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Tag: Akwa Ibom

  • NLC demands prosecution of ghost workers

    The Akwa Ibom chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called for the prosecution of all perpetrators of ghost workers syndrome in the nation’s public service.

    Chairman of the council in the state, Mr Etim Ukpong, made the call in Uyo on Friday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    Ukpong decried that over the years, different tiers of government had complained of ghost workers but that no perpetrator of the act had been identified or punished.

    He said that he would like to see the payroll officers and their supervisors prosecuted in the court and jailed if found culpable, to serve as deterrent to others.

    Ukpong decried a situation where the government could not pay workers and pensioners promptly and regularly, because of bloated wage bill occasioned by ghost workers syndrome.

    He expressed the hope that with the use of bank verification number and biometric capturing, the problem of ghost workers would be eliminated in Nigeria.

    On non-payment of pensioners in the state, Ukpong regretted that primary school teachers, who retired in June, 2015, only got one month’s pension a year after.

    “We have the issue of pension mostly in local government, direct local government workers and primary school teachers.

    “Direct state workers in ministries do not have serious problem and the government has been meeting their obligation,” Ukpong said.

    He, however, disagreed with the state government that pensioners were not owed, saying that the unpleasant condition of the pensioners forced them to form associations like “Local Government Retirees’ Pensions Group’’ and “Retired Teachers’ Pension Group’’.

    He disclosed that some retirees had been swindled by persons claiming to have access to the state government and would cause their entitlements to be paid.

    “We want to request our senior citizens, the retired workers, whether from local government, teachers or anywhere, that the NLC is working to ensure that all retirees are paid,” Ukpong said.

    He commended the state’s House of Assembly for intervening in the lingering problem of non-payment of pensioners by setting up a seven-member committee to resolve the problem.

    “Our position in the NLC is to agitate for workers in the state; I am very happy because the state has really come to listen to these issues.

    “The House of Assembly ad hoc committee is headed by a former labour chairman in the state, Udo Kerian-Akpan, now representing Oruk-Anam State Constiuency,” Ukpong said.

    He said that there was another committee working on verification of the actual number of pensioners in the state, and that he would cause the list to be pasted at NLC House.

    He expressed the hope that retirees in the state would be paid their entitlements promptly when the verification exercise was completed.

     

  • Akwa Ibom hails Obong varsity on youth development

    Akwa Ibom hails Obong varsity on youth development

    The Akwa Ibom State Government has lauded the management of Obong University in Obong Ntak for training youths with good character and moral values, in addition to equipping them with knowledge and skills.

    Its Commissioner for Works, the Ephraim Inyang-eyen, spoke when school’s management team visited him. He said the state needed educated youths with integrity to change its fortunes for good.

    He reassured the team that Governor Udom Emmanuel would construct the roads in the university before the convocation next year.

    He said: “We see Obong University as a critical stakeholder in our bid to provide qualitative education for our youths.  It is heart-warming to note that as a faith-based institution, which is imparting secular knowledge on students, the school places a high premium on character development. Since the school is complementing the government’s efforts in training valuable manpower, we are duty-bound to support its development. That is why we have decided to ensure that we construct internal roads within Obong University next year. Before the next convocation, the roads would have been completed.”

    The Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Udoudo Ekanemesang, said the visit was motivated by the need to discuss areas of collaboration between the university and the government.

    He hailed Gov. Emmanuel for pledging to construct access roads in the school, noting that the gesture was a confirmation of the government’s determination to promote public-private partnerships.

    The VC said the university would make valuable contributions in the areas of research and manpower.

  • NBTE approves new institute in Akwa Ibom

    The Federal Government has licensed Maurid Institute of Management and Technology, Oron, Akwa Ibom State, to operate as an innovation enterprise institution.

    This was announced in a letter to its proprietor signed by the Executive Secretary, National Board for Technical Education, (NBTE), Dr. Ma’saud Kazaure.

    According to the letter, admission of students into the approved programmes should commence from 2015/2016 academic session.

    The letter reads: “Please note that this approval is subject to the institution’s strict compliance with the Federal Government’s terms and conditions governing the operations of innovation enterprise institutions.

    “The approval is also subject to you admitting not more than one stream of 30 students for the programme.

    “Admission of students into the approved programmes should commence from the 2015/2016 session, otherwise the approval to commence the programme lapses. Therefore, the admission can only be allowed to take place after a fresh resource inspection visitation has been carried out at the instance of the institution.

