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Tag: Emmanuel

  • Akwa Ibom Governor, Emmanuel signs N646bn 2018 Budget

    Governor of Akwa Ibom state, Mr Udom Emmanuel, has signed the 2018 Appropriation Bill of N646.65 billion – 0.74% lower than the original proposal of N651.50 billion earlier presented to the state House of Assembly.

    The Bill which had earlier been pass into law last week was signed by the Governor at a brief ceremony at the Executive Council Chamber of the Government House, Uyo the state capital.

    According to the budget, N43.1 billion is being allotted to capital expenditure and N94.6 billion for recurrent expenditure while consolidated fund charges stand at N120.8 billion.

    In his remarks, Governor Emmanuel thanked the House and the Committee On Finance And Appropriation, for the robust deliberations which he said resulted in the speedy passage of the budget.

    He, therefore, gave the assurance that his administration will ensure full implementation of the budget.

    “I must commend the leadership of the House of Assembly and the Committee on Finance and Appropriation for the robust engagement of stakeholders which led to the timely passage of the budget.

    “Let me also thank the MDAS (Ministries, Departments and Agencies) for their contributions to the success of the entire exercise and I assure you that as a government, we will do our best to ensure full implementation of the budget”.

  • New Lagos lodge’ll cost N1.2bn and not N9.1bn – Gov Emmanuel

    The Governor of Akwa Ibom State ,Mr. Udom Emmanuel has opened up on the controversial new Lagos lodge, saying that it will cost the government N1.2 billion to build and not N9.1 billion as being maliciously claimed in some quarters.

    The governor said those who were hiding behind the cloak of cheap propaganda and blackmail to deride his administration, had limited knowledge of economics and business.

    He added that those who desired the truth know that the total estimate in the budget for the new lodge was N1.2bn and that since it was just a proposal, it could only be implemented if there was availability of funds.

    Emmanuel, who spoke with journalists at the Government House, Uyo said he was not surprised by the spate of falsehood against his programmes, maintaining that history had recorded that good intentions of world leaders had usually been misconstrued and misrepresented.

    “From the days of Moses, great leaders are always misquoted and misconstrued but God can only give vision to one leader, and the people know that at any point in time there can only be one Governor.”

    Emmanuel, who reacted to the current state of the existing Governor’s lodge in Lagos wondered if the opposition elements wanted high profile meetings with consular generals and international business executives to be held in such a dilapidated building.

    “This is a government that is trying to drive investments all over the world. Will Akwa Ibom people feel proud for me to host so many Consular Generals and investors in that kind of dilapidated building, what will it speak of the state?”

    “If in the course of looking for money, we have the money please allow us put this asset that can yield returns.”

    “Some people are that the investments should not be done anywhere outside Akwa Ibom State. So do we sell off those assets that can actually generate return?”

    He said it was so illogical to reason that investments should be restricted to the state, saying, “are they telling me that Exxon Mobil should not have left America to come and invest in Akwa Ibom?”

    Following the limited funds available, he explained that the state is run by ideas and creativity that would bring out positive results. He said Lagos held the highest return in the property market in Africa and wondered why the opposition was focused on the slant of whether the investment was in Lagos or not in Lagos.

    The governor further questioned the negative criticisms, saying, “if I can put in N1.2bn in an asset that is worth N30bn and then I can get adequate returns on those assets now that I don’t have so much money coming from crude oil, what is bad in that?”

    He said in a short time people would come to realize the gains in the decisions he was taking, maintaining that he took every decision in the interest of Akwa Ibom and Akwa Ibomites.

    Emmanuel said Akwa Ibom state had a lot of prime properties in prime areas such as Broad Street, Victoria Island, Ikoyi and other areas in Lagos.

    He stated that premium should not be on the location of the asset, but on the return on the assets, and wondered why people would criticize him by saying, “have you finished building Akwa Ibom, why go to Lagos?”

    He said the same set of people were currently criticizing the industries he was setting up in the state on the basis that they were concentrated in one region of the state, forgetting the basic rudiments of economics which harps on the essence of localization of industries.

    The governor recounted that most of the projects, such as the electricity sub-station in Uyo, and the flood control project that he had executed had been criticized at the point of conceptualization but that now, the Uyo residents were enjoying over 22 hours of power supply a day, while the flood on Nsikak Eduok Avenue was now history.

  • Gov Udom takes development to Oron

    Gov Udom takes development to Oron

    Emmanuel Nicholas

    In the past, most local Government Areas in Oron were left out by successive administrations -from military to democratic rule, in the spread of developmental projects.

    I have a deep sense of the crises, and enough to know that, it was not intentional as assumed by the masses. Rather, it was mostly out of economic constraints , though most victims of the marginalization feel it was an intentional plot to keep their locality undeveloped and to also ensure their political and economic strength is undermined, not to be energized to contend with the majority ethnic groups.

    I take exception from such faulty perceptions as one government cannot develop the entire State in its tenure, even if the administration has all the funds in the world to do so.

    Some of these local Governments which were not getting fair share from government developmental strides became very restive to both government and people from other areas of the State who were touched massively by Government’s wand of development.

    This also led to so many belligerent confrontations of government agents from the areas and those not from there. Most times, it led to physical fisticuffs and violent protests. So it will therefore be imperative for a sensitive government to shift the wheels of development to these areas to balance the equation , so that, some parts of the State will not be more developed than the others .

