SEN. JOHN OWAN ENOH:
Born on June 4, 1966, at Agbokim Waterfalls, Etung Local Government Area of Cross River State, Sen. John Owan-Enoh, attended St. Gregory’s Primary School, Agbokim Waterfalls (1972 – 1978), St. Augustine’s Seminary, Ezzamgbo, Abakaliki (1978 – 1983). Thereafter, he gained admission to study Sociology in the Faculty of Social Science, University of Calabar in 1984. By 1988, he graduated with a B.Sc Hons degree in Sociology (Second Class rUpper Division). As a result of his outstanding brilliance, he was a joint winner of the Best Graduating Student Award, Sociology Department in the class of 1988.
After serving with merit as an Assistant to the Director – General, Government Administration, Governor’s Office, Abeokuta, Ogun State during the compulsory National Youth Service, Sen. John Owan Enoh returned to his alma mater, the University Of Calabar as Lecturer, Sociology Department (1991 – 1997). His stint as Lecturer brought into sharp focus the enormous challenges confronting his people and led to the deepening of an acute social conscience for service in him. By 1997, when the General Sani Abacha Political Transition Programme was in full swing, Sen. Enoh’s innate capacity for service was already well horned and found expression during the elections. He first won election into the Cross River State House of Assembly to represent Etung Constituency in 1997 under the platform of Grassroots Democratic Movement [GDM].However; the death of General Abacha led to the cancellation of the election and the initiation of a new Political Transition Programme. Again, he won a fresh mandate and represented his people in the Cross River State House of Assembly between 1999 and 2003, this time on the platform of All Peoples Party [APP].
Very early in his political life, Senator Enoh made a vow to touch as many lives as possible and to empower his people to the best of his ability. His public service track record was one that placed the highest premium on the people. He has influenced the employment of hundreds of his constituents into several ministries, agencies and statutory corporations of the federal government. His education scholarship scheme designed to bring succour to bright students from deprived background benefited thousands of students from both his constituency and senatorial district.
In 2019, a vast majority of his people and well meaning citizens of Cross River State dissatisfied with the direction the state was being led called on him to take a shot at the governorship of the State. At this time, he had left the PDP and joined the APC.After state-wide consultations, he threw his hat into the ring and emerged as the Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress(APC) in a keenly contested primary. Sen. Enoh’s campaign for the Governorship of the State was robust, total, issues driven and shook the political establishment to tits foundation.With all the contrived legal and other crises that rocked his party and followed it to the election, Sen Enoh unfortunately lost the election.In his own words: ‘when you lose an election with so much public goodwill you haven’t lost an election’.
As a worthy alumnus of University of Calabar, Senator Enoh has risen promptly on several occasions to handle issues and requests from his alma mater which he holds very close to his heart. He donated sets of computer equipment and other items upon which the Senate of the University of Calabar graciously approved the setting up of the John Owan Enoh Resource Centre. He has also supported the department of Sociology with the renovation and furnishing of its offices. Sen. Enoh has also committed resources to the expansion and improvement of the Senior Staff Club of the university.
He has attended several courses at home and abroad on capacity building in aid of his legislative work. These include a course in Public Financial Management, Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University (Executive Education), Telecoms Regulatory Master Class – Bath UK , Law Making for the Communication Sectors – BMIT, Johannesburg, South Africa and Influence and Negotiation, Stanford Graduate School of Business amongst others. Sen. Enoh is a fellow, Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, CEPACS, University of Ibadan. He was also listed as one of Nigeria’s 50 Most Outstanding Legislative Icons (1999 – 2010) in a definitive book published by Parlia Consult, a Consortium of Legislative Historians. He holds an Msc (Hons) Demography, Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM), and MBA.
Senator Owan Enoh is a voice of the voiceless, the weak and infirm, the disabled and a beacon of hope for his people.
He served as minority Leader and later Chairman, Committee on Information, Cross River State House of Assembly. He was outstanding and highly respected for his hard work and contributions at plenary. By 2003,when the call for higher service beckoned, Sen. Enoh was elected as a member of the House of Representatives on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party. During his first tour of duty as a Federal Legislator, he was Deputy Chairman, Committee on Culture & Tourism (2003 – 2005); Deputy Chairman, Committee on Appropriation (2005 – 2007). He was active on the floor of the House. Worthy of note, were his brilliant insight and remarkable contribution on the Fiscal Responsibility Act with emphasis on prompt presentation of Annual budgets within the Medium Term Expenditure Framework [MTEF].
Between 2007 – 2011, Sen. John Owan-Enoh was appointed Chairman, Committee on Finance. Under his guidance and leadership, the Committee on Finance conducted an Investigative Hearing on Non remittance of Internally Generated Revenues into the Consolidated Revenue Account by government ministries, agencies and statutory corporations. As a result of the groundbreaking work of the committee, funds in excess of N400 billion was saved for government by the committee. Given his impressive record in the House and his earned reputation as a worthy representative with a common touch, his people rewarded him with a fresh mandate for a third tenure during the 2011 general elections.During this tenure, he served as Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations,2011-2015.
After a successful stint in the House of Representatives and having acquitted himself commendably as an embodiment of legislative excellence and indeed one of the most influential voices in the House, he was under enormous pressure to contest for the senatorial seat of Cross River State Central,then held by Senator Victor Ndoma Egba,by his numerous supporters within and beyond his immediate constituency. He recontested and won a massive victory in the 2015 elections and became the distinguished Senator representing Cross River Central and Chairman Senate Committee on Finance. As chairman of a Senate Joint Committee, he investigated allegation that System Specs, a software provider charged 1 per cent for transferring 2.5trillion to TSA and in effect deducted billions of naira as commission. As a result of his work, the Senate slashed the 7.6 billion accrued charges to System Specs, Commercial banks and the Central Bank of Nigeria for transfers to Treasury Single Account.
Sen. John Owan Enoh was voted Senator of the year 2016 in Cross River State in the first ever assessment of the Senate by the National Assembly based CSOs on profiling, Data-Bank Management and Leadership Assessment – Centre for Nigeria Leadership Perspective, CENLEP NASS.
He became the 36th Minister of Sports Development after his appointment by His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on the 21st August 2023,then redeployed to the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, as the Honourable Minister of State for Industry.
He is happily married to and blessed with children.