    “The approved programme will be due for initial accreditation when the first set of the students are in the third or fourth semester of study.

    “The operational licence of the establishment of the institution will be presented to you at a date to be communicated to you later.”

  • Udom prudent with Akwa Ibom resources, says Udoh

    Udom prudent with Akwa Ibom resources, says Udoh

    Mr. Ekerete Udoh is the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Akwa Ibom Governor Udom Emmanuel. In this interview with  Kazeem Ibrahym, he speaks on the efforts being made by the governor to diversify the economic base of the state away from oil and what the people should expect from the administration in terms of infrastructural development. 

    You had an interesting career in journalism. Can you tell us about it?

    I have been in journalism for about 31 years.  I pioneered a genre in Nigerian Journalism in 1985 called Romance and Society. I became possibly one of the youngest columnists in any national newspaper. That was the Sunday Times which as at that time was the highest selling weekly in Nigeria under the editorship of Chike Okafor. I started writing a column called ‘Stories that touched the heart’. A year later I was invited to join Concord and that column ran in Concord for almost 10 years. Sometimes in 1989 I got invited by a very good friend of mine who today is the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachukwu. He asked me to come join him to set up a magazine called Hints. The Hints magazine was by far in the 90s the most successful, popular and profitable magazine in this country.

    Dr. Ibe Kachukwu was the publisher and I was the editor. I have written columns in practically in every national newspaper in this country. I don’t think there is anyone that I have not contributed or written columns. Until about a year and half ago, I was a columnist with This Day. I wrote that column for five years. It is called Diaspora Perspectives which was like a bridge across the Atlantic.

    In late 1996 I left for United States. I decided to pursue other things. Of course, I updated my skills because in life you have to constantly update your skills. Even if you had a bachelor somewhere else you still needed to update your skills. Journalism, being what it is, I have never left the media.

    I set up a newspaper in New York which was called the Diaspora Style and it became, without sounding immodest, the most powerful newspaper that dealt with issues concerning the African Diaspora community. We ended up being media partner to the Obama campaign because in United States there is what we called the ethnic media. In the USA, I think there are about conservatively 10 to 15 million Africans who went to USA, became citizens and they are all part of the United States.  My magazine was targeted at that particular audience and there is no political party whether Democratic or Republican that will not reach out to any solid constituent because 15 million people can swing an election.

    What party did you have affiliation with in the U.S.?

    I am a registered Democrat and my sympathies are for the Democratic Party. In spite of the fact that I lived in the United States, I was not disconnected from Nigeria. I was always coming to Nigeria. At a point in time, people didn’t know whether I was living in America or not. I was always here and I bought into the vision of former Governor Godswill Akpabio. I did a lot of media relations for that government, particularly from the Diaspora angle. I was the media consultant for four years.

    At what point did you finally return home?

    When the financial services expert Mr. Udom Emmanuel was appointed the Secretary to State Government and the speculation started making the rounds that he was likely going to be the next governor of Akwa Ibom State,  I said to myself the time had come for me to come back home fully and finally to be a part of what I believed was going to be a mass movement of people with ideas, people that are going to think outside the box. The governor and I are from the same part of the world. We are from the same community and I felt it is a thing of joy that an astute manager of resources was going to be the governor of Akwa Ibom.

    So, I came back late 2013 and when the then SSG Mr. Udom Emmanuel put himself in the ring, I joined the campaign as a Director of Media and Publicity. We crisscrossed the entire 31 Local Government Areas of the state. Thank God the good people of Akwa Ibom saw certain qualities that would move this state forward in him and they entrusted their fate in Mr. Udom Emmanuel. At the end of the successful election, the governor was kind enough to believe that I could add a little bit of value and invited me to his media team as the Senior Special Assistant on Media/Chief Press Secretary to the Governor. So far, it has been a wonderful ride.

    Do you think Governor Udom Emmanuel is fulfilling some of his campaign promises to Akwa Ibom people?

    Absolutely so; the governor came in with a five-point agenda. The major part which was based on industrialisation, the governor has done that part with enthusing zeal. Shortly after he was sworn in, Governor Udom Emmanuel set up technical committee on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) headed by Mr. Gabriel Ukpe as the Chairman and others. They have signed numerous Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs). The governor is of the opinion that you have to diversify. Why we are where we are today is because our leaders in the past refused to diversify because of the monies from oil. The governor is of the opinion that you cannot run an economy that is based on one product.

