Emmanuel Atteh
The Senator representing Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Dr Ekong Sampson, has said that the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno has democratized rural development, through the spreading of projects evenly across the 31 local government areas in the state.
Senator Sampson made this known while addressing a cross-section of journalists drawn from the 12 local government areas that make up the Senatorial District, during a breakfast meeting he had with them in the spirit of the yuletide season, which took place Wednesday at his Watbridge Hotel, off IBB Way, Uyo.
He said by spreading the projects, the people were being involved in governance processes, saying that Governor Eno’s rural development intervention programmes were quite unique and thanked him for steering the ship of the state well within seven months in office and noted that the governor was indeed a father by trying to connect with everybody and community in the state.
The lawmaker used the occasion to advise journalists in the state to see the need to build up themselves and by extension their communities and their careers as writers and thinkers, maintaining that as a proud member of the journalism profession, he owed them a duty of constant encouragement, engagement and appreciated them for their support given to him so far.
The Senator who is also chairman, Senate Committee on Solid Minerals said he was very active and visible on the floor of the 10th Senate and promised to work in partnership with his people in order to effect what the people needed in the Senatorial District and also promised to organize capacity building training for journalists in his district.
On the issue of empowerment of his constituents, the lawmaker submitted that everybody will benefit from his effective representation.
“Principally, I will ensure that every strand in my Senatorial District is taken care of, through the budget process. There is no Local Government Area that is not taken care of in the budget we are doing, from Mbo to Ikot Abasi.
“What may interest you is that, we are also doing something on training and that’s where you are coming in as intellectuals, my office in Eket will be used as a training ground. We need to have training for the media community and beyond, we are going to form clusters because you are going to be the trainees and also the trainers and we’re going to get some of you to come in and offer advice as experts in the field.
“I have rolled out the first phase of my empowerment programme, from next month we are giving out some form of support. We are giving out cars, in fact, one car was given out to one of my strong supporters in Okobo yesterday and the main one we intend to do is human element supports, in terms of training and mentorship”, he added.
Sampson, who was a former member of the State Executive Council and a two-term State Assembly member for Mkpat Enin, hinted that he was working with a very dynamic personality in the National Assembly in the person of the Senate President, Dr Godswill Akpabio. He said he was doing a lot of things to bring about the unity of the country. According to him, Akpabio was doing everything possible to bring various interests together in the National Assembly.
“The Senate is one strong mix and I don’t know how we can manage that strong mix to ensure that Nigerians enjoy dividends of democracy. I thank Senator Akpabio, our immediate past Governor and all of you for your contributions.
“Whatever I say and do must reflect our diversity, I will do everything possible to fulfil my campaign promises and I will be accessible. Part of my major intervention is in the education sector, like St. Vincent Secondary School, Otti Oro, I’m putting a lot of structures in that school and during my birthday this year, I also promised to carry out some intervention projects at St. Francis Secondary School, Ikot Ataku, Okon Eket”, the senator said.
He urged the media men in the district to be responsible in their engagements, while guarding against sensational journalism and defamation of character in their news reportage, to avoid running into trouble.
Those who also spoke at the event were a deputy news editor of Pioneer Newspaper, Comrade Inemesit Inah, Comrade Victor Onomo, Comrade Itoro Etti, and Comrade Emmanuel Mbong (Paragon) among others.