01 Jan

  1. My fellow Akwa Ibomites, I warmly wish you and your families a Happy New Year!
  2. We thank the Almighty God for seeing us through the year that has just ended, for His grace upon our people and our land, for the peace we enjoy, and for the steady progress we have made together in the last two and half years, for which we are committed to expanding and deepening in the new year. To Him alone be all the glory in Jesus Name.
  3. Permit me deeply and profoundly to thank you, my dear people, for your prayers, support and understanding as we continue to work to advance our shared hopes for sustainable growth and development. To the Speaker and the Honourable Members of the State House of Assembly, thank you for expeditiously approving our 2026 People’s Budget of Consolidation and Expansion. This spirit of collaboration is the reason our people elected us to work for them.
  4. On behalf of the Government and people of Akwa Ibom State, I wish our dear President, His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, a Happy New Year! We remain encouraged by the early gains of his bold reforms and committed to supporting the Renewed Hope Agenda so he may return in 2027 to finish these bold reforms. I also, extend our best wishes to the President of the Nigerian Senate, Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio, GCON, and to all our past leaders for their service to our State. Let me thank our stakeholders for their support. Let me also thank our youths for their massive support during their rally few days ago, particularly their endorsement of the President , the Senate President, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, GCON and my humble self for re-election, come 2027.
  5. The theme of our special New Year Thanksgiving and Covenant Service, holding on Sunday, January 4, 2026 “The God of All Flesh” from Jeremiah 32:27, reminds us that God remains sovereign and faithful, even in the face of challenges.
  6. In this new year, anchored on our faith in God, we will continue to deepen the peace we are enjoying in Akwa Ibom State. Peace remains the foundation of growth and the reason our development efforts continue to yield great results.
  7. We will continue to invest strongly in agriculture to ensure food security. This year, we will launch our Tree Crop Revolution to empower farmers across all Local Government Areas to create generational wealth and strengthen our rural economy.
  8. Rural development will remain our priority. The one-project-per-local-government initiative which we had long gone past will be intensified, and all ongoing projects will be completed with strict accountability.
  9. ⁠The Treasury Single Account for the payment of all Government Revenues takes effect from today, January 1st 2026 and all Ministries, Departments and Agencies are expected to comply with the circular earlier issued by the Secretary to the State Government detailing modalities for its implementation and requisite administrative outlays. The TSA regime will help consolidate our revenue and ensure that expenditures are run from one source as approved in our 2026 budget. The era of MDAs generating and spending funds outside the TSA is over. I must also say that there will be consequences for defaulters.
  10. With over 1000 kilometres of roads either completed or ongoing and, our target is ensure that the people feel the impact of government across the 31 local government areas of our State. Let me remind us that new projects scheduled for execution this year are harvested from NEEDS Documents received during last year’s Townhall Meetings across the Ten federal constituencies We will intensify our drive as contractors have returned to work on their sites.
  11. Let me thank specifically, security agencies for the collaborative work they are doing in keeping our State safe and secure. We will continue to work closely with them as security of the citizens is the first responsibility of government. We will spare nothing to ensure that our State remains safe and secure.
  12. In education and healthcare, we are delivering results. We are constructing model primary schools and model healthcare centres across the State. The Ukanafun General Hospital has been commissioned, and work has commenced on the 350 bed Ibom International Hospital, alongside the ongoing recruitment of healthcare workers.
  13. Compassion remains central to our governance blueprint. We will build more ARISE Compassionate Homes beyond the 335 already delivered and continue to reduce the N112 billion inherited gratuity backlog, having paid over ₦76.6 billion so far.
  14. Investment in Tourism will continue to drive our economic diversification moves. In this new year, we will commission the ARISE Palm Resort, advance work on the 5,000-capacity Ibom International Convention Centre, complete and commission the 200-bed Ibom Hotels, Uyo, progress work on the ARISE Shopping City, complete the rehabilitation of the Ibom Hotels and Golf Resort. We will progress work on the iconic State Broadcasting Corporation on Dominic Utuk Avenue.
  15. Let me again thank our dear President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for approving the upgrade of the Victor Attah Airport, to an international status. Let me also commend the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Chief Festus Keyamo,SAN, for all his support. We are hopeful to commence international operations at the airport from April. The MRO facility, taxiway, aviation village and the entire aviation ecosystem will come into full operation this year.
    The Ibom Deep Seaport project is on course and we are finalizing documentation and following due process for the implementation of the project.
  16. As the political season approaches, I urge all leaders and citizens to reject violence and divisionary tendencies. Let us embrace politics of ideas, unity and the common good.
  17. May God bless us richly in this new year and grant us unity, peace and progress as we continue to ARISE to the Renewed Hope that now define our State and Nation respectively.
  18. Happy New Year once again! God bless Akwa Ibom State, God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and God bless you all.