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.”
