A’Ibom Speaker explains Govt’s industrialization agenda

“ ...Gone are the days people took public funds as political gratis”

Speaker of Akwa Ibom state House of Assembly, Hon. Samuel Ikon has called on indigenes to avail themselves of the N20billion seed fund being provided by the State Government for genuine investments through Private Public Partnership Council to drive the economy of the state and beyond.

Ikon who spoke while declaring open a three-day workshop organized by the state House of Assembly on Parliamentary Reporting for Journalists and Media Correspondents covering the House,  explained that the state lawmakers have no reason to be confrontational with the Executive arm so as to be able to work together to meet the yearning of the electorate in the state.

Speaker Ikon added that government has also put in place relevant laws that will direct investors on the right path to go as well as safeguard their investments against fraud. The workshop had the theme: Advancing Sustainability and Legislative Excellence Through Objective Reporting.

The Speaker explained that what was left is for the indigenes to play their own part by following due process to establish genuine businesses and investments, warning that it will not be business as usual where people collect funds from government in the guise of setting up their own businesses only to squander it and the economy continues to suffer. Ikon stressed, “I want to say clearly that the governor has done his part and the House of Assembly has done their part, the people must do their own part. The governor went ahead to send the PPP and Akwa Ibom Investment Corporation Bills to us and we did our part by passing these bills into law. Any investor knows that with the PPP law, investment is guaranteed.”

“The governor also set aside each year billions of naira as seed funds for indigenes who have genuine businesses to establish. All you need to do is to talk to the bank who will do the background check, feasibility studies and if you are genuine say okay, it is a N10million proposal,  we will provide you with N7million , bring N3million seed money and then you come to government for the SEED fund, but people are not willing to do this.”

“Gone are the day when people took public funds as political gratis to marry new wives, buy new cars, build new houses, meanwhile the industry is suffering, and the unemployment rate continues to be where it was.”

He explained that people should clearly understand that the practice whereby government used to establish and manage industries are no longer in vogue, adding that globally industries are usually driven by the private sector.

The Speaker stressed that people should try and understand the industrialization policy of the governor from the true perspective that government role and commitment was to provide the necessary environment that would enable the industries survive which the state governor has already done.

He said as a State House of Assembly, the state lawmakers has been working as committed partner and ensuring that the legal and financial frameworks for smooth administration in the state was laid, and “not to look for pocket of problems where we can confront the executive like what is noticed in some states”.

“We are in partnership with an administration that is people-oriented, an administration that goes out of its way to ensure the yearning of the people is met. That accounts for the synergy, peace and cooperation you have seen between the executive and the legislative arms because we have the same goal and objective.

“I want to state unequivocally that the House of Assembly of Akwa Ibom State is satisfied with the efforts of the executive with regard to industrialization of the state. We will continue to remain committed partners in this business of meeting the yearning of the people. We remain committed to be the People’s Assembly and that is why in the course of our engagement, we have been bold to take steps that will ensure the good of our people. For over six years with a ratio of not less 80 per cent to 20 per cent capital and recurrent expenditures, this administration has moved to provide what today is known as the uncommon transformation in terms of industrialisation and infrastructure in every sector of our people. And all we can do is to continue as a responsible arm of government to look at ways of enhancing what the executive is doing which law needs to be strengthened or put in place”, he declared.

He however regretted the low participation of indigenes of the state in the process of law making toward good governance of the state by way of response at public hearing, feedback, proposal and amendment for bills.

“We need public engagement. As a legislature our duty, apart from oversight is making good laws for good governance of our state; but it is sad that often time we are left to do this job without corresponding response from the public. We have a lot of public hearings concerning bills we are considering. What we expect is that the public join us in the public hearing sessions to express their inputs in the bills we passed. For us, we will remain solidly beside the His Excellency, the Executive Governor of the state, Chief Godswill Akpabio and ensure that at the end when the history will be recorded posterity will judge us fairly”, the Speaker stressed.

The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly passed the bill last year to make provision for the establishment of Akwa Ibom Public Private Partnership Council to facilitate and regulate partnership between the public and private sector in the industrialisation of the state. The bill would further enhance public private sector in planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of infrastructure, goods and services in the state.

Earlier in his keynote address, the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Aniekan Umana commended the strong resolve of the 5th Assembly to pitch its tent on the side of the people, arguing that it is a gargantuan and glittering proof that Hon. Samuel Ikon led Assembly is massively committed to the betterment of those who owns the mandate, describing the workshop as people-oriented.

Even though the Assembly correspondent remains closest to the lawmakers by virtue of covering even behind-the-scene activities such as House Committee meetings, the Commissioner urged them by this privilege to put the society upper most as they owe the good people of Akwa Ibom State a duty to always string highly detailed reports, with analysis and interpretations that will be useful to even the lay man. “This is how to become partners in progress and promote legislative excellence.” This is a tempting privilege, he observed.

“All of us love to break news, but of what sense will it make if we break news that break our society? We all want to be crack reporters; but let us no crack the time-tested walls of our peace and unity. Journalist who does not value the peace he creates through his reports more than the money he makes through his banal journalism is not worthy to belong to the profession.” This according to Umana is where objectivity comes in, spiced with social responsibility.

He therefore charged reporters not to merely record congregational, domestic and foreign news, but reports calculated to promote morality, maintain social order, extend the blessing of education, or in any way serve the greater cause of human progress in ultimate virtue, liberty and happiness.

In his remarks, the Chairman of NUJ, Akwa Ibom State branch, Elder Patrick Albert ranked the State as the third largest media market in Nigeria with 69 local newspapers,  37 National newspapers/magazines and 5 electronic channels. He announced the resolve of the union to effectively expose members to local and foreign workshops and seminars to meet up with the challenges and expectations as the watchdog of the society, as exposure to such conferences, he said will not only sharpen their professional skills, but will inculcate in them greater values on moral and ethical standards.

Papers presented at the workshop included, Best Practices by Media Practitioners in the Legislature by Dr. Peter Esu, Adopting a Systematic and Pragmatic Progress of Promoting, Sharpening of Skills and Knowledge of the Reporters and Media Correspondents in the Legislature by Dr. Mbuk Mboho, ICT Education: The New World Order for Reporters and Media Correspondents by Dr. Charles Obot and Crises Management and Media Practitioners’ Reportage of Parliamentary Procedure: Implementations and  Legislative Sustainability, by Dr. Peter Esu.

Certificates were presented to participants by the House Committee Chairman on Information and Communication, the Member Representing Nsit Atai State Constituency, Hon, Mrs Sarah Elliah.