Today is May 29 and it marks exactly one year since Governor Udom Emmanuel assumed office to complete his two-terms on the saddle as the state chief executive.
Though his early days were hobbled by post-election court cases of which he ultimately came out victorious, the governor has since set out for work, pursuing with unwavering vigour his Completion Agenda.
It is worth noting that the governor has hit high marks in the industrial sector with a litany of industries to show for his pledge to turn the state into an industrial hub. The Syringe Manufacturing Factory, Coconut Plantation, Metering Solutions, Kings Flour Mill and more speak to the governor’s strides in the industrial sector.
His superlative performance in health care has today culminated in the building of a 300-bed space isolation centre in Ituk Mbang to cater for the needs of Covid-19 patients and serve as a facility, taking care of infectious diseases. This, no doubt, is a commendable feat that shows the governor’s interest in the wellbeing of his people.
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Despite the damaging effect wrought on the wheels of governance by Covid-19, the governor has not shirked his responsibility of providing quality governance to his people, though not without unavoidable drawbacks, but the Onna-born financial expert has done his bit to ensure no sector suffers under the heat of coronavirus.
But as he sets to begin the last lap of his eight-year reign in office in the next three years, the governor must work towards leaving behind enduring legacies that will serve, even after he had left, as reference points of his time as governor.
Ongoing projects should be completed, especially roads and other infrastructure. Rather than embarking on new ones, the projects that were started should be completed to avoid abandoning them in the vain hope that the next administration will continue with such projects.
The nature of our politics has shown that this does not work. succeeding administrations hardly continue or complete projects began by the past government, so such loophole should be avoided.
The governor should strive to end his tenure on a high by focusing more on providing dividends of democracy to the people, ensuring their welfare, taking decisions that will have direct and positive bearing on the people without recourse to political considerations.
This past one year has been pork marked by the coronavirus pandemic, hence has had telling effects on governance, but it is hoped that the virus will abate soonest to pave the way for Governor Emmanuel to carry out his plans and programmes for the state without let or hindrance from a pandemic that has crippled economies, altered social activities and brought the world virtually to its knees.
