President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has called on Nigerians to take ownership of government projects in their communities and protect them against vandalism.
Hikaya Newspaper reports that he made the appeal on Tuesday while inaugurating several projects in Ika Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom, according to a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom.
Akpabio said his duty as a lawmaker want to ensure that projects requested by the people were delivered for their benefit. He stressed that communities had a responsibility to safeguard such facilities, warning that neglect or vandalism would only discourage government from executing more projects. “If you say it is government property, let us vandalise them. Are we not all government? Destroying them means destroying your property,” he noted.
The Senate President also reaffirmed the commitment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to deliver the dividends of democracy to Nigerians. He described the current government as “one with a human face” that is determined to make life easier, particularly for ordinary citizens. He cited Tinubu’s recent approval to financially empower 1,000 Nigerians in every ward across the country to strengthen local economies.
Earlier, a community leader and National Communications Commission member, Chris Okorie, pledged continued support for President Tinubu, Akpabio, and Governor Umo Eno. Among the projects inaugurated by Akpabio were an eight-classroom block and ICT centre at St. Augustine Secondary School in Ika, a 12-classroom block at Community Secondary School, and a modern market in Uruk-Ata 2, Etim Ekpo Local Government Area.