REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENTS OF HENSHAW-LED ADMINISTRATION IN OKOBO*


By Comrade Henshaw Essien & Atuekong Paul

The tradition of commemorating the first 100 days in office finds its roots in President Franklin D. Roosevelt's tenure in the United States. Assuming office in 1933 amid the Great Depression, Roosevelt set a precedent by swiftly addressing challenges and delivering tangible improvements to the lives of Americans. Since then, this benchmark has been applied to nearly all political office holders, including Presidents, Governors, and Chairmen of Local Government councils, serving as a yardstick to gauge their early achievements and commitments to governance.

In Okobo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Hon. Engr. George Henshaw, Chairman of the Transition Committee, has not only met but surpassed expectations within his first 100 days in office. The achievements of this great Okobo leader encompass impactful initiatives in rural road grading, infrastructure development, healthcare, education, and peace-building, showcasing exemplary leadership and unwavering dedication to the welfare of Okobo people.

Addressing newsmen who visited the Local Government Council Secretariat at Okopedi on a fact-finding mission on Monday, Hon. Engr. Henshaw used the occasion to debunk all yellow journalism reports in two newspapers about him and Okobo Local Government, stating that they were all falsehoods. The council boss emphasized his excellent relationship with stakeholders of Okobo, his Transition Committee members, and all staff of the council, stating that he operates with each Okobo person as if they were his family members and would never shortchange anyone.

Flanked by principal officers in the council, the Head of Service, Directors, and all members of his Transition Committee, the former councillor told journalists that the first thing he did as chairman was to meet with stakeholders, royal fathers, and chiefs in the area to inform them of the planned grading of roads in all the wards. According to him, he had allowed all supervisors, representing their respective wards, to take the grader to their wards, saying, "To the glory of God, most rural roads across all our wards have been graded."

Henshaw observed that one of the most treasured achievements of his administration is the ongoing construction of the Okobo Local Government Legislative Chamber, which he said would be completed with state-of-the-art facilities and in line with best practices.

Regarding transparency in governance, the Okobo Chairman mentioned that his administration is like an open book since he is holding the office in trust for his people. He emphasized that there was no project he embarked upon without discussing it at the Finance and General Purpose Committee (FGPC), where all members have their inputs.

Concerning rural transformation, the civil engineer-turned politician stated, "I come from an area where we haven't had access to clean water for decades, the only one we have, I gave to them when I was a councillor." He noted that his 100 days in office have witnessed transformation in this area, providing clean water to villages that previously had none.

In agriculture, the council boss said his administration had since taken stock of the needs of farmers in the area and concluded plans to invest massively in plantations, where they will donate hundreds of thousands of suckers across all the wards to generate substantial income for the entire local government and for export.

Regarding health, Engr. Henshaw mentioned plans to conduct medical outreach and surgeries for at least 500 Okobo people.

In maintaining peace and security in Okobo, Hon. George Henshaw emphasized his efforts to ensure unity and cohesion, stressing that the hitherto fragments and factions were a thing of the past in Okobo.

On the lingering communal clash between Amangmong and Okopedi, Henshaw hinted that peace had since returned to the warring communities. Though a huge sum of money has been channeled to permanently cease the communal clash, the chairman said he was happy and that his administration has also opened the road that was causing the fight and concluded plans to bring an illustrious daughter of Oro Nation; Deputy Governor of the State, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, to come and plant trees in the problem area.

He used the occasion to thank the State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, for initiating the construction of the 13.5km Okopedi-Oron-East Way road with an 80-meter span bridge, a project he said was crucial for Oro Nation's connectivity and economic growth.

Henshaw also eulogized the State Chief Executive for his people-centric leadership and exceptional performance, pledging the support of his people to the ARISE agenda.

Collaborating with the council boss, the Supervisor for Information, Hon. Dennis Antigha, who spoke on behalf of all members of the Transition Committee, exonerated the chairman from false allegations in the media, stressing that Hon. Henshaw is the best chairman the area has ever had.

Meanwhile, the high point of the event was touring and showcasing some of the projects embarked upon by the George Henshaw-led administration within his first 100 days in office.

Me i no see any achievement o. And i no get time to read all the nonsense coming out of naija politicians.