…As Nkanga, Essien, CAN Chairman, Ors Call For Maximum Support
ARISE Ambassadors, a focused and pro-Government support Organization, was inaugurated yesterday with the mandate to project and promote the ARISE Agenda of His Excellency, Governor Umo Eno.
The group, according to the founders, is also committed to mobilizing support for the Umo Eno led administration and ensuring its success. With their sights set on making a positive impact in the state, the Arise Ambassadors are poised to make a difference.
Addressing the newly inaugurated Executive led by Rev. Richard Peters, the Special Guest of Honour at the event and Chairman, Board of Victor Attah International Airport, Dr Iniobong Essien, admonished the group to see the task ahead as enermous one and charged them to be ready to sacrifice thier time to achieve results.
Essien, a former commissioner for Environment and solid minerals also reminded them that the task will require support and good will but added that their commitment will naturally draw more people to fully identify with thier goals and aspirations.
Also addressing the new executive the Wife of the Former military governor of the state Mrs Funmi Idongesit Nkanga charged them to fully equipped themselves with the messages in the ARISE Agenda to be able to freely enlightened every member of the society with ease.
Nkanga who is also a patron of the group assured the group of consistent support and encouragement stressing that the mission they are undertaking is a noble one in the overall interest of development of the state and success of the Pastor Umo Eno led administration.
On his own , the Chairman of the group, Revd Richard Peters said the forum is poised to take up their responsibilities as true citizens in a democratic society adding that all hands must be on deck to ensure the success of Pastor Umo Eno’s administration now and beyond. According to him, “It is the greatest undoing of citizens to sit on the fence and watch, when there are more to be done. Every great society is a product of government-citizens partnership. In other words, there can be no great society without the people and the government working together”.
Revd Peters further highlighted, “The ARISE Agenda is based on the five-point programme of this administration which focused on: Agricultural revolution, Rural development, Infrastructural maintenance/advancement, Security management and Education advancement. We will ensure that the people across party lines, even in remote villages understand the above and become a part of it. This is our mandate, and together we will achieve all. He maintained that the forum is poised to take up their responsibilities as true citizens in a democratic society stressing that “If you must stand up for your government, you must be able to stand up to your government”.
The Chairman further explained, “we will be primarily concerned with working and liaising with relevant agencies and ministries on showcasing daily events of the Governor across all media platforms, while providing answers to all public complaints and reservations where and when necessary on those communication channels. “We are to serve as a volunteer defense corp for the programmes, projects and policies of the government of Governor Umo Eno. This is necessary to provide detailed interpretation of government’s policies, activities and actions in a way that will foster understanding and garner the needed support of the people on such planned actions. This will be done by staging regular public debates on radio and television to interface with the people, while fielding feedback from them”.
The Chairman said the group will work assiduously, especially in the hinterlands, where access to the social media is minimal, to build public support for the Governor’s ARISE agenda and to communicate the governor’s message to the public. “Bearing in mind the often neglected rural populace after elections, we intend to reintegrate the rural dwellers into His Excellency’s agenda through the introduction of community tours, where community leaders will be engaged occasionally and kept abreast of the relevant information bothering on rural development” he added.
He intoned that the group which is a collection of people across different fields with high intellectual prowess is not for political campaigns, but created for the purposes of offering our civic and social responsibilities as well as advocating for good governance amongst other things.
Mr. Ernest Akpan who is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of organization said, the group will act as a think tank to interpret and support the Governor’s vision for the state.
The Heavyweight politician added that the group will play a key role in helping to achieve the Governor’s goals for socio-economic growth and transformation of Akwa Ibom.
“The ARISE Ambassadors will serve as a volunteer force to promote and project the Governor’s programmes, projects and and policies, not just on the new media, but in the hinterlands and outside the shores of this country,” Ernest Akpan emphasized.
