Akwa Ibom Governor Udom Emmanuel has identified policy control as one of the biggest challenges facing his administration for the past six years.
Emmanuel who bared his mind on Friday, June 11 during media parley organised by Nigeria Union of Journalists, Akwa Ibom State Council noted that he does not have control of important policies such as the fiscal policies which are “handed down” by the federal government.
At the event held at Banquet Hall, Government House, Uyo and beamed live by both electronic and social media platforms, he said there were lots of things he would have loved to do differently but could not because he had to “align with the centre” – the federal government.
“We have been hit by two major economic recessions, we have been hit by different policies that we don’t have control over. They are all affecting us at the same time. We have also been hit by the pandemic that has ravaged the whole planet earth,” he said.
The governor said his administration, irrespective of the challenges, did not give excuses or failed to deliver on projects and programmes.
“Even when there was COVID, we were still releasing new things into the economy. I remember June or July last year, when COVID was so strong, we were bringing in new aircrafts to run our airline. We were doing so many things.”
The governor said he would score his administration “not less than 85 per cent” in terms of performance.
He said it was better for journalists to ask him questions rather than “go behind to write things that are incorrect”.
“Serving the people has never been easy,” he said.
