RismadarVoice Reporters, April 2, 2026
Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has reiterated the need for women across the state to actively participate in the forthcoming ward-based cooperative initiative aimed at boosting their economic empowerment, stimulating rural development.
The Governor made the call during the April edition of the Government House Covenant Service held at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Uyo.
He explained that the cooperative programme is non-partisan and designed to operate strictly at the ward level to ensure inclusiveness and grassroots impact.
“This registration will not be done based on any interest group or political party but based on individual wards,” Eno stated.
He cautioned against any attempt to politicise the process, directing women to report any official who demands party affiliation as a condition for registration.
“It is not a party thing, and if anybody asks you about party before you could be registered, please report the person. As long as you are from that ward, you are qualified to register,” he said.
Governor Eno urged women to register within their wards, noting that the initiative is tailored to strengthen local economies and expand opportunities for women at the grassroots.
In a related development, the Governor warned host communities of the Ibom Icon Hotel and Golf Resort, Nwaniba, against interfering in the management of the facility.
According to him, the government lawfully acquired the land and fully compensated the host communities, stressing that they have no authority to dictate how the facility is run.
“Before Government built the hotel there, it bought the land and the necessary compensation was fully paid. So, no community has any right to direct the Government on how it should run its business,” he said.
He, however, assured that the communities would benefit through employment opportunities for qualified indigenes.
Governor Eno also declared that the era of running the hotel at a loss must end, insisting that the facility must become self-sustaining.
“Government had continued to fund the facility. It has not made profit to sustain itself. That has to stop. The hotel has to be self-sustaining,” he added.
The Governor further announced a Unity Concert scheduled for April 6, 2026, at the International Christian Worship Centre, Uyo, aimed at fostering unity through music and worship.
The event also featured the honouring of the State Comptroller of Immigration, CIS Agatha Ginika Odika, ahead of her retirement from service.
In his sermon themed “Jesus is Alive,” drawn from Luke 24:19–23, Chairman of Conference Emeritus, United Evangelical Church, Uyo, Rev. Samuel Ebukiba, urged Christians to remain joyful and steadfast in faith, emphasizing the victory and hope found in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
