By Ime Silas
An appeal has been made to the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, His Excellency, Pastor Umo Bassey Eno, Ph.D, to reconsider his recently announced plan to acquire land with intent to build houses in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja.
Gov Eno had penultimate week during an event organized by the Akwa Ibom State Community in Abuja, reportedly announced his administration’s intention to acquire land where houses would be built for Akwa Ibomites residing in the FCT.
Reacting, an American-based healthcare expert, Ms Mfon Umana, urged the governor to rather prioritize investments on housing development and other sectors of the Akwa Ibom State instead of using the state’s resources to develop Abuja.
In a release tagged ‘Prioritizing Development in Akwa Ibom’ and addressed to Gov Umo Eno through Ms. Linda Umoh in charge of the Akwa Ibom Diaspora Desk, Mfon Umana analysed the situation, outlining the possible implications should the governor goes ahead with the plans.
See full details of the statement below:
To: Your Excellency, Gov. Umo Eno
Subject: Prioritizing Development in Akwa Ibom
Your Excellency,
I write with deep respect for your office and with sincere appreciation for your commitment to the welfare of Akwa Ibom people. Your recent statement about acquiring land and building houses in Abuja to make accommodation affordable for our citizens reflects a caring intention. It shows concern for our people wherever they may be.
However, I humbly ask that we reconsider this proposal in light of fairness, fiscal responsibility, and long-term governance implications.
Residents of the Federal Capital Territory live under a different administrative structure from the states. Abuja is administered by the Federal Capital Territory Administration, headed by the Minister appointed to oversee it. Those who choose to live and work in Abuja pay their taxes, levies, and property charges there. In effect, they contribute to the revenue base of the FCT administration, not to Akwa Ibom State.
If taxes and statutory payments from residents go to the FCT authorities, then the responsibility for providing housing infrastructure within Abuja properly rests with the FCT administration. It would be difficult to justify using Akwa Ibom’s limited public funds to address housing gaps in a territory whose residents contribute financially to another authority. That risks creating a situation where Akwa Ibom bears the cost while another jurisdiction receives the revenue. In simple terms, it may look like taking from one purse to fill another.
Your Excellency, our state still has urgent needs at home. Many communities within Akwa Ibom require improved housing, better roads, healthcare facilities, schools, water supply, and job-creating investments. Every naira deployed outside the state is a naira not invested in Uyo, Ikot Ekpene, Eket Senatorial districts, and our rural communities. Strengthening housing and infrastructure within Akwa Ibom will not only improve quality of life but also make our state more attractive for business, tourism, and return migration.
There is also a broader national implication to consider. If Akwa Ibom State begins funding housing in Abuja for its indigenes, it may set a precedent. Larger and more populous states such as Lagos and Rivers could face similar demands from their citizens. The cumulative effect would strain public finances across the federation and blur the clear constitutional responsibilities between states and the Federal Capital Territory. Governance works best when each level carries its own defined burden.
Relocating to Abuja, like relocating to any other state, remains a personal choice. Those who move do so for career, business, or personal reasons. Just as Akwa Ibom does not build housing estates in Port Harcourt or Lagos for its indigenes residing there, it may be wise to maintain the same principle with Abuja.
Your Excellency, history often remembers leaders not only for what they build, but for where they choose to build. Channeling resources into affordable housing schemes within Akwa Ibom would create jobs for our local contractors, stimulate our economy, reduce internal housing deficits, and leave visible, lasting footprints across our state.
This is not a rejection of compassion for Akwa Ibom people in Abuja. Rather, it is a call to prioritize development where your constitutional mandate and fiscal responsibility are clearest — within the borders of Akwa Ibom State.
With utmost respect, I urge Your Excellency to consider strengthening housing initiatives at home, where the benefits will multiply for generations and where your stewardship will have the deepest and most direct impact.
Thank you for your time, and consideration.
Sincerely
Ms. Mfon Umana
