By Ubong Etetor
The Executive Chairman of Urueoffong Oruko Local Government Area, Chief Uno Etim Uno, has continued to win accolades for his leadership style and performance in office, as the Amalgamated Newspaper Publishers Association (ANPA), Akwa Ibom State Chapter, expressed delight over the remarkable strides recorded within just eleven months of his administration.
During a solidarity and assessment tour to the local government area, ANPA leadership, led by its President General, Pastor Osuini-Abasi Alfred, lauded Uno for redefining grassroots governance and demonstrating genuine passion for the development of his people.
“A Man Who Came to Serve”
Speaking on behalf of the visiting delegation, Pastor Alfred described Chief Uno as a man who came to serve with love and commitment. He noted that from the entrance of the local government area, visible projects testify to purposeful leadership and dedication to service.
“ANPA came to pay solidarity to a man entrusted with the mandate of Urueoffong Oruko. From the entrance of the council headquarters, the signs of progress are evident. Mr. Chairman, you have redeemed the image of this local government area. We appreciate you and commend your councillors, supervisors, and staff for rallying behind you to succeed,” he said.
Also speaking, Elder Patrick Albert, a former Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Akwa Ibom State Council, described Chief Uno as “a man on a mission to restore the lost glory” of Urueoffong Oruko.
According to him, anyone who had visited the council six months earlier would be astonished by the level of change now visible. He seized the opportunity to announce the maiden ANPA Week, scheduled for October, noting that it will serve as a platform for journalists to thank God and recognize leaders who contribute meaningfully to societal progress.
The current NUJ Chairman, Comrade Nsibiet John, who also joined the delegation, hailed Chief Uno for his accessibility, humility, and commitment to the people. He emphasized that the chairman’s open-door policy and people-friendly governance have made him a reliable partner of the media.
“In fairness, the zeal with which you are serving Urueoffong Oruko is worth appreciating. You have been very close to your people and beneficial to them. No doubt, Governor Umo Eno made a wise decision in entrusting you with this mandate,” Comrade John affirmed.
In his remarks, the SSA to the governor on local media, Comrade Amos Etuk, extolled Chief Uno’s superlative performance, noting that he has made the local government “an ambience of excellence.” Etuk described Uno as an asset to Akwa Ibom State and emphasized the need for synergy between publishers and the local government for sustained development.
“Uno has consistently shown capacity and excellent delivery in every office he has held. That is why ANPA came to lay a foundation of partnership and solidarity with him,” he concluded.
Responding to the commendations, Chief Uno Etim Uno expressed gratitude to the publishers for their visit, which he described as timely, coming less than a week to his first anniversary in office.
He pledged to continue raising the bar of development, promising to transform the council secretariat into what he called the “White House of Urueoffong Oruko.”
“By God’s grace, I am trying to change this place to the White House of Urueoffong Oruko to show people that government can truly work. Within eleven months, we have given grants to law students, purchased over 200 JAMB forms for indigent students, and built primary school facilities and staff quarters. Our plan is to ensure no primary school teacher in this local government is homeless.
“Before the end of October, one hundred people will become millionaires through our empowerment initiative. Education, youth empowerment, and infrastructure will remain our priority areas. I also pledge my full support to ANPA Week,” the chairman declared.
Reeling out the council’s achievements, the Supervisor for Education, Youth and Social Orientation, Hon. Charles Emene, noted that the administration has embarked on multiple projects and interventions, including:
Rehabilitation of key roads and drainage systems
Construction of a befitting residential home for the village head of Urueoffong Oruko
Back-to-school initiatives, including free exercise books and materials for pupils
Monthly empowerment of 213 women across the local government
Provision of official cars to the Council Secretary and the Leader of the Legislature
Release of transformers to improve electricity supply in rural communities
Plans to pay bursary to undergraduate students and grants to postgraduate students
These interventions, he said, underscore the administration’s determination to touch lives across all sectors.
Adding his voice, the Leader of the Legislature, Hon. Sunday Eyo, described Chief Uno as “a man of peace and a God-sent leader” whose emergence has restored hope to the people of the ancient bloc.
In her vote of thanks, the Vice Chairman of the Council, Hon. Mrs. Arit Ambit, praised the chairman’s dynamism, likening him to “a progressive engine without brakes” who has taken development to every nook and cranny of Urueoffong Oruko. She stressed that the administration’s approach is a radical departure from the past.
The high point of ANPA’s tour was an on-the-spot inspection of the projects initiated and completed by the council chairman. From road works to school projects, empowerment schemes to administrative reforms, the visiting publishers said they were convinced that Chief Uno’s leadership was people-centered and result-driven.
The visit of ANPA to Urueoffong Oruko not only provided an independent assessment of the council’s performance but also affirmed that grassroots leadership, when driven by passion and vision, can deliver tangible results.
Chief Uno Etim Uno’s administration has, within a short period, carved a reputation for inclusivity, transparency, and development-focused governance. His emphasis on education, empowerment, and infrastructural renewal has earned him accolades from stakeholders and set him apart as a model for local government leadership in Akwa Ibom State.
As the local government prepares to mark one year of his tenure, the commendations from the media community serve as both recognition and encouragement for Chief Uno to sustain the momentum and deliver even greater dividends of democracy to his people.
For the publishers, the tour not only strengthened their bond with the grassroots but also reaffirmed their commitment to highlight good governance wherever it is found. For the people of Urueoffong Oruko, the message was clear: development has truly found a hom