Gov. Eno’s aide denies claims of financial opacity and weak budget performance in Akwa Ibom.

Special Assistant to Governor Umo Eno on Media, Revd Richard Peters, said the claim that the governor’s financial dealings are opaque is not only misleading but also shows that those spreading the allegation have not consulted the publicly available financial documents.

Reports have accused Gov Eno of maintaining opacity in his budget implementation.

Speaking in an interview in Uyo on Monday, Peters said the state’s budget performance documents, expenditure breakdowns, and allocation details are not hidden; they are in the public domain and can be accessed by journalists, analysts, and any citizen who consults verified government sources.

He noted that in every constitutional democracy, government spending does not occur in a vacuum or at the whim of any individual, but is strictly guided by an approved budget passed through the due legislative process. He stressed that every kobo spent by the administration of Governor Eno is tied to clearly defined budgetary provisions and urged critics to consult the available public financial documents.

His words: “It is misleading to suggest that funds are being spent outside structured approval channels. No state government has the legal or institutional authority to spend beyond its appropriation without recourse to supplementary processes duly approved by the legislature. Governor Umo Eno operates within this framework, fully aware that accountability is not optional but mandatory, and that every expenditure must be justified within the limits of the approved fiscal plan.”

“Beyond the budget itself, there are established fiscal responsibility frameworks and performance monitoring mechanisms that evaluate how well governments implement their budgets. These are not subjective assessments; they are carried out by regulatory and oversight bodies that track revenue inflows, expenditure patterns, and development outcomes. In 2025, the fiscal performance index reportedly stood above 80 percent, a strong indicator that implementation is largely on track and within expected benchmarks.”

“This raises a fundamental question: what exactly are critics demanding that is not already available? The accounts of state revenue, federal allocations, derivation funds, and expenditure profiles are all documented and published. Calls for accountability are valid in any democracy, but they must be rooted in facts and not in selective reading or deliberate disregard for publicly available information.”

The Media Aide also noted that there have been regular sectoral briefings across ministries, departments, and agencies, where officials provide updates on projects, policy implementation, and sectoral progress.