Some prominent indigenes of Ukanafun Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom have been appointed into Ukanafun Economic Development Committee (UKEDC), to develop a new template for the meaningful development of the area.
The pan-Ukanafun team is a development think-tank mandated to partner the incumbent administration in marshaling out long-term development blueprint and seeing through its full implementation, among others.
For more than two years, the area created in 1976 was embroiled in cult war that resulted in countless deaths, rapes and kidnapping of many.
Among the strategic thinkers, development master planners and executors include Assistant Inspector General of Police, Nkereuwem Asuquo Akpan; Aniekpeno Mkpanang, Permanent Secretary, state Ministry of Culture and Tourism/Initiator of Guinness World Record Akwa Ibom Christmas Carols Festival; Moffat Ekoriko, the publisher of London-based NewsAfrica magazine.
Others are Barr. Efremfon Usenideh, an accomplished banker; Mr Mfon Abraham, Deaconess Iniobong Okongko; Dr. Uwem Akpanuko; Barr. Aniekan Ukpanah; Mrs. Inemesit Caleb, Prof Mark Ibekwe, Mrs. Aniema Charles, Ndiana-Abasi Nana Udom, Engr. Nkekere Udom, among others.
Dr. Idongesit Demas Udom will serve as the committee Chairman, while Elder Imoh Emeh is to serve as Secretary.
Inaugurating the committee, Pastor Godwin Inyieng, the Ukanafun executive Chairman, said the committee was formed to commence the process towards the realization of new Ukanafun, expressing confidence that with the calibre of men and women in the Committee, the task was already achievable.
Dr. Udom, the Committee Chairman, who thanked the Chairman for the assemblage, noted that Ukanafun has been backward occasioned by lack of necessary socio-infrastructural amenities in the area, vowing that the committee would swing into action to nip the ugly situation in the bud.
The Secretary of Council, Mr. Mfreke Elijah, earlier in his welcome address, commended the stakeholders for accepting to shoulder the responsibility, saying that with them, Ukanafun was on heels of renaissance.