Umo Eno: When compassion out-weighs the scale
By Aniekan Umanah
Is there a scale to measure love and compassion? No measuring scale was calibrated to contain this. The measuring bags have exceeded the limits of the scale. They are bagged in grains but they are full bags of compassion; a version that throws all in awe, and puts him on the lips of all that he is a leader for all, irrespective of class and vulnerability.
In a way, he has broken the scale of love hidden in the hearts of his people.
He wrote a rich story of the poor and vulnerable, and planted grains of hope on the soil of despair. As they queued up to sign their signatures on the register of fate, he touched them with his, and everything turns gold. That was how the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno’s bags of hope expanded the weighing scale of joy and happiness of the poor at the distribution of free food vouchers to them.
What do the poor need? Food will always top the list, just like the poor and vulnerable top the priority list of Governor Umo Eno in his ARISE Food Security Program, which is a highpoint on the agenda of the newly established State Bulk Purchase Agency .
In kick-starting the programme at the famous Itam Market in Itu Local Government of Akwa Ibom State, Governor Eno lit the light of compassion and kept it aglow. The pastor knows the story of the bible that the poor will always be found in the society. But his theme is on how the poor are treated well amongst the people. He showed this example beyond the allusion.
The threat of food insecurity in the country provided a platform for the Governor to show how much he cares about the his people, not just in physical infrastructure but also in “stomach infrastructure”. This passionate compassion of has found expression in the Bulk Purchase Agency which was recently launched, setting the tone for the flag off of the free food programme for the poor and vulnerable in the State.
Governor of the people, Pastor Eno personally performed the flag off at the Itam Central Market, in Itu Local Government Area, which is within Uyo Capital City Area where he charged the Chairmen of the remaining 29 local government areas to launch the programme in their respective domains within. a week.
The man of unmatched dress sense, Governor Eno’s immaculate white long sleeves shirt shortened the walk of the vulnerable on the streets of poverty as he handed out vouchers with had the potency of cash and ready for the staple food items such as garri, rice and beans.
And when they raised their hands to receive this gift of hope from the model leader, the insignia of Akwa Ibom and the ARISE Agenda on his shirt and the fez cap of the governor affirmed to them that their story was changing at a stretch. They looked and lived. They took and beamed smiles of joy. They looked at Governor Eno and saw reasons to live and be happy.
It was palpable excitement as the first set of the beneficiaries of the free food programme received their vouchers, like a cheque to the bank of compassion to draw happiness.
It was a day of many parts. The governor went on to digitize the social register management process at the basement by providing the 368 ward PAs with pre-loaded tablets for the programme to ensure accountability.
This is more pronounced in the fact that throughout the chain of the free food programme, voucher is the valid means of exchange, and not cash which could be susceptible to being abused along the chain.
With the official flag off of the programme, the major staple food such as garri, rice, beans and others will be distributed free to residents guided by the social register.
A voucher entitles them to 5 kilogrammes of garri, rice and beans, and repeat in subsequent collection of vouchers and redemption in markets and shop
It is a chain that has put food on the table of the vulnerable, the traders, agents and other stakeholders in the process, sustaining their profits margins and creating additional incentive through bathe payment of service charge to accredited agents.
The bulk purchase purchase agency may have had food sufficiency as its major agenda but Governor Eno has assured that every other good initiative will as well be driven by the agency for the good of Akwa Ibom people.
Was it all about the vulnerable ? No; there was something for everyone. Even the traders had a filled day!
Of course, Governor Eno was in a familiar terrain. The traders were with him when he campaigned and solicited for their votes. Now, he is with them to breathe life into their businesses.
Under that arrangement, 1.5 billion Naira is to be injected into the business activities of the traders across Akwa Ibom State under the umbrella of an interest free loan, which the governor, a man of accountability, transparency and integrity insists, must pass through the bank for proper documentation and control. This will provide leap in business activities of the traders.
This is equally targeted at reducing costs of food in the market. Governor Eno was moved to do this when he heard that some of the traders take loans with exorbitant interest rates, and are forced to build such into the prices of foodstuffs.
Hence, the compassionate governor took the initiative in order for Akwa Ibom people to buy foodstuffs at affordable prices.
That was not the only good news for the traders from their caring governor. Pastor Eno equally promised facelift in the market’s infrastructure and announced cheerful appointments of aides that will monitor the implementation of the food distribution programme in the three senatorial districts of the State, in line with the expectations of the stickler for excellence.
In all of these, one element runs through like a thread, the trait of compassion which is driving Governor Umo Eno’s passion for putting smile on the faces of the masses, especially the vulnerable.
The official flag off of the free food programme under the aegis of the Bulk Purchase Agency revealed this and more about Governor Eno. He passes for a leader who deals on compassion in wholesale. He talks about a “new deal” in the Akwa Ibom project. He is the signpost of that new deal. He is a sign of hope for the hopeless and a symbol of good governance where welfare is an uncompromising priority of government.
The new deal returns to Akwa Ibom people from the deal they invested with all their might and strength on March 18, 2023, electing a man they happily entrust their destiny in his hands.
Today, it is crystal clear that everything Governor Eno touches turns to gold. The food security programme and subsequent flag off of free food to the vulnerable explains so .
In all of these, the governor continues to stress the need for the people to return to the farm, as the free food programme is an interventionist measure to cushion the effects of the harsh economic climate in the country.
If one were to weigh the weight of the compassion Governor displayed through the free food programme, there is no scale calibrated to contain it. This is a programme with compassion beyond known limits, norms and traditions. This compassion of Governor Umo Eno is scale-breaking!
