Youths across the 31 Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom State, who converged at Christ the King Primary School Ground to mark the 2017 Get-Together celebration on Saturday, December 30, 2017, at the instance of the Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth Matters, Comrade Aniefiok Iwaudofia, have assured Governor Udom Emmanuel of their commitment, dedication and readiness to go with him all the way in his 2019 re-election bid.
Addressing the youths, Governor Udom Emmanuel reiterated his administration’s commitment to making the state an industrial hub for investors, create development and open up employment opportunities.
According to Governor Emmanuel, “We are going to open more doors for youth employment. Today, we’ve started paying the first batch of 3000 employees and I have told the Head of Civil Service to open up for the second batch. As things improve, we must provide more employment opportunities for our people. So, be rest assure that in a very short period, the Head of Service is going to call some of you especially those that just finished school.”
Governor Emmanuel stated that the peaceful disposition of the youths has endeared investors to the state and particularly lauded the youths for maintaining peace in the state saying “You have empowered me the more that I should not bother about politics, but concentrate on governance.”
He hinted that the first batch of 3000 employees into the public service have started receiving salaries, adding that he has instructed the Head of Civil Service, Mrs. Ekerebong Akpan, to create vacancy for the second batch assuring that the youths would soon be invited for a job interview by the Head of Civil Service.
The Governor said adequate provision has been made in the next year’s budget to encourage youth’s involvement in large scale agricultural production and expressed optimism that the venture would sustain the food sufficiency drive of his administration, indicating that some youths had approached him for assistance in the cultivation of tomatoes, Onions and other food crops.
Mr. Emmanuel, who pledged his determination to work tirelessly for the overall good of the youths and the entire Akwa Ibom people, announced that more industries have been lined up for inauguration in the coming year.
“We are going to be one of the few States that will start fertilizer blending. So from the first quarter of next year, we’ll start blending fertilizer in Abak. The plastic packaging line has arrived Akwa Ibom State. So, whatever you produce, we can package to the international market, meaning that our youths will be competitive with other youths of the world,” he affirmed.
In his remarks, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Barr Onofiok Luke, noted with satisfaction the impressive performance of Governor Emmanuel since his assumption of office, stressing that the feat has formed the basis for their unalloyed support for his administration as well as his second term bid.
The Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Sir Monday Uko, who spoke of the Governor as “Youth friendly”, appreciated the lofty programmes of his administration assuring that the youths would reciprocate the gesture by voting him to sustain the giant strides of his administration in his second term.
Highpoints of the event, which was attended by members of the State Executive Council, State Legislators, former Governor Otuekong Idongesit Nkanga among others, included the presentation of a special portrait by Comrade Iwaudofia, on behalf of the youths, to Governor Emmanuel.
