Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, has inaugurated new Local Government Transition Committee Chairmen in the State with a charge on them to consider the interest of the people above self.

Governor Emmanuel gave the charge while administering oath of office to the 27 men and 3 women Chairmen of 30 Local Government Councils, at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Uyo.

The Governor congratulated the newly sworn in Council bosses, urging them to regard their positions as “an opportunity to serve” and implored them to follow common principles of leadership.

“You should first of all look at the interest of the people you are serving because they are the ones you stand here today to represent. It is a simple principle in leadership”, Governor Emmanuel asserted.

He urged them to refrain from allowing their personal interest to interfere with official matters, while advising them to view themselves as a unifying force, saying, “Everybody is a stakeholder, so, do not use your office to cause disaffection because of your personal interest”.

Emmanuel commended the impressive performance of some of the former council chairmen, especially in the opening of internal roads and maintaining environmental cleanliness and chided others who rested on excuses.

“It is always during challenging times like this that it is known who a star is, some of you have done so well while a lot of you still need room for improvement”, he stated.

While remarking that it was expedient for the council bosses to be cautious of speeches and actions in dealing with the stakeholders in their Local Government Areas, he called on them to see the stakeholders as partners in progress and also tasked them to swear-in other members of the committee in their respective councils.

The State Chief Executive appealed for the bridging of gaps responsible for insecurity and conflicts in some local councils to enhance the implementation of social contracts to the people, adding that the administration of Local Government Areas would not be “business as usual”.

The Governor used the occasion to urge the transition chairmen to drive the campaign for enrollment in the ongoing voters registration exercise as well as the National Identity Card scheme.

A press release from the office of the Secretary to the State Government, Sir Etekamba Umoren, had earlier suspended the inauguration of Itu Local Council Transition Committee till further notice.

From the 30 Local Government Transition Committee Chairmen inaugurated, only Ukanafun, with Barrister Israel Ideh, came in fresh, while others were retained from previous set of chairmen.

 

 

 

 

 

[AKSG PRESS]