By Emmanuel Uffot
With the inauguration of the President and State Governors on May 29,2023 to signal the beginning of a new era in governance, it has always become the norm for newly elected presidents governors to churn out attractive people- oriented policies to woo expectant Nigerians in the case of the President and citizens and residents of respective states for the new governors.
For Akwa Ibom State, indigenes and concern stakeholders are already looking up with high expectations on what
Governor Umo Eno’s administration will show case for the betterment of the people in line with his campaign promises as he mounts the saddle of leadership.
The governor is coming to office armed with his pre-election pet- ARISE Agenda which is an anchronym for Agricultural Revolution, Rural Development, Infrastructural Maintenance/Advancement, Security Management and Educational Advancement.
Akwa Ibom State is a state endowed with vast arable land vested with natural resources begging to be tap. Previous governments have often made attempts to place agriculture as one of their focal point given its importance given its importance not only in providing food sufficiency and boosting the economy, but also serving as alternative platform for youth empowerment. But unfortunately, because of political pecuniary interest, there has been lack of sincere commitment to make it the mainstay of our economy as it was in the time past before the discovery of crude oil.
The immediate past government of Mr Udom Emmanuel made considerable strides in this direction through the Green House agricultural revolution that witnessed the planting of crops like tomatoes, onions, pineapple and cash crops like cocoa among others using the Technical Committee on Agriculture and Food Sufficiency as a vehicle.
Laudable as these agricultural initiatives of the former governor was, but it still didn’t achieved the desired goal of food sufficiency especially in the targeted crops.
So it is suggested Governor Eno in his pursuit of agenda of agricultural revolution captured in The ARISE Agenda, look beyond that by deepening the agricultural initiatives of his predecessor to implant footprint in that direction.
One of the ways of doing this is to collapse the various Agricultural agencies and committees set up by previous governments to work in synergy with the state Ministry of Agriculture. Some of these were Technical Committee on Agriculture and Food Sufficiency, Akwa Ibom Agricultural Development Programme, Akwa Ibom Enterprise Employment Scheme ( AKEES) that specifically saddled with the responsibility of employing youths and adults in farm plantations as well as Agricultural Equipment Hiring Enterprise. Like the common saying, too many cooks spoil the brook, these agencies and committees, in time past were working at cross purposes with the state Ministry of Agriculture.
Sadly, this had been the bane of the success of many agricultural initiatives embarked upon by successive governments. It is in the light of this that many Akwa Ibomites want the governor to streamline the duties of these agencies and make them work in harmony for common goal.
Still under agriculture, it is my opinion that the government of Pastor Umo Eno take a look at the agricultural potentials of some Local Governments with a view to deepening the cash crops inherent in those areas in abundance.
For instance, Ikono/ Ini local governments that have rice in abundance is begging for Governments intervention through investments. So government should look into that area known as the food basket of Akwa Ibom State by not only empowering farmers and youths in these areas to go into rice farming but also set up rice mills that would go a long way to cater for domestic consumption and export to other states and derive revenue especially now that Nigerians have come to identify with local ( Nigeria) rice.
Not only that, my advice is that his government should also take a cursory look at investments in palm oil with focus on Oruk Anam, Etim Ekpo and Ukanafun and also fisheries and other sea food in Oron, Eket, Ibeno and Ikot Abasi axis.
The other area the new government should deepen Investment in is industrialisation which was one of the key pillars of his predecessor’s administration.
It is pertinent that the Governor should in line with the hype continuity agenda of Mr Emmanuel administration ensure the functioning of notable industries like, the Kings Flour Mill, Jubilee Syringe Manufacturing Industry, Electric Digital Metering Solutions Company, Plywood/ Timber Factory all in Onna, St Gabriel’s Coconut Refinery in Mkpat Enin, Mimshack Automobile Factory and Tissue Paper Production Factory both in Itu , Petrochemical Plant in Eastern Obolo, BUA Refinery in Ibeno, Starch Manufacturing Company in Oruk Anam and Fertilizer Blending Factory in Abak among others. It is advisable that the governor place emphasis on completion and making these companies work in optimum capacity clear the mind of some people who nurse the notion that most of these companies do not exist.