    The governor has done a lot in agriculture. If you look at what is going on in the country, even payment of salaries of workers is a huge problem to some state governments. Governor Udom Emmanuel has done so well in the sense that Akwa Ibom is one state in the country where salaries of workers are not being owed by the government. He has achieved that by deploying his skills as a financial services expert. He has also maintained some of what the immediate past governor started like the free and compulsory education. Kids under one to five years are still given free medical care. The aged and pregnant women are also given free medical attention.

    There is a new turn in governance.  He has done over 250 km of roads in the state. A lot of places that were affected by flood water, the governor has addressed that and made it motorable. The governor is also embarking on a lot of capital projects. The governor deserved to be commended and applauded.

    How would the governor eradicate poverty in the short run since those industries are for long term period?

    I am sure you have been following the governor’s activities. The small scale loans the governor is giving to farmers and market women. That is still ongoing. That is a vital area that can immediately impact the lives of the people. Akwa Ibom is one of the few states that have given small scale loans to people across the board.

    Pensioners of Local Government recently protested over unpaid gratuities while the state government claimed it does not owe the pensioners. Why?

    The governor came out to address the world that he does not owe any worker. It is just the machination of certain elements that still do not want to believe that the 2015 election is a settled affair and some of those elements still believe that the more they agitate for certain things that would never be may be the more they would draw some mileage out of it. The state government has nothing to do with payment of salaries and pension of local government workers.

    Are you now saying the protest was politically motivated?

    Absolutely so, I will not mention the name of any political party but the protest is orchestrated by certain elements.

    We also heard that the governor has banned protest across the state, how true is that?

    Another lie from the pit of hell. Another manufactured subterfuge. The governor wouldn’t say that. We are living in a democratic environment where you have the freedom and right to agitate for certain needs. What the governor said was if you are being used by certain element to cause public disaffection and that it is illegal assemblage, then you have broken the law. You know we cannot live in a chaotic society where anybody can wake up in the morning and begin to block the road.

    For you to protest there must be police permit. That was not done. It was just a rented crowd of certain elements and the governor as the chief security officer of the state said he won’t allow people to cause public disaffection. So, the governor didn’t say that he is banning protest but illegal protest is what the governor is against. I don’t think there is any government in the world that will fold its arms and watch people cause public disaffection.

  • The Akwa Ibom rape case

    For reasons hard to understand, incidents of rape have continued to be on the rise. I have read so many rape stories, including bizarre ones like fathers sleeping with their daughters and instances where men raped even toddlers that I never reckoned that I would be shocked by any other case.

    However, I have found it difficult to get over a report last week about a Police Inspector in Akwa Ibom who raped a secondary school girl at gun point.

    The 15-year-old girl, according to her account, was returning from a Church service when she was accosted by a police team. The Inspector reportedly pointed his gun at the girl and threatened to shoot her. He subsequently led the girl away from other team members to a dark area along the road and raped her.

    After being raped, the Inspector took the girl to the police station and detained her for some days before her uncle came from Abuja to bail her after paying N10,000.

    I know policemen are capable of all manners of abuses of the members of the public they are supposed to be protecting, but this incident beats my imagination considering the ease with which the Inspector committed the atrocity and his audacity to even detain the helpless girl until she was bailed.

    I have a daughter and can’t imagine her being subjected to the kind of dehumanisation the victim in this case has gone through. Without any inhibition, a police officer saw nothing wrong in raping a girl and detaining her.

    Chances are that the Inspector and other members of his team have been indulging in this criminal act for long and would have gotten away with this case but for the demand for justice by the girl’s uncle.

    As demanded by the uncle, the Inspector should be made to face the full wrath of the law to serve as a deterrent to other policemen who are not better than criminals they are supposed to apprehend.

    I would like to give the State Commissioner of Police, Muritala Mani, the benefit of the doubt that this case will be thoroughly investigated and the Inspector penalised.

    There have been instances where offending policemen got away with light punishment not commensurate with the offences they committed.

    Any punishment less than dismissal and prosecution will not be good enough for the irreparable damage the Inspector has done to the girl. He clearly abused his position and cannot be trusted to continue to perform the sacred duty of being a law enforcement officer in any capacity.

