A’Ibom Govt Set To Commence ARISE Shelter Initiative
Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has announced the government’s readiness to commence the Arise Shelter Initiative, a housing scheme for the less privileged in the local government areas across the state.
Governor Eno announced this during a meeting with the 368 Ward Personal Assistants at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Uyo.
The governor, who decried the dilapidated state of residential houses for the less privileged in the state, assured of the readiness of his administration to change the narrative by providing 31 houses to the poorest of the poor across the state in line with the ARISE Agenda drive of his administration, which takes development to rural communities.
He explained that the houses, which would be fitted with solar power and water facilities, would be built in batches across the 31 local government areas of the state.
He said, “We compiled these; we are starting the ARISE Shelter for the Less Privileged. Firstly, we have finished the design of the buildings. Costing has been done for two-bedroom flats with solar lights and boreholes.
Related: Gov Eno Meets Traders, Market Associations Over Food Subsidy Implementation
“I did this quietly because I didn’t want this politicised. If I had given people the opportunity to do this, they would have chosen people from their families. So we had to do this quietly, and we want to start awarding this quietly to all these people, and when we finish, we will go around again. This is because I care for the rural people.
“There is no local government that is not represented here. We will start these projects soon, and when they start, I expect the Ward PAs to go and inspect the progress of these projects and bring us reports.
“If we continue to touch these small lives, it will have great positive effects, such as increasing the life span of these dwellers. We may not be able to touch everybody, but let us show the way so that any philanthropic organisation will follow us.”
On the bulk purchase agency bill, the Governor sought the cooperation of the PAs for the successful implementation of the programme, stressing that the PAs would also handle the distribution of the food voucher with the help of the social register for seamless execution while ensuring a transparent distribution process.
The governor again explained the workability of the food policy, saying the government will enlist the services of the traders to ensure the availability of food items to the people at a reduced rate and take up the balance of the payment as its contribution towards lessening the effect of the hardship on the people.
Governor Eno reiterated the need for everyone to engage in farming as a permanent solution to the food crisis. He used the occasion to reiterate the need for the local government chairmen and the 368 PAs to reside in their various local government areas for the effective execution of their responsibilities.
Earlier, the commissioner for economic development, Bob Almond Emem, commended the governor on his strategic programmes and policies aimed at improving the living conditions of the people, pledging that the bulk policy programme will be effectively implemented.
