‘ Gov Umo Eno Impressive Performance Has Justified My Support For Him All Along’ – Pst Stella Imoh
Pastor Stella Imoh, is a woman of many parts. A philanthropist, counsellor, a politician and Minister of God.
A principled person who focus on what she believes in.
It is this characteristics, that made her to commit her energy, time and resources to support the election of Governor Umo Eno.
In this chart with Emmanuel Uffot of Scroll, she spoke on the impressive achievements of the Governor so far after a year in office which in her words has justified her support.
She also thump up the Governor’s wife for her pet project GIFA, which she has used as a platform to empower women and others, Excerpts.
Stella Imoh, Founder National Value Intact Initiative and Dynamic Mothers Initiative
SCROLL : You have been a staunch supporter of Governor Umo Eno, how would you assess his government after a year in office?
STELLA : Governor Umo Eno has done very well. He has proved to us that he is doing exactly what he set out to do.
Through his ARISE Agenda blueprint, which revolves around Agriculture, Rural development, Infrastructural development, Security and Education, he is touching every part of the state with one project or another in his development drive.
As a pragmatic leader, he has ensured that all areas are visited with projects.
So I believe everyone without sentiment, should be happy with him.
As a compassionate Governor, he has initiated some policies that are life touching.
He has done wonderfully well in initiating policies, to alleviate poverty and ameliorate the current hardship in the land.
Look at the Bulk Food Purchase policy aimed at providing essential food commodities to the people, both free and at affordable prices. What of the payment of backlog of pensions and gratuities to retired state, local government workers and primary school teachers. The compassionate homes built and donated to the poor across the state. Others include stipends for the indigent elderly, free interest loans to traders and monetary grants to small and medium scale business enterprises.
What of the road projects. Some new and some continuing from where his predecessor stopped.
He is equally looking at the area of education passionately which is captured in his ARISE Agenda blueprint. This has manifested in the model primary schools project, for instance the pilot one in CKC Uyo, a beauty to behold which is to be replicated across the state. One each local government area. You can name them.
Even the issue of women’s inclusion in politics, I applaud him for that. It is gladdening to the women folks the disposition of the Governor towards female inclusion in politics.
For instance, more women have emerged chairmanship candidates for PDP in the forthcoming local government elections.
I am saying all these not to appear as a sychophant, but saying the obvious that I am fulfilled and justified for giving my total support to Governor Umo Eno despite the insult and name callings from some people prior to his nomination and election who saw me going around markets, women groups sensitising them on how to vote and the need to vote Pastor Umo Eno. And the result is here for all to see in barely over a year in office.
So like I said, I am happy that I did not make a mistake. I am fulfilled that my efforts, in energy, time and resources I deployed to support His Excellency Governor Umo Eno was not in vain.
For his wife Pastor Mrs Patience Umo Eno, she has also done much in empowering women especially through her pet project GIFA.
Infact, she is a mother. I believe women, like widows, traders and others will feel her impact in the years to come.
SCROLL : You talked about hardship earlier, the Endbadgovernance national protest did not really hold effectively in Akwa Ibom State like others. Does this mean that Akwa Ibom people resident here are not feeling the hardship in the land that instigated the protest?
STELLA : That the protest did not hold here in the state, is a true reflection of the impressive performance of the Governor so far.
It was a way of saying, His Excellency, we appreciate your efforts. You are doing so well to ameliorate the hardship by initiating life touching initiatives to stem the tide of high cost of foodstuffs.
So there has been untold hardship since the removal of fuel subsidy.
That policy alone, led to increased in fuel price and consequently prices of things and services.
SCROLL : Your Group National Value Intact Initiative and Dynamic Mothers Initiative that was primarily for empowerment of people especially women and widows,was deployed as a platform to canvass votes for Governor Umo Eno. So after election, what is the Group doing now?
STELLA : My twin group National Value Intact Initiative and Dynamic Mothers Initiative as you rightly noted, is an NGO saddled with the responsibility of empowerment of women, widows and youths especially girl child.
We are still doing that as best as we can given the state of the economy with cost of living going higher by the day.
Yes I had to used it as a platform to campaign for Governor Umo Eno because to do that successfully, you needed a platform. But I have to relax abit now after running around mobilising market women, women groups and political (PDP) campaigns. Like the saying, after a hard days job, you relax.
So I am still doing the empowerment. I am still paying house rents for some indigent women and widows. I am still paying school fees for students and buying JAMB forms.
So my group is still intact. We still meet to discuss issues related to our objectives.