    The new Acting Inspector General of Police has a lot to do to redeem the image of the police in the country. Much as their condition of service may not be good enough, indulging in criminal acts will only continue to reinforce the already dented image of the police.

    Bail is supposed to be free according to police authorities and yet as much as N10,000 was collected to free a girl raped by a police officer. What kind of a friend is the police when many policemen cannot perform their duties without demanding bribes?

  • New militant group NDV announces presence in Akwa Ibom

    New militant group NDV announces presence in Akwa Ibom

    New militant group, Niger Delta Volunteers (NDV), yesterday announced its presence in Akwa Ibom State.

    In a statement by its spokesman “Commander” Ekpo Ekpo, NDV claimed responsibility for last week’s attack on gas pipeline belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Nigeria Gas Company (NGC), which supplies gas to ALSCON at Ikot Abasi in Akwa Ibom State.

    The pipeline was attacked last Thursday but the Akwa Ibom State Government and Police Commissioner Murtala Mani claimed it was a leakage.

    NDV said its professionals attacked the pipeline at 11:45 a.m to welcome President Muhammadu Buhari, who was on a 10-day vacation in the United Kingdom (UK), back in the country that day.

    The group said the current dialogue between the Federal Government and Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) should be extended to Akwa Ibom State, if the government did not want it to shut down some major platforms and flowlines in the state.

    It also vowed to move after some “selfish” paramount rulers, who it accused of conniving with oil companies to allegedly siphon money meant for community development.

    NDV said it would soon unveil its website, twitter handle and Facebook account.

    The statement reads: “We, the Niger Delta Volunteers, have condemned the recent claim by Akwa Ibom State Government that the attack on NNPC gas line was a leakage.

    “The gas pipeline belonging to NNPC/NGC and supplying gas to ALSCON at Ikot Abasi, was attacked by our professionals at exactly 11.45 a.m on Thursday, June 16, as a welcome to Mr. President. who was due in the country that Thursday, to record our grievances and announce the presence of the Niger Delta Volunteers in Akwa Ibom State to fight injustice, marginalisation and oppression for the common people.

    “It is very sad that the governor we worked for and delivered could deceive the world that the attack was a leakage; even the community around that axis can testify that it was an explosion and not a leakage, as claim.

    “It is not surprising because the government is full of deceits. We urge the state government and the State Executive Council (Exco) to deliver dividends of democracy to the people, instead of deceiving them.

    “We were shocked that the Akwa Ibom State Government, which has been crying that there is no money to pay salaries, could pay for over seven pages in The Nation on Monday, June 20 (pages 33 to 39), which is worth millions of naira, just to deceive the country about projects that are not in existence.

    “We demand that the ongoing dialogue between the Federal Government and Niger Delta militants should be extended to Akwa Ibom State; otherwise, we will shut down some major platforms and flow lines in our state.

    “Very soon, we will move after some selfish paramount rulers who connive with oil companies to siphon money meant for community development. Enough is enough.

    “Soon, we will unveil our website, twitter and facebook.”

    Mani had told reporters that the rumoured bombing was not a militant attack.

    But a highly placed source, who spoke in confidence at the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Jubilee in Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State, confirmed the attack on the NNPC pipeline.

    The source said: “Yes, there was an attack on the pipeline between Akwa Ibom and Rivers states’ boundary on Ikot Abasi–Port Harcourt Road.

    “Right now, engineers from NNPC’s Port Harcourt office are there working on the pipelines. Our officers and other security agencies are also there.”

    Also, the state government has debunked rumours of pipeline bombing at Ikot Osute in Oruk Anam Local Government Area.

    It called for calm among the residents, who might have been troubled by the rumour.

    Information and Communications Commissioner Aniekan Umanah said: “There is no iota of truth in the claims making rounds in the social media.

    He said what happened was an eruption occasioned by a leakage in an old pipeline of the NGC, which traversed the area.

    Umanah added: “No pipeline has been bombed in Akwa Ibom State. Those peddling such rumours are ignorant of the true situation in the affected area.

    “As at Thursday morning, when security operatives and officials of the state government visited Ikot Osute, the Ministry of Environment, NGC personnel and other gas companies operating the area were on site, working round the clock to ensure safety in the area.”

    The commissioner advised all to remain calm and go about their businesses without fear.

