Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has expressed displeasure with political aides who publicly downplay their earnings, stressing that ₦1 million is not a negligible amount.
Speaking during a Town Square Meeting with residents of Ikono and Ini Federal Constituency at Ibiaku Ntok Okpo, the governor stated that even the lowest-paid appointees, such as Personal Assistants, earn at least ₦1 million monthly.
Eno made the statement while commending his PA on Protocol, Blessed Essien, who funded a community water borehole project from his salary.
The governor elevated Essien to the role of Special Assistant on Public Works as a result of his efforts.
“As I arrived here, they gave me one brochure by a PA who out of the token (pay) he gets, has gone to his community to do a borehole and has replicated it around the village,” the governor said.
He criticized the attitude of some aides who, despite earning substantial salaries, claim they are not being paid well. “One man has done this, but some of them with political appointments are still lying to their people that the governor has done nothing. He has done nothing, and you’re still there. Some say ordinary PA, but a PA to the governor of a state cannot be ordinary.”
Addressing the way some of his appointees describe their pay, Eno added, “Hear me well, no PA earns less than a million naira. And when they want to talk, they will say it is a stipend. You call one million naira stipend. It is not a stipend to me. It is serious money.”
The governor also directed the Secretary to the State Government to compile and publish a list of all political appointees categorized by their local government areas. He urged citizens to question their local representatives: “Call your PAs, call your SAs, SSAs, call your Commissioner, ask them, what have you done?”
Turning to Essien, the governor concluded, “Today you are being promoted from PA to SA (to the Governor) on Public Works.”
