Rewriting Akwa Ibom’s story through industrialisation

BY September 23 this year, Akwa-Ibom, created in 1987, would be 28 years old as one of the federating units of the Nigerian federation but the state still carry the toga of a “civil service state” because of lack of enough efforts by successive administrations, both military and civilian, to make the state an industrial hub.

Past governments have however tried their best in giving the state a facelift through the provision of infrastructural amenities that could attract any form of investment.

Worthy of note is the fact that, since 1999 no administration had made concerted effort at establishing industries either through Public-Private-Partnership [PPP] or resuscitating those moribund industries which were handed over to the state after it was carved out from old Cross River state; such as the Quality Ceramic, Peacock Paint, Qua Steel, Sunshine Battery among others.

Determined to make a change, the new governor, Udom Emmanuel during his campaigns told the people that, despite the infrastructural renascence the state has witnessed in the past eight years under the leadership of former governor, Godswill Akpabio, one thing was still lacking and that is the presence of industries.

In his inaugural speech on May 29, Emmanuel reminded the people of the state he would not reneged in his avowed determination to see to the industrialization of the state as such was the only sure way to the reduction of unemployment, creation of wealth and making the state less dependant on federal allocation every month.

He said, “You have kept your part of the covenant and I intend to keep my part by executing the programmes I promised my people and that is to transform the economy of the state via industrialization and sustainable Public-Private sector initiative, thereby opening up opportunities for growth and improves living standards.”

He told members of the State Executive Council during their inauguration that, “Our commitment to industrialization is irrevocable. We know that through industrialization, we shall rewrite the Akwa Ibom story in employment and wealth creation that will pump the veins of our economy to overflowing, and take us to the highest rung of economic ascendency”.

To the governor, the China experience is what he is planning for the state especially by bringing in Akwa Ibom indigenes, irrespective of ethnic, political or senatorial leanings, from within or in Diaspora to help turn around the state to an enviable position industrially.

To him, industrialization is the key to ending poverty, idle minds, going cap-in-hand to the federal government for bailout; above all, reducing the high rate of Akwa Ibom youths becoming ‘executive beggars’, but employees and employers of labour.

“I promised you industries and the industries are here for I don’t belong to the hue of subterfuge politicians of the old that have given a bad name to the practice. I belong to the modern era of God-fearing leadership that speak truth to power and truth to the electorates.”

Walking the talk
Indeed the first one-month of Udom’s administration has proved that the governor is living his vision for the state. The constitution of a Technical Committee on Ibaka Deep seaport with a mandate and timeframe and headed by a reputable expert in the Maritime industry, many observed, was a pointer to the governor’s industrialization plan. The 10-man Technical Committee of men and women of proven integrity is headed by former Maritime Academy and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Director-General, Barrister Mfon Usoro.

Also, as a way of opening up the State and encouraging investors, he has set up an 11-man Technical Committee on Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) with an internationally celebrated auditor, Gabriel Ukpeh as the head. Ukpeh is a partner as Risk Quality Leader for Africa at Price Water House Cooper (PWC). Some of the members like Akan Udofia, Larry Esin and Udeme Uffot etc are people whose valuable global contacts would be leveraged on to improve the economic fortunes of the state.

As earlier promised, the governor has performed the groundbreaking ceremony of an assembling plant that would assemble trucks, fire trucks, ambulances and even luxury cars. The plant, which is located in Itu council area of the state, has prospects to employ thousands of Akwa Ibom persons. Of course, this is in addition to the many other economic engagements that the industry would stimulate both within that environment and the state.

The governor’s readiness to make his promises to Akwa Ibom people a reality is noticeable even in the 22 members of the executive council that were sworn-in on May 6, 2015. One could deduce from those appointments that Udom was not going to sacrifice competence and integrity on the altar of ineptitude and mediocrity. The likes of Dr. Dominic Ukpong, a retired Country Director on Medical Services with Exxon Mobil as Commissioner for Health, a renowned Associate Professor of Economics, Dr. Emmanuel Ating Onwioduokit who is the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Development and others are evidences that the administration is ready to change the old believe that ‘politics is a dirty game’.

In furtherance of his determination to ensure that Akwa Ibom youths are meaningfully engaged, the governor has proposed to train 1,000 youths in Oracle Database Software Management to avail them with knowledge that would make them self reliant. He has pledged to send about 100 indigenes of the State to Israel to acquire skills on mechanized farming as well as fulfill their spiritual quest of Christian Pilgrimage. It is believed that when these youths are well trained, they would return to add value to the mechanized agricultural revolution that government is enunciating as a policy. A timeline of end of July has been put for the commencement of the training to underscore government’s seriousness.

Within this period under review, the seriousness of governor Udom
Emmanuel towards diversifying the state economy is never in doubt no day passes without one committee or other being set up towards achieving this. Another of such is a 10-man Technical Committee on Agriculture and Food Sufficiency headed by Prof. Edet Udo with a corporate guru, Udom Inoyo of Exxon Mobil as vice chairman. This approach is in tandem with the governor’s campaign promise in which he identified areas within the State, which he said would become food baskets not only for the state but also for the nation.

The governor has already shown proof that the state nomenclature as civil service state is set to change to an industrial hub and that the time is now. It was such drive that charges the governor to visit Peacock Paint Industry, a cottage industry that was established by the administration of Dr. Clement Isong in the 1980s. The visit was followed up by his Commissioner for Investment, Commerce and Industry, Emmanuel Enoidem who has assured the management of the moribund paint industry that, within the next one month, the machines is the company would start roaring again.

According to Joe Inodu, a public analyst, “As we hopefully await the shinning lights of industrialization, the chiming engines roaring out from machines with billows of smoke emitting from the industrial enclave, let us thank God that the right man arrived at the right season to change our industrial narrative”.