Governor Eno Umo of Akwa Ibom state Thursday met with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Briefing State House correspondents after the meeting, the governor said he appealed to the President to intervene on the deplorable state of ITU-Calabar road to reduce the sufferings of the people.
The governor said he also made some demands including assistance from the federal government to ensure that the Ibom deep seaport project is realised.
“We talked about the road you have just mentioned, the Calabar-Itu road. We will need the President to help us intervene and let’s get that finished the road.
“We talked about our Ibom deep seaport, we will need the president to also intervene and let’s get the Seaport. I also mentioned to him the export license, the free zone for our airport, so that the maintenance, repairs, and overhauling facility there, we will be able to bring in spare parts to service the airplanes.
“These are strategic partnership that we want with the federal government. So, I talked about it and he has promised to look into it, and I believe him,” he said.
Asked if the state is making plans to provide palliative for the people to cushion the effect of subsidy removal, the governor said: “Yesterday (Wednesday), my deputy governor distributed some palliatives to all the local government. And as I go back, I’m scheduled to have a meeting with all the petroleum marketers in Akwa Ibom.
“So we’re looking at those ways whatever we need to do to…and the President has directed that states governors of course, should work on palliatives for the citizenry.
“We will do just that there are a number of things and as we get into early next week if you focus on Akwa Ibom, you will see various things we are going to put in place to support our people and shield them from the effects of the subsidy removal.”
