Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno has signed 14 bills into law in a move aimed at strengthening governance, improving public institutions and supporting development across the state.
The governor said the new laws would provide the legal framework needed to drive key government programmes, close policy gaps and ensure that development initiatives continue beyond the present administration.
“These bills, fourteen in all, spanning all critical sectors, will help expand the gains of our ARISE Agenda, provide the legal backing to fill existing gaps with concrete actions and deepen our growth and development so we may spread more dividends of democracy across our society.”
The legislation covers several sectors. It includes the creation of the Akwa Ibom State Geographical Information Service to improve land administration, a Senior Citizens Centre to cater to the elderly, a Hotels and Tourism Development Commission to promote tourism and regulate the hospitality industry, and the Ibom Broadcasting Corporation to enhance public broadcasting and commercial operations.
Other new agencies established under the laws include the Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance Systems Agency, Public Procurement Regulatory Agency, Betting and Lottery Regulatory Agency, Fiscal Responsibility Board, Internal Revenue Service, Office of the Public Defender, Water Users Association and the University of Education, Afaha Nsit.
Governor Eno also approved amendments to the Hospitals Management Board Law, introducing zonal management boards and district hospitals to improve the administration of healthcare facilities.
He disclosed plans to redeploy doctors currently serving in administrative positions back to medical practice, stressing that spending too long outside clinical work could affect the quality of healthcare services.
Speaking on the Public Procurement Regulatory Agency, Eno said it would strengthen transparency and accountability in government spending, while noting that proper compliance with procurement procedures had helped his administration achieve positive results.
On the Betting and Lottery Regulatory Agency, the governor said the law was designed to regulate the sector, protect residents from fraudulent operators and ensure compliance with existing regulations.
“This is a regulatory agency. As a pastor, I believe in law and order. I do not encourage betting, but where it exists, it must be properly regulated.”
He also revealed that an Environmental Sanitation Bill would soon be presented to the State House of Assembly. According to him, the proposed legislation would empower authorities to clean abandoned premises, recover the expenses from property owners and seal affected buildings where necessary.
The governor added that more health sector reform bills would soon be sent to lawmakers as part of efforts to further improve healthcare delivery in the state.
Meanwhile, Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Udeme Otong, described the bills as one of the Assembly’s most significant legislative achievements, saying they would strengthen governance, improve healthcare, promote economic growth and enhance public service delivery.
“These are all people-oriented bills that will affect the lives, the growth and the development of Akwa Ibom State. We will continue to work with the Executive to move the state forward.”
