*I HAVE FAITH IN THIS STATE, SAYS PASTOR UMO ENO*

Victor Paul Unoh |

The Honourable Commissioner for Lands and Water Resources and leading gubernatorial aspirant for the 2023 governorship election in Akwa Ibom, Pastor Umo says he has indebt faith in the Akwa Ibom project.

The indefatigable governorship hopeful said this while interacting with Oron Federal Constituency Media Professionals who paid him a familiarisation visit at his Signature by Royalty located in the serene Ewet Housing Estate, Uyo.

The meeting according to a release by the Media and Publicity Secretary of the group, Mr. John Bassey, "was planned to give the first Oro Nation media watch dog a good opportunity to interact with the Akwa Ibom State gubernatorial hopeful on his plans and intensions towards various areas of Socio-economic and infrastructural welfare of the Oro people in specific and the state at large."

The governor hopeful hinted that he is made in Akwa Ibom, hence, all his investment is in the state. He said he left Lagos thirty years ago and came to Akwa Ibom State because he believed in the state and her numerous resources. While in the state he said he has created employment for teeming youths of the state and provided food on people's table.

"I started investing in this state thirty years ago, providing jobs and creating wealth and providing food on people's table;

"Am not an accidental money maker, I didn't go anywhere, I don't have any government money around me. It shows that I have Faith in this state.

"If this state fail, everything I have fails; but they have alternative, please look for that man who do not have option B, that man who's only option is Akwa Ibom State."

On his plans to develop the state, Pastor Umo Eno revealed that his focus will be on aggressive development of the rural areas which he said formed greater percentage of the population of the state but can't boast of meaningful development. He said he will explore the business opportunities on our coastal communities and adequately empowered our local fishermen with boats and fishing equipments.

"Of the greatest population of our people lives in the rural area, how many communities have water, electricity and access road, how many? So, we will dwell on aggressive development of the rural areas,

" We shall explore the business opportunities on our coastal area and waterways, our local fishermen shall be adequately empowered with boats and fishing equipments while partnering with individuals with trawlers. We shall provide adequate security architecture to protect our fishermen on the sea.

In the area of capacity building, employment and development of the youths, Pastor Umo promised that he will build on what the current governor has done. And further observed that the greatest reality on ground is unemployment in state.

"we will build on what the governor has done;

"whether I am governor or not the greatest reality on ground is unemployment;

"I am not saying this because I want to play politics, it is about somebody whom wants to, somebody who wants the youths; Our youths have certificates but they don't have jobs;

"We've industries coming, we have not prepared our youths to meet the challenges; This is how Mobil came in many years ago, our people were not prepared;

"We started complaining they were were bringing people from Lagos, because we do not have the right skills to match the momentum, so, there's need to prepare our youths for the moment."

He however cautioned the youths against people who are busy inducing them with little fish rather than teaching them how to fish.

"When they come to give you a car, you are happy to collect a tokunbo Camry with nothing to maintain and fuel the car. Three weeks later the car is parked somewhere. What is wrong if they give you Prado like they are driving, and equally provide you with job? Our people need to be emancipated from that mentality.

"I am not saying don't give money, I am only saying show them how to make money;

We will raise our youth to the point they can make their own money, he added.

Mumu man. Maybe you'll be governor in ur next life because in this one na cruise you dey catch.