A’IBOM SAVES OVER ₦200BN ON PROJECTS AS UMO ENO REAFFIRMS TRANSPARENCY

A’IBOM SAVES OVER ₦200BN ON PROJECTS AS UMO ENO REAFFIRMS TRANSPARENCY

By Mfonobong Ukpong

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to transparency, accountability and sustainable development, revealing that the state has saved over ₦200 billion through its in-house quantity surveying mechanism.

Speaking on Thursday at the July State Projects Delivery Meeting held at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Uyo, Governor Eno said the savings were made possible through prudent financial management and strict adherence to due process, with the recovered funds redirected to critical development projects across the state.

A news release by the Commissioner for Information, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Umanah on the outcome of the delivery meeting, reports that the Governor had explained that the monthly delivery meeting was designed to give citizens and stakeholders firsthand information on government projects and spending. He also cautioned against the spread of false information on government activities, noting that representatives of the media, civil society organisations and other stakeholders were invited at the delivery meeting to independently assess the administration’s performance.

Giving updates on ongoing projects, Eno highlighted the completion of the 350-bed Ibom International Hospital, the commencement of twice-weekly Ibom Air flights to Accra, ongoing aviation infrastructure upgrades, the Oron Maritime Project, the Ibom Deep Seaport initiative and the execution of 1,305 kilometres of roads and 40 bridges across the state. He disclosed that road projects had attracted payments of ₦743.315 billion as of May 2026.

The Governor also announced that Akwa Ibom had earned a 6 million-dollar World Bank-assisted SABER reward for outstanding performance in transparency, budget management and governance, as well as an additional 3 million dollars under the Nigeria for Women Project. He further reaffirmed his administration’s resolve to deliver stable electricity within 18 months through ongoing power sector reforms and private sector collaboration.

A major highlight of the meeting was the inspection of one of the 20 brand-new CNG buses delivered for the state’s planned mass transit scheme. Stakeholders, including political leaders and civil society representatives, commended Governor Eno’s prudent management of public resources and urged him to sustain the momentum as the administration continues implementing the ARISE Agenda.