    When Governor Udom Emmanuel was sworn-in he promised to take development to the hinterland of the underdeveloped local Government Areas in the State.

    Barely two weeks in office, Governor Udom Emmanuel visited Oron metropolis under the rain. Speaking during the inspection, the State governor, Mr Emmanuel said he embarked on the visit on a rainy day to enable him assess erosion and flood situation in the area with a view to taking steps to control the menace which, he admitted, has ravaged the town.

    He said he is committed to restoring the economic and aquaculture life which Oron had long being known for and that he will commence the construction of drainage channels to control flood in Oron town before reaching out to the hinterland. His words: I didn’t like what I saw on one of the days I came here and it was raining. Oron used to be one of the finest ancient cities where visitors prefer to live because of its economic and aquaculture life.

    We want to restore the lost glory of Oron. Once we finish with the drainage system, we’ll rehabilitate roads and install street lights.

    One year after , Governor Udom Emmanuel’s government completed the construction outfalls drains to takeaway flood water from Oron metropolis and channel it to river basin, apart from the underground drains , he also constructed five roads in the first phase , this includes Efiat Street , Bassey lane , Bassey Street ,Awanasin , Maryanne and Post office street with water channelization to deflood the town .

    Just as he has promised to restore Oron town to his depleted glory , Akwa Ibom State Government awarded the construction of a dual carriage way from Airport Road in Uyo to Oron by East-West Road and 55.5kilometer Ibaka superhighway that will start from Ukpenekan Junction on Ibeno-eket Road to Oron town at East-West Road with large water fountain at the roundabout and fly-over to convey motorist from Uyo into Oron town ,while motorist from Eket axis will go through grounds-gate of the road.

    Apart from this two major dual carriage way, Akwa Ibom State Government has awarded the construction of five new roads. This includes Atta Street, Ebo Street, Market Street, Muritala Mohammed Road and Asbestonit Road.

    Market Street drainages will be linked to both Awana Esin Road and Post office Street, complete with water channelization to serve as outfalls drainage that will collect the flood water and channel it to the river basin.

    In Mbo Local Government Area , Governor Udom Emmanuel led administration has demonstrated a clear sense of commitment not to abandon any project started by the previous administration mobilized the contractor back to site to complete the abandoned, once very popular, Etebi Ewang Bridge, that links Esit Eket and Mbo Local Government Areas .

    Mbo Local Government is one highest beneficiary of 55.5 Ibaka-Superhighway.
    Governor Udom Emmanuel has awarded contract for the construction of the 9 kilometer Secretariat Road that traverses Eyo Ulliong- Ediko- Uduetta in Udung Uko Local Government area with spurs of about 3 kilometres. Since creation of the local Government Area, no administration in State has constructed even one kilometer of Road in the Area.

    Apart from the awarded Road the State government is also profiling Udesi road that cut across Mbo-Udung Uko –Orue Ofong Oruku Local Government Areas Respectively.
    In Okobo the State Government has awarded contract for the construction of Nung Atai Eta-Ebighi Eta-Obufi-Atabong Road with a jetty and Uruting- Eyede-Osu Offi-Afaha Osu-Otieke-Utine-Nsie Road.

    Apart from these two roads, Okobo local Government Area is also one of the local Government Areas that are beneficiary of the dual carriage-way from Uyo to East-West Road .

    In Urue Offong Oruko Local Government Area , Akwa Ibom State Government has begun the profiling two major roads for construction ,which will be flagged-off during the second anniversary of Governor Udom Emmanuel. First is construction of Ebughu-Udesi-Oruko road , which links Mbo with Orue Offong Oruko Local Government .

    When Mr Udom Emmnuel says, “I am that Oro Governor that you were looking for, we are brothers and sisters from one family, I drink from the same river so I feel the plight of the people of Oro Nation”, he means every word of it. As a focused and result oriented leader, he has awarded contract for 55.5 kilometer Road called Ibaka Superhighway to actualize Ibom Deep Sea Port Project .

    The Ibom Deep Seaport is an audacious attempt to change the maritime story of Akwa Ibom State. It holds the promise of an industrial revolution of our State. It holds the promise of the industrialization of Akwa Ibom. It holds the promise of the creation of over 300,000 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 potentials.

    The Ibom Deep Sea Port will be an industrial mix that will pump our economy to its highest calibration of performance like it is in other climes.

    In boosting her hubbies effort to develop Oron Nation , Her Excellency , Deaconess Martha Emmanuel through her pet project ,Family Empowerment and Youth Reorientation Programme (FEYReP), has laid the foundation of Sea Food Processing Factory in Ibaka Beach, Mbo Local Government Area.

    The First lady of Akwa Ibom State says that the factory is borne out of her desire to reach out to the women in the fishing communities, noting that it is in fulfillment of the campaign promises she made to the women of Oro Nation.

    She said the factory will boost economic activities of the women and will also add value to the lives of the people of the areas because it will create more job opportunities.

    These significant moves of the Governor of Akwa Ibom State are a clear testimony of a sincere and honest disposition to change the fortunes of the people of Oro nation. What the Oro nation owes to itself is full support to government that is genuinely interested in the welfare of its people.

    Governor Udom Emmanuel does not play politics with projects and he made it clear to all of sundry that is out to be leader of political and economic inclusion and not a leader of Political and economic exclusion. He says that all part of Akwa Ibom State will be touched by his Superior performance.