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In this interview, the honorary special adviser to Governor Emmanuel Udom on grassroots mobilisation, Elder Enefiok Ekefre, took a swipe at Akwa Ibom state House of assembly members for lack of oversight function.
Just recently, the executive council directed the commissioner for works to mobilise and ensure all the road projects are completed, but seems nothing has happened. What went wrong?
To me, that’s why we have the governor who is on the driver seat. He is the one that awarded those contracts. He is the one that gives directives. Akwa Ibom people didn’t vote any commissioner into any position; they voted for the governor. Constitutionally, the governor has the power to share responsibilities to some people to help interpret government’s policies at different capacities. That’s why we have commissioners overseeing various ministries and departments, but the buck stops at the governor’s table. My prayer is that the governor should have the will to insist on the ‘Completion Agenda’ of his government because nobody would talk about the commissioners after his tenure.
Sir, after the said directive was given, nothing is happening. What can you say to that?
Leadership is collective. The masses are entitled to know what is going on. The number one setback that we have in this state is not the governor, its because the House of Assembly supervisory role in Akwa Ibom is defective. They appropriated and approved the budgets for those projects. What is the function of the works committee in the House of Assembly? Have you ever seen them for one day going to inspect those projects to assess the level of progress and the money spent on those projects? They have already come up with the budgets of this year. What happened to the money budgeted for that same project last year? Who is to be blamed? I can tell you authoritatively that the only problem we have in this part of the world is that the leadership and members of the House of Assembly are not taking their responsibilities seriously. The governor is just an individual, but leadership is a team work. For example; the budgets was approved by the assembly. The constitution also gives them the power to review their past years approval, but they don’t do that. When you do not supervise, how do you ensure that funds approved for a particular project are used judiciously? So, it is the duty of the parliament to look into what was budgeted for a particular project and how it was being implemented. That will compel people to sit-up and work. The House of Assembly is an engine room to help the governor to be on toes 24 hours. Now, if a project is not completed in Uyo, is it the governor that would come back to enjoy the uncompleted project? No! It’s the citizens. How many of them complain? None! Because those people are talking about what they would eat now, not tomorrow. That’s not why we have them as our representatives. Like the Ring Road, it is almost six years now since they began the construction. They keep appropriating funds for that project. So, who is to be blamed? Is it the governor? The governor is not our problem, but the people we mandated to represent us are not helping the governor to interpret the policy well.
What would you suggest as advise, considering the fact that the present administration has just few months to leave the stage?
Time has nothing to do with performance. Effective six months is enough, if you’re prepared and willing. It’s not a time frame that matters. After all, for the past six years, that Ring Road had been on and not completed. How long did it takes to build the Babangida Avenue and Aka Road? How long did it takes to also construct Atiku Abubakar? It didn’t take up to a year. It’s all about the state of mind. Evil thrives when good people refuse to say something. The framers of the constitution of this country knew that an institution like state assembly would exist incase of any lapses. And they are the people that appropriate the money for the projects and no results till now. I’m sure that the same project is equally reflected in the budget of this year. They passed it and the governor has signed it into law. So, the key thing is that the people of this state from respective constituencies should be mindful of whom they surrender their sovereignty to as their representative in the assembly. I always thank His Excellency who has elevated me to mediate for him at the grassroots. I can discuss the feelings of the people from various state constituencies. So, our representative are not really helping. Again, what is the function of the works committee in the House? Have they for one day summoned the commissioner for works to explain why those projects are still there? No! So who is to be blamed? It seems they are only there for their selfish interests.
