Appraising Udom’s 100 days in office

BY JOSEPH OKON

Mr Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, the executive Governor of Akwa Ibom state has mark his first one hundred days in office with monumental achievements and commissioning of projects in the State.

It has become a tradition for elected leaders including Presidents and Governors to mark the milestone of the first one hundred days with spectacular achievements.

In the case of Governor Emmanuel in Akwa Ibom state, there is a lot to say about his stewardship since assumption of office on 29th May, 2015.
The governor had hit the ground running immediately after being sworn-in with the appointment of tested and competent technocrats into his cabinet as Commissioners and Special Advisers.

This has been quite a feat considering that some of his colleague governors are yet to assemble their cabinets at a time that even the Federal Executive Council is yet to be appointed. 

To deliver on his promise on industrialization, wealth creation, human capital development, and infrastructural consolidation and expansion; the governor has taken significant steps.

 The first was to undertake an on the spot assessment of the state of infrastructure, and industries in the state. 

This was followed by the inauguration of Technical Committee for the Actualization of Ibaka Deep Seaport project, the constitution of the Technical Committee on Foreign Direct Investment, followed by the putting in place of the Committee on Agriculture and Food Sufficiency.

It is remarkable that following the setting up of the Foreign Direct Investment Committee, investors from seven countries of the World are in line to do business in Akwa Ibom state.

To concretize his industrialization plan, Governor Emmanuel has performed the ground-breaking for the construction of an Automobile Assembly Plant and laid the foundation stone for the building of a Low Energy Device manufacturing company. Both industrial concerns are located in Itu local government area.
The Governor has turned attention to the ailing Peacock Paint industry in Ikot Ekan, Etinan, and has indicated that the state government is going to revive the company after defraying its mountain of debts.

Towards realizing his administration’s objective of repositioning the Agricultural sector and ensuring that food is available and affordable in Akwa Ibom state, the Governor has started a process of building a fertilizer production plant in Abak.

Along this line too, the administration of Udom Emmanuel has sent two hundred young men and women to Israel for training in various areas of agriculture.

Another set of one thousand youths are currently receiving training on ICT Oracle Database in Uyo as part of the human capital development programme of the administration. 

In the area of infrastructural consolidation and expansion, the governor has initiated the process of dualization of Eket- Esit Eket- Ibeno road to Ekom Iman junction, where a flyover is to connect the major access to other roads in Uyo Capital City.
The dualization of the Etinan-Ekpene Ukpa-Ndon Eyo road has also begun courtesy of the Udom Emmanuel-led administration. 

Similarly, contracts have been awarded for the construction of the eighty kilometre Ikot Udom road in Ibiono Ibom local government area; the Ikot Edehe-Ekpuk road in Mkpat Enin; and the Ndon Eyo-Ukat-Mkpok road in Onna local government area.

Still on infrastructural development, the construction and remodelling of urban roads in Eket has been set in motion.

To tackle environmental degradation, the Udom Emmanuel led administration has within the first one hundred days in office, sunk in enormous financial resources to check erosion that almost cut off Calabar Itu Highway at Ikot Anie Itam.
Similar rehabilitation efforts have been made to check flooding and erosion menace in Eket, and save St. Luke’s Hospital, Anua, Uyo from the jaws of devastating gully erosion.

The magic touch of Governor Emmanuel has been extended to St Luke’s Hospital itself as structures and amenities in the long standing health institution are being rehabilitated to restore its former glory. 

Concerning business development, Governor Udom Emmanuel is empowering small and medium scale entrepreneurs with interest free loans.

Widows are also being given financial grants to establish themselves economically as part of the administration’s empowerment drive.

And in order to raise the Internally Generated Revenue profile of the state government, the Governor is reorganizing internal revenue service of Akwa Ibom state. 

It is observable that businesses are catching the vision of great opportunities unfolding in Akwa Ibom state and are setting shop in the land of promise and fulfilment. Governor Emmanuel has accordingly welcomed such investors to the state and demonstrated this by laying the foundation stone for the building of Shoprite stores at the Tropicana Entertainment Complex.
The other day, Governor Emmanuel also performed the ground-breaking ceremony in Midim Abak to bring on DAAR Communication’s AIT Television station to Akwa Ibom state.

The power sector could not have been better before the coming of the incumbent Governor as Governor Emmanuel has invested in the area for the Ibom Power Plant to deliver near uninterrupted power supply these days in Akwa Ibom state.

The first one hundred days of Governor Udom Emmanuel has brought multi-dimensional benefits to Akwa Ibom state, and pensioners in the local government system can say so.

The Udom Emmanuel administration has cleared outstanding pensions and gratuities arrears to local government staff and the primary school teachers.
Government workers in general have the Governor to thank for paying salaries up to date and as when due. In his time, the Governor has said that staff salaries will have to be paid by the twenty-sixth of the month. 

Succour has come to victims of flood in the state as the Udom Emmanuel- led administration has paid out compensation to them.

One hundred days is just the beginning of the tenure of Governor Udom Emmanuel, but the period under review has been impactful, and gives an indication of better days ahead. 

Governor Udom Emmanuel has brought innovativeness and human touch to governance.

The affable governor has been one with his people. Their concern for a better future of economic prosperity and social stability has been the focus of the governor’s stewardship. 

Indeed, the governor has kept faith with the people, and is committed to deliver on his campaign promises to the people of the state.
He has set the pace in good governance. This has been an impressive start by any assessment.

The future can only be brighter if all the people of Akwa Ibom state show loyalty and support to the one they elected their Governor to build on the momentum generated within the first one hundred days of Governor Udom Gabriel Emmanuel.