Eno refuses to reshuffle cabinet four months after announcing dissolution plan

Ini Billie, Uyo

The Akwa Ibom State Governor, Dr Umo Eno has failed to reshuffle his cabinet four months after he announced a dissolution plan.

Currently, the Ministry of Special Duties and the Ministry of Environment are without commissioners after the occupants exited the state executive council.

Chief Unoh Etim Unoh was the Commissioner for Environment but resigned to contest the local government election in Urue Offong Uruko, while Dr Bassey Okon, who was the commissioner for the Ministry of Special Duties was sacked by the state government.

During the State Thanksgiving service held last week in Uyo, Eno criticized his commissioners for claims that “nothing was beneficial in government,” yet he said they were not willing and ready to resign.

The governor likened his commissioners to a nagging housewife who complains about her marriage but has borne seven children for her husband and remains in the marriage.

Last year, during a media briefing in September to mark the 37th anniversary of the state, Eno announced that the State Executive Council would be dissolved to pave the way for a new set of professionals that would bring new ideas into governance.

The governor who inherited all the commissioners and advisers appointed by his predecessor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, retained them for 18 months after he assumed office.

It was learnt that the commissioners and advisers were retained to allow the governor to ‘compensate them for the services they rendered during the last administration since they were not rewarded by the time the last administration came to an end on May 29, 2023″.

It was also gathered that some of the commissioners have spent up to 10 years in office, contrary to the public assurance by Governor Eno that they will be replaced.

Some citizens who chose to remain unnamed alleged that the governor could not make a decision to sack the present executive members due to alleged, “influence from politicians and powers beyond his control.

“Umo Eno inherited all the commissioners from his predecessor except the Commissioner for Internal Security General Koko Essien (retd) appointed to head the newly created Ministry of Internal Security.

“Those commissioners are still there. The governor lacks the political will to dissolve the cabinet, even after he had publicly said he would do so,” the sources stated.