Gov. Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom has urged residents of the state to celebrate the Christmas with love, peace and unity toward one another and eschew tendencies that sought to divide the people.
Eno said this in his 2023 Christmas message to the Akwa Ibom people on Monday in Uyo.
He said Christmas celebration is a period of love and exchange of gifts, that should bring people together as one, as preached by Jesus Christ in His Holy Book.
“This is a season of joy and goodwill. I call on our people to continue to live in peace and unity and eschew tendencies that seek to divide us.
“As I have been saying: Politics is long gone. It’s now time for governance.
“We should bury and throw into the trash can, the cards of hatred, of whipping non-existence schisms and of demonising our leaders and symbols of authority,” Eno said.
Eno urged the Akwa Ibom people and all residents to celebrate with love and remember those who are in a disadvantage position in the society.
The governor in his message assured the people that his administration would continue to do everything possible to improve on the welfare of citizens.
He said that as part of measures to put smiles on the faces of workers during this period, government had paid the 13th month salary to all workers in the state.
“We will continue to flow with the waves of love and amity and as you celebrate this day, please remember to reach out to those who may have fallen on the rough patches of life.
“Don’t just give hand-outs, give them a hand to get up and let us together arise and work to extend the frontiers of the Golden Era of our collective growth, development and progress.
“Let me use this opportunity to thank all those who have expressed such heart-warming and wonderful sentiments to us.
“For bringing Christmas cheers to our workers through the payment of the additional one month salary, making it 13th month, which you have affectionately dubbed “Eno-Mber”.
“We will continue to pay special attention to our workers and also ensure that we create the enabling environment for Small and Medium Scale Enterprises, (SMEs) which is the engine of growth, in any economy to thrive,” he said.
He thanked the people for the support given to his administration since it came on board seven months ago, urging the people not to relent as he would fulfil on campaign promises.