Apart from this, my candid advise is for the governor to initiate the establishment of at least two cottage industries especially in local governments that have not enjoyed government presence. This will go a long way in creating employment and curb prevailing rural- urban migration. Still on industrialization, the new government will do well by taking another look at the Moribund Industries that were established by the government of late Dr Clement Using during his tenure as the first civilian governor of Cross River State. Some of these industries that are there begging for rehabilitation are, Biscuits and Batteries industries in Ikot Ekpene, Asbestos in Oron, Plastic Crown and Qua Steel in Eket. In addition to that, Governor will leave a lasting legacy if he collaborates with the Federal Government to revive the multi- billion Naira Aluminium Smelter Company in Ikot Abasi and Newsprint Manufacturing Company in Oku Iboku, Itu Local Government.
Other major projects that the new government in Akwa Ibom should look into with a view to completing them are, Ibom Deep Seaport, Ibom Power Plant and Science Park. These laudable projects that were conceptualized by previous governments are there begging for attention. So Akwa Ibom people both at home and in diaspora would want to see these abandoned projects completed given their economic importance.
On infrastructural development which is captured in The ARISE Agenda, even as previous governments dating back to Obong Victor Attah have done wonderfully in the area of road construction, the new government should go a step further by taking road construction to the rural areas to open to make them accessible in line with his rural development pillar in ARISE Agenda. Aside roads, effort should also be geared towards massive rural electrification and provision of boreholes in rural communities that have none. Doing this will trigger development in those areas, improve their economy and curb urban drift.
Another important area, this government should look into is public transportation ( intra- state). This initiative is very important now than ever before giving the high cost of fuel triggered by the removal of fuel subsidy. In the light of this, my suggestion is for the government to buy luxury buses like the urban mass transit buses currently use in conveying workers and deploy them to ply Uyo to accessible local government areas like Eket, Ikot Ekpene, Oron and Abak at affordable fares.
Still on transportation, my suggestion is that Governor Umo Eno should revive water transportation like was then before the construction of Calabar- Itu Road. This can be down by acquiring modern fast moving ferries to ply Oron- Calabar route also at affordable fares. This will not only serve as an alternative but will cushion the harrowing experiences commutters are facing in the deplorable Calabar- Itu Road which remains the only land route connecting Akwa Ibom with Cross River States.
Again, just like the immediate past government created a mark as the first and only state government in Nigeria to run a functioning airline ( Ibom Air), Governor Eno should by way of a unique venture build state government petrol stations like the current NNPC mega stations to sell petroleum products at relatively lower prices than what is obtained at the regular private petrol stations. The petrol stations should be sited two each in major local governments like Ikot Ekpene, Oron, Eket, Abak, one each in others like Ikot Abasi, Nsit Ubium, Ibeno, Ibesikpo Asutan, Ikono, Nsit Ibom and Oruk Anam among others and three state mega stations in Uyo capital city.
It is also significant to note that Akwa Ibom State enjoyed relative peace devoid of insecurity that has eclipsed many states in the last eight years of Udom- administration, is is pertinent that the current government understudy the modalities put in place by that government to achieve that. It is laudable that he is already looking towards that direction of sustaining peace and security in the state by creating a new Ministry of Internal Security manned by a retired Major General.
However, one of the key ways of achieving peace and rancor free society in my reckoning is for the new government to run an inclusive government devoid of party partisanship and nepotism. This will not only promote peace but will create a conducive environment for his ARISE Agenda and other people- oriented projects and policies to thrive for the good of the people of the state.
Perhaps the decision of the governor to convene a summit on The ARISE Agenda recently which had technocrats and different stakeholders in diverse sectors participating could be seen as a positive step towards his government not only deepening his ARISE Agenda blueprint but looking beyond it.
Uffot, a journalist based in Uyo writes for Scroll.
