Contrary to insinuation that Governor Udom Emmanuel will be spending the State’s fund on his late father’s burial, the governor has promised not to spend a kobo from the state.
Emmanuel spoke just as the Akwa Ibom State government commenced remedial works on broken-down roads leading to Awa in Onna local government area preparatory to Governor Udom Emmanuel’s father burial on February 15.
It was observed that Aka-Etinan, Uyo-Ibesikpo-Nsit Ibom-Nsit Ubium-Eket road linking up to Onna, and Etinan-Eket roads are being patched and laid with asphalt.
Some internal roads within the oil-rich city of Eket, especially the ones linking the Onna head bridge are also undergoing some repairs by the Akwa Ibom State Roads Repairs and Maintenance Agency.
But the Governor, at the weekend, said he will not deploy government funds for his father’s funeral, Late Elder Gabriel Emmanuel Nkanang.
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Emmanuel, who spoke during a condolence visit by Eket Senatorial District Leaders, led by Chief Nduese Essien, said his family was privately funding the entire programme of his late father’s obsequies.
The Governor, who was reacting to a donation of N25million and some other items from the Eket leaders, said he was happy that the Senatorial District leaders and others have shown such great support to his family at such a time.
“The Accountant-General of the state is there, ask him, I have not requested for a penny from the state for this event and I have vowed not to do so.
“My father was a teacher and salaries of teachers were quite small as at then, but he worked hard to ensure that all his children had the best foundation in life and attained the highest level in education,” he stated.
That, according to him, was the reason the family had decided to task itself and also relish on the support from friends.
“If he could do so much for us with so little, then we owe ourselves the responsibility of sacrificing to celebrate his life and the values he deposited in us,” he added.
While commending the Senatorial District leaders on their support, Mr Emmanuel maintained that “when a group is so well organised, it is because of leadership, and I commend the leadership of this forum for what it has achieved in the district.
” If you look at the quality of membership, then you will know that these are all real leaders in every sense of it.”
Essien said they first received with shock the demise of the Governor’s father, but they have come to describe it as a celebration of life.
Essien spoke in glowing terms of the Late Elder Gabriel Nkanang, who he admitted sacrificed to raise children that have been very outstanding in their various professions.
He commended Governor Emmanuel for being an outstanding leader who has brought impactful developments to the state.
“We brought 120 tubers of yam, 12 cows, 12 goats, various assorted drinks among others and we hope that these would be accepted as a token of our support to the family in the ceremony.”
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Also speaking, Elder Gabriel Nkanang, elder brother of the Governor said that the governor was able to record the successes in the state far easier due to the strong home backing of his people, saying without support from home, it would have been a lot more difficult to convince others.
He said the family was pleased that the Governor got such overwhelming support during the last election from the entire people of the state, and expressed the belief that more will be gained during the current second term of the administration.
In the delegation were Deputy Speaker Felicia Bassey, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, Senator Helen Esuene, Senator Etang Umoyo, Elder Ben Udobia who is also the chairman of the Contact and Mobilization Committee of the Burial planning committee, local government chairmen and commissioners from the district, political leaders from each area among others.
Other groups who visited the first family on Saturday included the students led by the Special Assistant to the Governor on Students Matters, Akwaowo Clifford, the traditional rulers led by the chairman of state council of Chiefs, Ntenyin Solomon Etuk, as well as members of the National Assembly led by Senator Bassey Albert, the chairman of the state caucus in the National Assembly.
