and assured of support and collaboration where necessary to achieve more.
On behalf of Akwa Ibom women, the deputy governor, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, congratulated GIFA for its impactful projects and programmes, and appreciated Governor Eno for his gender-friendly disposition and assured that women will continue to remain strong partners of GIFA, and will continue to support his administration beyond 2027.
In his goodwill message, Senator Effiong Bob eulogised the legacies of the departed initiator of GIFA, Pastor Patience Umo Eno, and the good works of GIFA, and assured of continued support for more impact.
The event featured anniversary lecture by the chief executive officer of Discovery Center and founding partner and executive director of Maxwell Leadership Certified Team, Ambassador Mfon Ekpo, testimonies of the impact of GIFA in the last two years, cutting of the anniversary cake, performances, empowerment and presentation of cash awards of N1 million to winners of the GIFA second anniversary football match, Team COSAWA; N500,000 each to 10 GIFA Icon nominees as well as the presentation of N250,000; N150,000 and N100,000, respectively, to winners of the GIFA essay competition organised by CityWatch Magazine, among other things.
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