Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has set the record straight on claims surrounding the salaries of his Personal Assistants (PAs), insisting that no PA earns less than ₦1 million per month and criticizing those who suggest otherwise.
At a recent “Town Square Meeting” in Ibiaku Ntok Okpo, Governor Eno highlighted how a PA had selflessly used his earnings to assist his community by installing a borehole. “One man has done this… but some of them with political appointments are still lying to their people that the governor has done nothing,” Eno remarked.
He emphasized that a “PA to the governor of a state cannot be ordinary”—and underlined that calling ₦1 million a “stipend” diminishes its reality. “[₦1 million] is serious money,” he added.
To bolster transparency, Eno instructed his Secretary to compile a list of political appointees by local government area, stating: “we are going to publish it in the newspaper.”
He encouraged residents to hold their appointees accountable by asking what they’ve done for their communities. During the event, he also promoted a PA—Blessed Essien—to the position of Special Assistant (SA) on Public Works, acknowledging his community contributions.
