‘Revalidation of co-operative societies will boost AIbom IGR’

The member representing Esit Eket/Ibeno State Constituency in Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, who also doubles as Chairman, House Committee on Rural Development and Public Utilities, Dr. Usoro Akpanusoh, has said that proper revalidation and categorisation of co-operative societies will boost the state’s Internally-Generated Revenue (IGR).

Akpanusoh stated this in Uyo shortly after a meeting during which the committee scrutinised and perused the MDAs 2020 budget proposals to determine important areas while also ensuring that some grey areas of the proposals are well aligned to ensure prompt approval and effective implementation when passed into law. He frowned at the unprofessional methods through which government loans are given to cooperatives without proper documentation, analysis and verification.He urged the Special Adviser to Governor Udom Emmanuel on Bureau of Rural Development and Co-operatives, Mrs. Ekemini Umoh, to see to the effective revalidation of all co-operatives.through partnership with the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Dr. Glory Edet, whose office is said to be in charge of loans’ disbursement.

Akpanusoh revealed that the committee on Rural Development and Public Utilities during a meeting discussed the need for the Bureau for Rural Development and Co-operatives to ensure that at least two rural roads are graded per federal constituency to engender urban-rural integration where the locals can easily move to the towns and most incredibly the state’s capital city to sell their wares and goods.

Earlier, Umoh, while applauding the committee for considering scrutiny of the 2020 budget proposals pertinent for effective budgeting and implementation, appealed to the committee for a provision in the proposed budget to include three units of 3.5MVA generating set for use at the secretariat. She said that electricity supply at the state secretariat was from the only malfunctioning generator in use.

Also, during the committee’s deliberation on the budget proposal by the Ministry of Lands and Water Resources, Akpanusoh also harped on the need for the ministry, headed by Ime Ekpo, to build a synergy with Epbraim Inyang’s Ministry of Works, Special Adviser on Power, Mmeyene Etukudoh and Bureau of Rural Development and Co-operatives, to ensure that proper compensations are paid to deserving rural settlers whose houses are demolished and affected in the course of constructing new roads and other developmental activities in the hinterland.

Ekpo observed that most of the water board channel pipes are broken without proper replacement or re-channelling of the pipes to avert future havoc, stressing that even those whose houses are affected have been calling on the government for aid.