By Ekaette Okon Joseph
When Governor Umo Eno announced that Akwa Ibom workers would receive their 13th-month salary, popularly known as Enomber on or before December 20, 2025, it reaffirmed a core principle of his administration: workers’ welfare is the foundation of good governance. The institutionalisation of this bonus, now in its third consecutive year, reflects a deliberate continuation of the state’s longstanding commitment to placing workers and retirees at the centre of development planning.
Akwa Ibom’s progress in workers’ welfare has been a cumulative effort across administrations. Successive governments, each building on the foundations laid before them, have worked to strengthen the civil service, improve pay systems, and expand social protection. Governor Umo Eno has taken this shared commitment forward with a structured, data-driven approach that ensures sustainability, predictability, and accountability.
This commitment is most evident in the ongoing settlement of pensions and gratuities. While previous administrations made significant efforts to reduce the backlog, the volume of retirees and the long-term nature of pension obligations meant that settlement required a multi-administration, multi-year strategy. Since taking office, Governor Eno has advanced this process with unprecedented momentum. Over ₦75 billion has now been released under his watch to clear various categories of entitlements, including state civil service retirees, primary school teachers, local government pensioners, and next-of-kin payments. This is not a departure from the past; it is the next phase of a multi-year commitment to honouring those who served the state.
That same spirit of honouring workers has guided the administration’s social protection programmes. The monthly stipend of ₦50,000 for 600 elderly citizens, one beneficiary per ward across all local government areas, was introduced to support vulnerable seniors whose needs are often overlooked. This initiative has become one of the most humane expressions of governance in the state, easing the financial and emotional burdens carried by many families.
For the active workforce, Governor Umo Eno has further strengthened the tradition of prompt salary disbursement. From 2023 to date, salaries have been paid as at when due, without interruption, even during periods of national fiscal strain. Teachers have received enhanced welfare support through wardrobe allowances and ongoing administrative reforms, while junior civil servants have benefited from subsidised housing allocations at Grace Estate, where 150 homes were distributed by transparent ballot.
The administration has also prioritised operational efficiency within the civil service. Early in 2025, all Permanent Secretaries received brand-new official vehicles, underscoring the governor’s belief that leadership must be equipped to lead effectively. Complementing this, the ongoing recruitment drive in health, education, and general administration, alongside the re-engagement of highly experienced retired teachers and nurses, has helped stabilise manpower gaps in critical sectors.
It is within this broader context that Enomber must be understood. The 13th-month salary has existed in different forms across the state’s history, with varying levels of consistency. Governor Umo Eno restored it in 2023, maintained it in 2024, and has now assured workers that the 2025 payout will be made on or before December 20. Far from being an ad-hoc gesture, Enomber is fully budgeted, accounted for in the state’s recurrent profile, and aligned with the administration’s disciplined fiscal strategy. By giving the bonus a clear identity, Enomber the governor has anchored it as a predictable part of workers’ annual earnings.
Ultimately, the story of workers’ welfare in Akwa Ibom is a story of steady, purposeful progress. Retirees now receive their entitlements with greater confidence. Civil servants enjoy stability and clarity in earnings. Teachers and health workers are supported to deliver quality service. Elderly citizens benefit from targeted assistance, and families across the state can look forward to the year-end relief that Enomber brings.
As we move into 2026, Governor Umo Eno remains committed to deepening this progress. The goal is not only to sustain the gains achieved but to ensure they become permanent features of the state’s administrative culture. In today’s Akwa Ibom, workers are not just seen. They are valued, respected, and prioritised. Enomber stands as a testament to that commitment and a reminder that governance is at its best when it honours the people who keep the state moving.
Ekaette Okon-Joseph is a media executive and writes from Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital.
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