AKWA IBOM GOV CLEARS AIR ON ‘HAPPY HOUR’ POLICY
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By Sunmisola Shodayo
Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has elucidated that his “Happy Hour” comment was misinterpreted, emphasizing that it was never intended to imply that the government would fund drinking sessions for civil servants.
During an appearance on Arise Television on Friday, Eno articulated his intended meaning behind the phrase.
“I think it was taken completely out of context. Happy hour is, I believe, that if you work hard, you must find time occasionally to relax. Like today, I’ve been working since Sunday back-to-back till Friday.
“And I said today, I just want to relax. I want to go to the Arise Park, spend time, and look at what’s going on. That, for me, is my happy hour. That, for me, is my happy hour. Just time to refresh, to relax. And it wasn’t really meant to be time to go get drunk.”
The governor remarked that celebrations could manifest in various forms and were not exclusively associated with alcoholic beverages. He dismissed assertions that the state was financing such activities.
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“Every time you have an achievement and you celebrate, that’s happy hour. You have happy hour in church. You have happy hour everywhere.”
When questioned about reports indicating that his administration supposedly allocated N18 billion for happy hour, Eno expressed astonishment.
“What kind of happy hour is that? I don’t know. I don’t have such subhead in my budget.”
Nonetheless, he concurred with the host, who playfully referred to him as the “happy governor. ”
“I am happy. And we all seem to be a happy state. We are happy people,” he stated.
Eno’s clarification follows months after his “happy hour” campaign commitment incited considerable debate during the 2023 gubernatorial election.
The controversy re-emerged due to online assertions that his administration had earmarked billions for the initiative; allegations the governor has now categorically refuted, maintaining that no such line item is present in Akwa Ibom’s fiscal documentation.
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