By Dianime Uko and Harrison Essien

The Onna Local Government Council has unveiled a series of interventions in education, healthcare, youth empowerment, infrastructure and economic development as part of efforts to improve the welfare of residents.

The initiatives were highlighted by the Chairman of the Council, Hon. Kufre Umoren, when he received the State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Akwa Ibom State Council, Comrade Nsibiet John, and other journalists during the Union’s ongoing tour of the 31 local government areas of the state.

The Onna Chairman said his administration, upon assuming office, committed itself to prioritising the welfare of the people, promoting community-centred development and responding to the needs of communities across the local government area.

He said the administration’s interventions are focused on infrastructure renewal, rural development and electrification, healthcare, education, SME growth, economic empowerment, human capital development, agriculture and sports.

Among the projects highlighted is the ongoing construction of a smart Executive Council building at the council headquarters in Abat, alongside water projects in Ikot Akpatek, Awa Ndon and Ndon Eyo.

In education, the council said it had distributed back-to-school materials to pupils, provided free JAMB application forms to UTME candidates and introduced scholarships for the five top-performing Onna indigenes, as well as scholarship support for undergraduate and postgraduate students, including Law School students.

The Chairman announced that more than 300 Onna students in tertiary institutions across the country were awarded bursaries within the first year of the administration, while a full-time scholarship was awarded to a PhD student from Ikot Eko Ibon.

The administration also highlighted its youth and economic empowerment programmes, including the presentation of mini-buses to transporters under the subsidised Onna transport scheme and the distribution of ₦100,000 cheques to beneficiaries of its SME empowerment programme.

According to the Chairman, the council is also sponsoring youths in oil and gas-related courses and skills acquisition programmes, while more than 30 indigenes have secured employment with international oil companies operating in Eket Senatorial District.

In healthcare, the council said it had organised a free medical and surgical outreach for residents with minor and major ailments, as well as facilitated free eye-care services to address vision-related challenges.

Other interventions include support for music development, assistance to Team Onna during the Akwa Ibom State Sports Festival and financial support for various community-based initiatives.

Hon. Umoren said the projects and programmes reflected the collaborative spirit driving his administration, stressing that the goal was to build an Onna that works for everyone.

Speaking during the visit, the NUJ Chairman, Comrade Nsibiet John, said the statewide tour was designed to enable journalists to obtain first-hand information on the activities, projects and programmes of local government administrations at the grassroots.