Akwa Ibom @ 32: Well-meaning Akwa Ibom Persons Must Join Hands In State Building – Akan Okon

Mr. Akan Okon, Hon. Commissioner Ministry of Economic Development and Ibom Deep Sea Port in this interview with our Team threw more light on the efforts made by Governor Udom Emmanuel’s administration to realize the Ibom Deep Seaport project. He also took a swipe at Akwa Ibom at 32 and urges citizens to support the Governor to build a virile and more prosperous state for the benefit of the people.
Excerpts.
Your new portfolio as commissioner for economic development has the Ibom deep seaport as an addendum. Why the new addition?
Thank you, I will start by telling you that Governor Udom Emmanuel is very passionate about developing Akwa Ibom State and he believes that our youths must work hard to make a decent living. As You are awareEconomic development is everything that government can conceive because there must be an improvement in the wellbeing and standard of living of the people by ensuring that jobs are created, maintained and sustained.
Again, the development of a seaport in any community or society comes with a lot of impact, in terms of employment opportunities and economic boom. An example is Lagos state. So imagine if we have a seaport in Akwa Ibom State, then that will replicate for us what seaport is doing for Lagos State. That project is not Akwa Ibom or Nigeria project but one the entire world is interested in its realization. I am glad that today Governor Emmanuel has invested time and resources to its realization. Upon assumption of office, he put in place a technical committee headed by Mrs. Mfon Usoro saddled with the responsibility of ensuring that the deep seaport was realized. Am happy to tell you that the committee is doing well and working hard to achieve their mandate. Today we have a preferredworld-class marine company, specialists in cargo management, who today can boast of over 21 ports under their management alone in Africa. That is the bolori power china consultants.
You once ask me why the realization of the port project remains a mirage and I tell you that in Akwa Ibom State some people see every good thing coming as a mirage until it happens. When Obong Victor Attah conceptualize the Airport we have today, a lot of people dismissed his intentions but today we have the Airport. Recently, our governor Deacon Udom Emmanuel created the ministry of special duties and aviation development and people were asking what the state aviation ministry is all about, but I am happy that by 30th of February this year, Akwa Ibom got two aircrafts to its kitty as Ibom Air, owned and funded by government and two weeks from now, a third one will arrived. Today everybody is singing the praises of the Airline that has added colour to the aviation industry in Nigeria.Thus that is the same way Ibom deep seaport will go beyond a mirage to reality for people to see and believe.
What is the level of completion of the deep Sea Port and what is the fate of the Ibom super highway linking the world to theseaport?
People always ask the percentage of completion of the port and I don’t want to be misquoted here. Listen carefully; construction of the deep seaport is not like construction of a bungalow or even a three-storey building. There are a lot of paper work that is involved but I am happy to tell you that a lot of procurement have been done which has resulted in appointment of a preferred bidder for the project.
In terms of documentations and presentations, 95% of the jobs had been completed. Moments after the other 5% is done, that will herald the beginning of the construction. So far, a lot of work have been done using the best consultants we have in the maritime industry in the world to ensure that we have a seaport that will be a pride of the industry.
The Ibom super highway is ongoing with sand filling and you know funds determine the pace at which some jobs are done. Nigeria and by extension Akwa Ibom have been hit by cash crunch. However, I must thank the governor for his ability to judiciously use the little funds that is coming into the state well. He has effectively allocated funds to the various sector of the state economy and the impact is felt by the people.
Can You say precisely when construction will be commenced, is it achievable within one or two years.
Well what I will say is that given the way Nigeria was structured, I may not be precise but if the approval is just within the state government, I will tell you that it will commence next week. However as you know, the development of the seaport is in the exclusive list in which case the federal government gives approval but so far we have been given necessary approvals which have resulted in the stage we have today. I have no doubt the economic benefits we will derive once the port comes on stream so the final construction and completion is still within the scope of the federal government agency saddled with the right to do so.
Information has it that when operational Ibom Deep Seaport will be the deepest in the country how true is the assertion?
Yes it is true in terms of the draft and our deep sea port is between 17.5 and 18 meters depth, it can allow the panama vessel which is the biggest to anchor. It is a natural deep sea and that is why investors are willing to come and develop it. It gives us a lot of advantage because large vessels will freely come into the port and discharge goods.