     

  • Akwa Ibom ready for Fed Govt’s N90b loan to states

    The Akwa Ibom State Government yesterday said the state will be among those to enjoy the Federal Government’s N90 billion loan facility.

    The government said it had met the “sustainability analysis” required to qualify for the loan.

    Finance Commissioner Akan Okon addressed reporters in Uyo, the state capital, on the loan facility and related matters.

    Okon, in company of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs Commissioner Victor Antai, spoke on the economy under Governor Udom Emmanuel and the management of local government finances.

    The commissioner said the government would avail itself of the window the new loan facility offered in view of the dwindling revenue and huge financial burden facing the government.

    According to him, the state received N5.3 billion as allocation from the Federation Account in May, while its wage bill was N4.8 billion, making it difficult for the state to meet its financial obligations.

    Okon said: “I want to state that in May, we received N5.3 billion and the wage bill was N4.8 billion. With this, you can see that government is in a very tight situation.

    “With the dwindling finances experienced in the state, the government has to key into the window of the new loan facility being offered by the Federal Government.”

    The commissioner said money that came from the Federation Account to the local governments was not sufficient to pay teachers’ salaries and local government employees, much less the pensioners in the local government.

    He said the state would abide by the conditions to qualify for the loan, adding that it would enable the state to meet its financial obligations.

    Okon recalled that between June, last year, and last month, the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) was only N15 billion, adding that this was not good enough in an economic recession.

    The commissioner said as part of efforts to increase the IGR, the government had introduced e-receipt payment into its business.

    He added that electronic receipt payment would eliminate or reduce leakages in government revenue.

    Okon said the electronic receipt was a strategy to enhance the collection of the IGR.

    According to him, the e-receipt was government’s initiative to block leakages in the current manual receipt issuance to tax payers and other government transactions.

    Okon said: “Funds that sometimes get lost in the labyrinth of bureaucracy will be made available to government to provide services to the people.”

    Akwa Ibom did not apply for the first phase of bailout loan given to states last year.

    The state said it was not necessary then.

  • Police refutes alleged pipeline attack in A/Ibom

    The Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom, Mr Murtala Mani, on Thursday refuted an alleged explosion of pipelines at Ikot Osutek, Oruk-Anam Local Government Area of the state by the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA).

    Mani told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Uyo that the alleged vandalism was an accident caused by a leakage in the gas pipelines.

    He said that it was a technical problem and that some engineers from Port Harcourt were working to rectify the leakage.
    Mani said that the state was safe from the activities of the militant group.

    NAN reports that the gas pipelines are owned by Nigerian Gas Company Ltd (NGC).

    Ikot Osutek community, the location of the gas pipelines, is along Ikot Abasi-Ogoni-Port Harcourt axis of the East-West Road in Akwa Ibom.

    NAN further reports that many residents of the state were disturbed by the alleged attack, due to the revelation that the militant group had vandalised 23 gas pipelines since Feb. 14 when it started attacks.

  • Fed Govt okays $7b investment in Akwa Ibom, says Kachikwu

    Fed Govt okays $7b investment in Akwa Ibom, says Kachikwu

    •Ministers meet stakeholders at town hall meeting

    The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, yesterday said the Federal Government has approved an investment portfolio of over $7 billion in the Petroleum sector in Akwa Ibom State.

    The minister noted that the approval followed what he called the relative peace the state enjoyed.

    He said: “Let me say that some of the biggest investments coming in the Petroleum sector are in fact coming to Akwa Ibom State. Right now, we are finalising the Independent Power Project (IPP) with Mobil, which will produce 500 megawatt (MW) of power.

    “A major investment is also coming, working with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to develop some facilities, including an ethanol plant. The total value of this investment is over $7 billion. It has been approved by the President. There are major investments coming your way as a result of the peace we enjoy here.”

    The Minister of Transport, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, urged the Minister of Niger Delta, Usani Uguru, to ensure the completion of the East-West Road for the development of Niger Delta.

    The minister reiterated the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari to the development of Niger Delta through the award of contract for the development of railway from Lagos-Calabar.

    He said: “I met on my table a contract awarded for $12 billion and it was not implemented. That contract was called the Lagos-Calabar railway. The Federal Government has agreed to do the Lagos-Calabar and Lagos-Kano railways.”

