A’Ibom exco members for retreat

Governor Udom Emmanuel will open a retreat for members of the Akwa Ibom State Executive Council today. A statement by Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Ekerette Udoh, said the retreat would focus on industrialisation towards sound economic development of the state.

The statement stated that the governor had earlier declared his commitment to leverage on the efforts of his predecessor, Godswill Akpabio, to continue with Akwa Ibom’s transformation to a modern state, complete with world-class infrastructure that attracted encomiums from the American government, as well as leading local and international institutions.

To achieve this, the Udoh said the new governor had set up a technical committee on Agriculture and Food Sufficiency, Technical Committee on Ibom Deep Seaport. He noted and that on Monday, July 13, a technical committee on Foreign Direct Investment would be inaugurated while a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a plant to assemble luxury cars, ambulances and fire trucks in Itu would also hold same day.

While setting up the technical committee for the realisation of the deep seaport project recently, Emmanuel had stated; “Ibaka Deep Seaport is an audacious attempt to re-write the maritime story of Akwa Ibom State. It holds the promise of an industrial revolution of our state. It holds the promise of the industrialisation of Akwa Ibom.

It holds the promise of the creation of over 100,000 jobs. It holds the promise of a self-sustaining commercial city with oil and gas support services. It holds the promise of our finally tapping into our awesome and largely untapped maritime potential.”

He added that the ease of doing business in Akwa Ibom was evident in the fact that the government had developed an industrial data bank on raw materials and natural resources that were available in the state, to assist investors make informed choices