By Edmond Stanley Ekanem
“I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase”, “Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour”
The words in l Corinthians 3:6&8 captured above resonate deeply with the actions of Pastor Umo Eno, the compassionate Governor of Akwa Ibom State who has become a beacon of hope for persons with disabilities in the state.
In a short span of two months after assuming office, Pastor Eno fulfilled a promise he made during his campaign – to include persons with disabilities as valuable members of society who deserve to be well cared for.
At a meeting held at his campaign house in Ewet Housing, Uyo, Pastor Eno pledged his commitment to the disability community. And true to his word, on June 26th, 2023, he appointed Comrade Ubong Imo Ikpe as his Personal Assistant on Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).
But he didn’t stop there. The governor also announced the allocation of N100 million as an Education Intervention Fund for students with disabilities from Akwa Ibom studying in public higher institutions across Nigeria. In a remarkable act of inclusivity, Governor Eno extended this gesture to non-indigenous students with disabilities studying in public higher institutions in Akwa Ibom State as well. This was in addition to his announcement of sponsorship and donation of N5 million to Udeme Ekanem, a visually impaired student, for his studies at the Nigerian Law School; together with a monthly N250,000 upkeep allowance to sustain him in the course of study.
As someone with a disability myself, I find Pastor Eno’s actions to be unprecedented and deserving of commendation and emulation. His personal assistant on persons with disabilities, Comrade Ubong Ikpe, wasted no time and immediately embarked on a mission to school campuses to physically verify and collect academic particulars of potential beneficiaries for the intervention fund.
During one of Comrade Ikpe’s visits to a school, he came across Master Success Idongesit Johnson, a 9-year-old who had suffered from hearing and speech impairment for seven years. Success had been unable to attend school due to his mother’s financial constraints.
However, thanks to the generosity of Pastor Uwem Andrew-Essien, the State Accountant General, Success’s academic journey has been taken care of. After he was briefed on the condition, Pastor Andrew-Essien was moved by the young boy’s plight and pledged to sponsor his education at St. Louise Inclusive Schools in Ikot Ekpene.
These acts of inclusion and compassion from the Governor, along with the support of the Accountant General, further interpret the vision of Pastor Umo Eno’s A.R.I.S.E. Agenda, the governor’s visionary plan that aims to propel the socio-economic growth of Akwa Ibom State. And in His own way, God is increasing the grace for more service delivery in the state.
Now, students with disabilities within and outside the state have been urged to submit their academic particulars before the closing date of August 31st, 2023, in order to access the government’s intervention fund. The required format for submission includes a provisional admission letter, a current school fees payment schedule, an attestation letter from the HOD of the student’s course of study, a certificate of origin, a birth certificate, and a full-size photograph showing their type of disability.
Upon successful verification and screening, students will have their fees paid to their institutions and receive an upkeep allowance as the new academic session begins in September. To submit their particulars, students are advised to package them in an A4 size brown envelope and submit them at the offices of the Executive Secretary of Akwa Ibom State Scholarships Board at the Ministry of Education, and the Office of the Director of Rehabilitation at the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare, located in the Idongesit Nkanga Secretariat Complex in Uyo.
Pastor Umo Eno’s ARISE Agenda judiciously captures core areas of the economy. By focusing on Agricultural revolution, Rural development, Infrastructure advancement, Security management, and Educational advancement (ARISE), the Governor seeks to transform the lives of its citizens. It is our hope that every Akwa Ibom person will embrace and contribute to the realization of Pastor Umo Bassey Eno’s ARISE Agenda.
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• Comrade Edmond Ekanem, a PWD & disability inclusion advocate, writes from Essien Udim Local Government Area.
