Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, has explained why he refused to collect the bailout fund offered to states, by the Federal Government to pay arrears of workers salaries.
Udom said his refusal stemmed from his reluctance to mortgage the future of Akwa Ibom people.
Speaking at the weekend, in a town hall meeting with journalists and other stakeholders in Uyo, Udom said he would not borrow money he does not need and by so doing, leave a huge debt for future governors to pay.
Udom denied spending N3.7 billion to celebrate the 28th anniversary of the state in September, stressing that the state does not have such an amount in its coffers.
“The money was not there. For the first time, we did anniversary without a state banquet in the evening because we were moving with the time. If I had N3.7 billion, I would use it to flood the state with industries. I didn’t have even N.7 billion; not even N.5 billion was spent.”
“I am not saying that you should applaud everything we are doing; we welcome constructive criticism, criticism that is done without malice. Let us start a new narrative of constructive engagement devoid of the negative impulse to pull each other down, for when we pull our people down, we invariably pull ourselves down.”
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