Governor Umo Eno Rewards Youths for Boycotting Nationwide Hunger Protest
In a surprising move, Akwa Ibom State Governor Pastor Umo Eno has gifted N310 million to youths in the 31 local government areas of the state as compensation for boycotting the recent nationwide hunger protest. The governor, who made the announcement on Tuesday, September 10, said each local government would receive a sum of N10 million.
This gesture is a fulfillment of the governor’s promise to reward the youths if they shunned the planned protest. Speaking at the Uyo Township Stadium, Governor Eno praised the youths for listening to his plea not to join the protest, citing concerns about the potential destruction of government facilities.
"We know there are always people who will hijack the most peaceful protest to destroy and vent anger on government facilities," the governor said. "Our leaders have worked so hard in the past 37 years since the creation of our state to put these infrastructures in place. And one minute of anger can destroy all of these hard works."
The governor also approved the addition of 100 youths per Local Government Area (LGA) to the Ibom Community Watch across political party lines. Furthermore, he announced that 5,000 youths would receive N50,000 business grants every month to start small businesses or farms, as long as they pool their resources together.
Stakeholders at the gathering also urged the governor to push for the completion of the former Governor Obong Victor Attah-initiated Ibom Science Park, which has been abandoned by successive administrations despite billions of naira being poured into it.
The governor’s decision to reward the youths for boycotting the protest has been met with widespread approval, with many praising his commitment to addressing the issues that led to the protest, including hunger, unemployment, and high food prices.