    On the development of Maritime Academy of Nigeria at Oron, Amaechi said the policy of the Federal Government was to upgrade the institution to an international standard.

    On the establishment of Maritime University in Okerenkoko in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State, Amaechi said he was not against the establishment of the institution but the Ministry of Transport did not have money to fund for the project.

    He said: “What I am saying is that government does not have funds for it now. The Ministry of Transport does not have money to fund a new university in Okerenkoko. Other ministries can fund it but not Ministry of Transport.”

    The Minister of Niger Delta, Usani Uguru, noted that sections 4 and 5 of the East-West Road had not been abandoned because of diversion.

    He said: “Section 4 of the East-West Road, which passes through Eket, is not abandoned. We are working on it. Let nobody be deceived by the delay as a result of the diversion. It doesn’t mean abandonment. “Also the section 5, Oron to Calabar, this delay is worth more than starting what you cannot finish. If this contract was awarded in 2013, why has it not started until now?”

    Condemning the rowdiness caused by some youths during the town hall meeting, Uguru said: “We have all seen what goes on in the town hall meetings in other regions; none has been so shameful. It is unfortunate. In the midst of that, we begin to complain about how much resources have not got to the region.

    “Why don’t you allow me apply the little we have and have a reason to complain to get more?

    “But in this circumstance, who would you convince to come and put more into it? All we keep crying to insinuate is regional discrepancies on the basis of political alignment. Have we forgotten that in the 17 years of democratic rule, people of the South took 14 years? If you see nothing wrong in the lack of development of the South, why would you see something wrong in the peace and advancement of that region? It is shameful to portray us as people who are not sensible.”

     

  • Emmanuel: I’m weathering the storm in Akwa Ibom

    Emmanuel: I’m weathering the storm in Akwa Ibom

    Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel spoke with reporters in Lagos on the challenges and constraints of governance. He said the state will build on the “uncommon transformation” by his predecessor, Senator Godswill Akpabio, through what he described as his “unequalled accomplishments.” EMMANUEL OLADESU examines the achievements of the governor and the challenges ahead.

    Two years ago, he was underrated by rivals. Although he had risen to the pinnacle of banking, he was dismissed as a political novice. The challenges that confronted him before and after his election could have thrown him off balance. The primary, the general elections and post-election litigations triggered off a legitimacy crisis. But, he weathered the storm and became the main issue in Akwa Ibom State.

    A year after he was sworn in, Governor Udom Emmanuel has reflected on his journey in politics and governance. He said the multiple distractions could make an administrator to lose focus. “If you think you don’t want to be distracted or can’t answer all manners of names, don’t come out to serve. The terrain allows for that,” he added.

    The solution is to develop a thick skin, which he has done. Having crossed the bridge from banking to politics, Emmanuel may have survived the hurdles because he has now understood the issues, which he has been confronting intellect, depth of exposure and ability to learn from the strength and weaknesses of predecessors.

    His predecessor and leader, former Governor Godswill Akpabio, may have laid the foundation for a semblance of a smooth take-off. But, reality had dawned on Emmanuel that, henceforth, he has become the carrier of a huge burden and governance could not be a tea party in the Southsouth state. Indeed, excuses for poor performance could create a hollow in a governor’s scorecard and mar the chance of his party in future elections.

    Twelve months in the saddle, Emmanuel may have started writing his own name with a choice pen in the sand of time. The various sectors are experiencing improvement. The technical committee set up for the realisation of the key projects, including the Ibom Deep Seaport, Agriculture and Food Sufficiency, and Foreign Direct Investments, is providing a road map for new developments.

    Akpabio’s slogan was uncommon transformation. Now, people are singing the tunes of unequalled accomplishments under Emmanuel. The achievements include major roads construction and dualisation, the construction of the fly-over at Ikot Oku Ikono Junction, the upgrade of infrastructure, urban and the remodeling and renewal projects. Many people have also hailed  the commercial agricultural schemes, including the Cocoa production scheme, the Agro-allied economic enhancement programmes and the implementation of capacity building programmes for workers, youths and women.

    Also, the free and compulsory education policy, the free health care service for pregnant women, children under six years and the aged, and the welfare packages for people disabilities and victims of natural disasters are achievements that5 have boosted the wellbeing of the people.