Of course you know that this deep sea port is not standing alone, there is an industrial city attached to it. This is because our plan is not just to bring in containers of goods but also to have industries where things are also produce for export. The vessels are not expected to come in and leave empty.
The project will change the narrative of the state in terms of employment opportunities.
Akwa Ibom is 32 years now, what is your take on her progress as a state?
Thirty two years in the life of an individual shows he has attained adulthood. As a state we have not fared badly if you put it side by side with other states created before ours.
The various government we have had contributed immensely towhere we are today. Akwa Ibom progress was further enhanced by the type of leadership we have now. Emmanuel administration in particular has made a great leap in the last four years.
My message to Akwa Ibom people is that at 32 years, we have come of age and should do things in more matured ways. We should be more rationale in thinking and embrace peace and love always. Akwa Ibom is all we have and nobody will love us more than ourselves. We must be united in developing Akwa Ibom state. Every well-meaning Akwa Ibom person must join hands in state building and we must remain focused and passionate about the development of the state and ensure it is properly built in a way all of us will be proud. Akwa Ibom belong to all of us, Let us contribute and support the government to build a state in which the citizens will be the greatest beneficiaries.
Outside the Ibom Deep Sea Port, what other programme or projects is the state government doing through your ministry?
Our jobs includes embarking on programmes of activities that will add positively to the lives and wellbeing of our people. Programmes that will lead to job creation and maintenance of those jobs. Liaising with international development partners to ensure that the various opportunities that are available are brought to our state. Currently Norwegian Government is collaborating with us to improve thereproductive health system and many other international partners we are working with to ensure that we are adding value to our people. I want to thank the governor for providing the counterpart funding which made it possible for about 10 communities to benefit from the community development programme courtesy of CSDP. As a Ministry, we provide statistics and data, which help government in its developmental activities. We are interested in knowing the number of children in school and we help government to plan, the number of births daily, yearly and the number of deaths. We carry out all these to provide accurate information to help government in planning and providing services to the state.
Take a look at the future of IBOM AIR, which you helped brought to the state as a commissioner in charge of aviation then. Do you think it will survive the unpredictable and harsh aviation industry in Nigeria.
I thank God for his grace for being the commissioner in charge of the ministry of special duties and aviation when the project was conceived and delivered inspite of the criticism and blackmails that trailed its arrival. I thank God that majority of those that were criticizing Governor Udom Emmanuel for going into the Airline business are the ones flying the Airline. People now fly to Lagos and Abuja and return same day. There have increased productivity for businesspersons in our clime. People now cut costs of accommodation in Abuja/Lagos by having direct flights to and from same day and it connotes increased productivity for companies. I have no doubt that the Airline has come to stay, people daily give testimonies of their experiences. The service delivery of IBOM AIR is high and in the next couple of days, I believe thier routes will further be increased with the addition of Lagos-Abuja, Abuja-Lagos routes. I strongly believe that before the end of the year, we will have additional Aircrafts, the Airline has come to stay and it is a pride for every Akwa Ibom people. This is one project everybody is happy with including those in the opposition parties in the state because they enjoy the services offered by the Airline and with what we see so far, the Airline will be a big success.
We can still recall that your era in the aviation ministry witnessed several milestones at improving facilities at the Victor Attach international Airport.Please can you recall some of the innovations.
Yes, it was in my time that we have to remodel, expand, restructured the departure hall, and even added new conveniences at the hall owing to the increase in the number of passengers and flights to the state. We enhanced security at the airport by erecting parameter fence.
We built another commercial building housing two eateries, a pharmacy and gift shops very closed to the terminal building. So people have more convenient places to relax and wait for their flight. The second runway was also completed with the laying of macadam. The runway marking was done in addition to building a better block and improving the power substation in the Airport. We also made presentation and got approval to erect another new terminal building.
My message to Akwa Ibom people is that 32 years, we have come of age and should do things in more matured ways. We should be more rationale and embrace peace and love always. Akwa Ibom is all we have and nobody will love us more than ourselves. We must be united in developing Akwa Ibom state. Every well-meaning Akwa Ibom person must join hands in state building and we must remain focused and passionate about the development of the state and ensure it is properly built in a way all of us will be proud. Akwa Ibom belong to all of us, Let us contribute and support the government to build a state in which the citizens will be the greatest beneficiaries.