By EKEMINI JAMES
Vision in this piece refers to the capacity to see beyond one’s natural eyes; it is a composite picture of purpose. Invariably, it serves as the signpost, pointing the way for all who need to understand where a leader is and where he is going. Indeed, it has the compelling ingredients that serve to inspire, motivate, and engage people, offering leverage in the change process, from one level to the other. To be gleaned from this is that leadership success always starts with vision.
For instance, John Kennedy famously dreamt of putting a man on the moon. Eleanor Roosevelt envisioned a world of equal opportunities for women and minorities. Wendy Kopp was still a college student when she dreamed of making American schools better by creating a cadre of young, enthusiastic teachers.
Visionary leaders have the ability to see what no one else sees. They find potential and opportunity in unfavorable times to prove they see what is not there, or what is not there yet. To be more precise, they see possibilities where others saw impossibilities.
Everyone in the world may see challenges and how the world is collapsing because of these challenges. But what visionary leaders see are potentials to eradicate these challenges, and how to lead the masses into getting this done without excuses. With Governor Umo Eno, this is the case of Akwa Ibom State.
Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, no doubts, has exhibited all these trappings of visionary leadership since the inception of his administration, understanding the fact that compelling vision can truly change the world.
The achievements so far recorded by the Governor have demonstrated his vision and delivered a holistic transformation of all sectors of our State through his ARISE Agenda. He has continued on the trajectory of peace, unity and development of previous administrations.
As a reputable cleric with unquestionable love for God, Governor Eno has also focused on the Christ-centric leadership, strategic partnerships, agricultural revolution, youth empowerment & creation of jobs, improved healthcare, provision of sustainable infrastructure and meeting the needs of less privileged members of the society, to mention a few.
Interestingly, his great efforts and love for vulnurable citizens have not only ranked him as a compassionate Leader of no mean repute, but as a true and genuine servant of God, strongly committed to building Akwa Ibom of our dreams.
Some of his notable achievements include:
*Payment of over 22 billion Naira as gratuities to retired Civil Service workers, Primary School Teachers, and Local Government workers.
*Payment of wage award for three months to cushion the effect of the high cost of living.
*Payment of 13-month salary tagged ‘Enomber’ to public service workers.
*Payment of 1.1 billion Naira as a bonus to public service workers to mark the ‘Public Service Week.’
*Commissioning of 236 Grace Estate to provide for the housing needs of junior civil service workers.
*Release of 2023 promotion and increase in pensions for those who retired before 2012.
*Approval of the release of the outstanding 7.7 percent Contributory Pension top contributors.
*Conduct of all Service Examinations in preparation for the 2024 promotions.
*Regular payment of salaries and pensions to retired workers.
*Building and donation of 36 fully furnished two-bedroom bungalows to beneficiaries under the Arise Compassionate Homes initiative.
*Provision of 50 thousand Naira monthly to 600 Elders under the Arise Elderly Care Initiative.
*Institution of a 100 million grant to widows of Nigerian Legionnaires to start small businesses.
*Provision of 500 Thousand Naira Grant each to 800 participants of the Entrepreneurship Accelerator Programme (EAP) run by Ibom-LED.
*Approval of the release of 74 Million Naira as a scholarship to Akwa Ibom youths training at the Nigerian Aviation School.
*Approval of a one-time dressing allowance for Civil Servants in the State.
*Touching hundreds of thousands of lives through various programs under the Ak-Cares Initiative.
*Enrollment of 16,950 beneficiaries in the State Cash Transfer Unit, supervised by the Ministry of Women Affairs, with a monthly payment of 10 thousand Naira.
*Provision of over two thousand beneficiaries with a one-off cash grant of between 50-150 Thousand Naira under the Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA).
*Execution of various micro-projects in 29 communities in the state with 18 Million Naira.
*Distribution of food palliatives to over 314,422 households through the Bulk Purchase Agency.
*Augmentation of the Federal Government’s palliatives program with an additional 24,000 25kg bags of rice.
*Declaration of every first and third Friday of the month as ‘Farm Free days’ to enable people to return to the farm.
*Distribution of farm inputs across the state, including cassava bundles, oil palm seedlings, rice seeds, and cocoa.
*Payment of 28,400,000 (Twenty-Eight Million, Four Hundred Thousand) Education Grant to 111 students living with disabilities.
*Payment of over 126 million to 12,604 students as bursaries.
*Provision of school uniforms, shoes, and books to pupils in primary schools.
*Construction of Model Primary Healthcare Centers across the ten Federal Constituencies.
*Establishment of the State’s Health Insurance Agency.
*Provision of free medical outreach programmes across the State.
*Comprehensive review of Ibom Specialist Hospital with the view of turning it into a Limited Liability Company.
*Announcement of a 2 billion interest-free loan to traders in the State.
*Execution of audacious capital projects such as the Atiku Abubakar Flood Control Tunnel, the Arise Park, and numerous road projects.
*Purchase and donation of 14 gunboats to the Nigerian Navy to man and patrol waterways.
*Donation of hilux trucks to the Nigerian Police to help them respond to security threats in real-time.
Visionary Leadership: Gov Umo Eno’s Example
