The Akwa Ibom State Government is set to introduce rural allowance packages for medical doctors deployed to rural communities across the state.
Governor Umo Eno announced this initiative on Tuesday, noting that the move is part of his administration’s commitment to strengthening healthcare delivery at the grassroots level.
Speaking during the official commissioning of a newly built Primary Healthcare Center in Oron Local Government Area, the Governor emphasized that the implementation of the welfare package would be strictly monitored.
He issued a stern warning that the rural allowances will only be paid to doctors who remain dedicated and physically present at their assigned duty posts, as the state will not tolerate absenteeism.
In a dual-purpose visit focused on community development, Governor Eno also commissioned a Youth Development Center in Oron.
He disclosed that the facility is part of a broader, state-wide vision aimed at equipping young people with vital economic skills.
The initiative is structured to cascade across various local government areas to curb youth unemployment and foster self-reliance.
According to the Governor, the youth empowerment program is designed to scale up significantly. Once the centers are fully established across all 31 local government areas of Akwa Ibom State, a total of 31,000 youths will be trained annually.
The beneficiaries will undergo intensive training in various high-demand fields, including Information and Communication Technology (ICT), fashion design, catering, and other vocational skills.
Furthering his administration’s infrastructure drive, the governor also inaugurated key road projects in the area.
These include the newly constructed 4.2-kilometer Ukpong Street and Effiong Essang Street, which feature an 800-meter span discharge drain designed to tackle perennial flooding and improve accessibility within Oron Local Government Area.
