For about two years now, Akwa Ibom State government has claimed to be paying 600 elders in Akwa Ibom State N50,000 monthly each as part of social welfare package from the government for their upkeep.
However, we are worried that for about two years now the administration of Governor Umo Eno keeps making this claim in the State without providing any record to prove to the people of Akwa Ibom State, the authenticity of such claim.
While the initiative of a social welfare package for the elderly in Akwa Ibom State looks on the surface as a lifeline to this segment of the State’s population, we are skeptical that such initiative if not properly handled could be another conduit of diverting public funds to the pocket of few politicians in Akwa Ibom State.
To gain public trust and support, if the State government wants to be taken serious about its claim on payment of N50,000 monthly to 600 elderly persons in Akwa Ibom State, we challenged Governor Umo Eno to publish the names of the six hundred elders that have been benefiting from this monthly social welfare package in Akwa Ibom State.
We have observed with dismay that the administration of Governor Umo Eno in Akwa Ibom State since its inception in the past two years has continued to keep issues of public governance and welfare in the State surrounded in secrecy, a development that does not augur well for the State.
We dare to ask Akwa Ibom State Government to explain to members of the public how the six hundred elders that the government claims to be benefiting from this welfare package were selected across the State and what criteria were used in selecting them while other elders in the State were ignored.
These are the salient questions the State government must provide answers if the administration wants to gain the trust of Akwa Ibom people.
