You Must Live Among Your People – Akwa Ibom Gov Umo Eno Tells LG Chairmen

Friday May 30, 2025|

The Akwa Ibom Governor, Pastor Umo Eno said the chairmen of the 31 local government areas in the state must live among the people they were elected to serve.

Pastor Eno stated this on Wednesday during the commissioning of a new official residence for local government chairmen in Eket Local Government Area, saying it was part of his administration’s broader strategy to ensure that council helmsmen reside within their jurisdictions for closer ties with their people.

The governor emphasised the importance of the development, stating that council chairmen must reside in their areas to better understand and address the needs of their constituents.

He reiterated his administration’s commitment to rural development and the ARISE Agenda, which focuses on bringing governance closer to the people.

Governor Eno said, “I like to thank God for a day like this. Today is one of the happiest days in the last two years of my life because it was not just enough to bring a law that Local Government Chairmen should live in their domain. It was about how we would enable them to live in their localities and I believe the answers to that question is here today.

“We have promised by the Grace of God that we will build lodges for our Chairmen across the 31 Local Government Areas and this was to be a prototype so that any contractor will be able to see it, the Chairmen themselves will see it and love to live there and so today, God has made it possible for us to finish this not just finishing it but finishing it on time and that’s the beautiful thing about it.

“I’m happy the Chairmen themselves have said that all of them will live here until their own is ready. So I can guarantee you that in the next one month, we will flag-off the remaining 30 lodges simultaneously.

“We have not asked you to bring money from your vote so that you don’t shortchange your people.

“As a state government, funding for this project is ready and intact, so when we flag-off, we build. We don’t want you to have any excuse, we don’t want it to affect your allocation.

“This is one state from the days of my predecessor, where the State Government does not tamper with the allocation to Local Government Areas and the ALGON Chairman who was in the last administration can testify to that.

“We have not touched your money, you people do your Joint Account Committee meetings and then allocate your money the way you want but it is important that you dwell among your people.

“I see healthy competition among Local Government Chairmen and I love that competition to deliver projects in your domain and we thank you. We assure you that this will enhance your capacity and ensure you live well.”

Earlier, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Frank Archibong, said the commissioning of the Eket lodge marks the beginning of a state-wide initiative to construct similar lodges across the remaining 30 local government areas in Akwa Ibom State.

The newly inaugurated lodge comprises five distinct structures: a main residential building, a 50-seater capacity hall, a generator house, boys’ quarters, and a gatehouse.

This comprehensive facility is designed to provide a conducive environment for local government chairmen to perform their duties effectively within their respective domains.