    However, the most noteworthy achievement is the consolidation of the infrastructural development. The expansion is a cardinal objective of the Emmanuel administration. With a budgetary allocation of N65.42 billion in the last year’s appropriation and N91.8 billion in this year’s budget, the construction of roads, bridges and drainages have been intensified. The governor explained that infrastructural development is a key driver of industrialisation, adding that investors and tourists are usually attracted to destinations where there is a conducive atmosphere for business operations.

    Emmanuel has a vision for a clean and healthy environment. He believes that prevention is better than cure. Thus, his policy thrust on environment and mineral resources is targeted at pollution control and waste management, flood and erosion control, forest reserve conservation, mineral resources development and awareness campaign on public attitude towards environmental protection. The beauty of the major towns is a manifestation of the translation of the vision to action.

    Shelter is an important challenge. In tackling the housing needs of the people, some proactive steps have been taken. In keeping with the recommendation of the white paper by the ‘Presidential committee on Urban Development and Housing,” the governor has ensured access to decent, safe and healthy housing facility and house ownership. He has come up with an urbanisation policy to guarantee quality housing and urban renewal services to the people.

    Many states are facing hard times. Although Akwa Ibom has oil, it can not totally rely on the lone source of revenue. As a financial expert, the governor is expected to look inward and expand the revenue base of the state. That is why the government’s policy on agriculture, industrialisation and tourism is a right step in the right direction.

    In the area of agriculture and food sufficiency, which government considers critical to the wellbeing and socio-economic transformation of the people, a lot of money has been pumped into the sector. More people are taking interest in farming. The vision of the governor is to catapult the state from a consumption-oriented economy to a market-driven economy. Following the drop in earnings from oil, there is need to diversify the economy into agriculture for increased food production and export.

    Power is also critical to economic growth. The governor is, therefore, investing in the sector. In his quest to make Akwa Ibom State an industrial hub in the gulf of Guinea, Emmanuel has been tackling the challenge of power generation to boost commercial and domestic activities.

    The governor believes that power is a technical matter. Some other issues, which are technical in nature and capital intensive, are being given special attention. The idea is to work in liaison with various project ministries/agencies to evaluate, monitor, control and verify the projects to ensure adherence to due process and achieve cost effectiveness and compliance with global standard.

    To boost investment, commerce and industry, Emmanuel said: “Our commitment to industrialisation is irrevocable. We know that through industrialisation, we shall rewrite the Akwa Ibom story in employment and wealth creation.” It has not been an empty boasting. The policy formulation and articulation are clear.  But, many believe that the Southsouth region will attract more investment, when security is fully restored. Thus, governors, traditional rulers and other stakeholders owe it a duty to pacify the militant movements so that they can embrace dialogue.

    Globally, tourism is perceived as one of the fastest growing source of revenue. It is second only to oil, which is losing its place, following the crash in the price of petroleum. It is a moment of truth for the administration. Thus, Emmanuel has come up with a development blueprint targeted at the development of culture and tourism. He said the move would foster wealth creation, youth empowerment, socio-economic transformation and direct foreign investment.

    To implement the blueprint, government has evolved policies and programmes aimed at providing the enabling environment for the attainment of the goal. The strategy is to expose the abundant natural endowment of the state to global searchlight to attract national and international patronage.

    In the last one year, Akwa Ibom has witnessed industrial peace. The governor believes that an efficient civil service is critical to the realisation of his development goals. The harmonious relationship between the government and labour is being sustained. The governor has also put in place manpower development and capacity building programmes to boost the efficiency of the civil service.

    To foster transparency and accountability, Emmanuel has put in place modalities for ensuring the continuous improvement of the machinery for sourcing, collation, accounting and utilisation of public funds.

    The governor is also sensitive to gender issues, in consonance with the vision of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. This is domesticated in his five-point agenda, leading to the sustenance of the policies and programmes for the enhancement of the welfare of women, children and the vulnerable members of the society.

    This is done in tandem with rural development. The governor explained that the rural development master plan will lead to the transformation of the rural space because it is an index of economic development. The master plan presents a holistic rural development thrust, with credible data on rural infrastructure. This forms the basis for the extension of electricity to rural communities and the provision of potable water to reduce the prevalence of water borne disease.

    As he enters his second year in office, the governor said: “The challenges ahead will be tougher, but they are not insurmountable. We will continue with the infrastructure battle, insist on probilty, transparency and accountability, and justify the confidence reposed in our administration by the people.”