Gov Eno Presents Official Cars To Perm Secs

By Bassey Nkponam
UYO
In his avowed determination to prioritise the welfare of civil servants in Akwa Ibom, the State governor has presented 45 SUVs  to permanent secretaries in the State civil service to aid their performances in their different Ministries.
Pastor Umo Eno, who made the presentation at Government House, Uyo, Friday, said the gesture was in appreciation of the commitment of permanent secretaries towards the success of the ARISE Agenda.
  Eno made the presentation during the Valedictory State Executive Council meeting which took place at Government House, Uyo, described them as chief accounting officers in the State public service which success of any administration in the State, lies greatly in their hands, regretting that most times some permanent secretaries use public means of transportation to work, which to him does not magnify the office, and could hinder their productivity. 
He thanked them for the work they have done, assuring that government will continue to prioritise the welfare of civil servants, and indeed, the generality of the people in and outside Akwa Ibom. 
Presenting the cars to the officers, Eno reminded them that the cars so provided them were official cars that would aid their productive in the civil service and not for unofficial use alone, hence the need for its use and maintenance. 
“This is an official work vehicle. Don’t go and park it at home to use only on Sundays to church. Use it, be proud of it and maintain it. For those who feel that have not been spending money, I am not afraid of spending money. The duty of a governor is to spend money but we’ll do purposeful spending, spending that is justifiable, spending that they wake you up from sleep and you know in your conscience you spent the money rightly.
   “This is part of the savings that was done in 2024 by ensuring we are prudent in the management of funds and that is where we are able to get all of the funds that today, we are throwing back to the welfare of the chief accounting officers of the State civil service”.
The governor appreciated the permanent secretaries for their dedicated service, and urged them to do more to deliver on the ARISE Agenda.
He said, as a Nigerian, he will not hesitate to identify and support excellence especially among the youths, irrespective of location, creed or political leanings, adding that his spirit of encouraging excellence would be magnified, rather than suppressed as long as he is governor.
Setting the tone for the ceremony, the Secretary to the State Government, Prince Enobong Uwah, said the gesture was a pointer to Governor Eno’s priority on the welfare of workers, urging them to remain committed to their service for a better Akwa Ibom.
The Head of Civil Service, Elder Effiong Essien, himself a beneficiary of the gesture, appreciated the governor for the car gift which, he noted, has taken away shame from the faces of the permanent secretaries, recalling that this is the first time permanent secretaries will be cruising in SUVs.
The dean, College of Permanent Secretaries and permanent secretary, Ministry of Education, Mrs Stella Etukakpan, thanked Governor Eno for the car gifts which, she noted, has saved most of them the stress of joining public transportation to work, and expressed the determination of permanent secretaries to put in their best to deliver on the ARISE Agenda. 
Etukakpan reminded her colleagues that with the presentation of the cars by the governor, they have no excuse to be absent from any of the governor’s appointments and functions on grounds of malfunctioned cars.
While expressing delight to serve under Eno’s administration, she assured that the senior civil servants will continue to put in their best and contribute their quota to the development of the State.