The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has called on Nigerians to take responsibility for maintaining and protecting government facilities within their communities.
He appealed while commissioning projects in Ika Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, emphasizing that community ownership of public infrastructure will discourage vandalism and promote more development.
Akpabio, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr Jackson Udom, said government projects are meant for the benefit of the people, and protecting them would encourage further investments from all levels of government.
He also reaffirmed the commitment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to delivering democratic dividends to all Nigerians.
According to him, "My duty as your representative in the Senate is to ensure that I bring projects that you ask for in the overall good of the people.
“You, as the beneficiaries of these projects, owe the government a duty to protect the facilities so they won’t be vandalised or destroyed by enemies of progress."
Akpabio also warned against the mindset that public property can be neglected or vandalised simply because it belongs to the government.
"If you say, ‘after all, it is government property, let us vandalise it,’ are we all not government?" he asked.
"That means you are also destroying your own property. And by doing so, you’ve only succeeded in discouraging government from doing more for your community."
He assured the people that the Bola Tinubu administration will continue to deliver democratic dividends at the grassroots level.
"This current administration of President Bola Tinubu is one with a human face. The President recently approved that 1,000 Nigerians from every ward across the country should be financially empowered to boost their economic power at the local level," Senator Akpabio said.
Earlier, a member of the National Communications Commission (NCC), Chris Okorie, assured the Senate President of continued support for President Tinubu, Akpabio himself, and Akwa Ibom Governor Umo Eno in future elections.
Projects commissioned by the Senate President during the visit include an eight-classroom block and an ICT centre at St. Augustine Secondary School, Ika LGA; a 12-classroom block at Community Secondary School; and an ultra-modern market in Uruk-Ata 2, Etim Ekpo LGA.
