Thirty-nine years is more than a passage of time; it is a story of sustained struggle, vision, and resilience.
It is not just the reflection of years, but a steady growth crystallising to unending prosperity. In fact, it is an enduring journey of incredible commitment by a people bound in brotherhood and oneness to the manifestation of their decades-old self-determination. It is scaling from challenges to milestones, from childhood to adulthood even to making meaningful progress.
From the cradle, the State has been fathered by many: from military to civilian administrations. Through futuristic plans, the different rulers divergently turned Uyo, the once- glorified local government headquarters to one of the fastest developing states in the country.
Standing on the threshold of adulthood, we pay glowing tributes to the various administrations, our forbears, statesmen, great men and women and professionals, who by their synergies and sacrifices, have watered the parch engine of development and wheel of progress. In particular, we joyfully felicitate our Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, who superintends over the affairs of the state at its 39th birth anniversary, indeed, the political stakeholders, Clergymen, royal fathers, professionals of different hues, and the entire Àkwa Ibom people on this auspicious occasion.
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Over the years, the state has witnessed infrastructural renaissance, academic accolades, and recorded strides in many areas in the comity of nations.
Despite its milestones, the state is still orphaned economically, socially, infrastructurally, environmentally, and educationally, among others. Some of the major ones are unemployment and underemployment of most young and the elderly, continuous dependence on oil revenue, poor road network and inadequate basic infrastructure in some rural/urban centres, perennial flooding and environmental problems, food insecurity, aging agricultural practices, rising poverty profile despite the high monthly allocations from Federation Allocation Account Committee (FAAC).
Others are dilapidated infrastructure both in public primary and secondary schools, out-of-school children enrolment due to poverty, lacking manpower needs in critical sectors of economy and technology, security infractions, and tribal disharmony/rivalry, among others.
As an oil-producing state, there is an increasing need to diversify the economy into agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, technology, sports, and other sectors. Though the building of youth development centres in local government areas is good, but resurrection of moribund Ibom Science Park is better for technological advancement.
We commend the State government for trying to diversify electricity generation and transmission, but we enjoin her to be proactive to solving economic haemorrhage of Àkwa Ibom people by Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company.
On another score, we call for tarring of state and local government roads, provision of solar-powered water supply, healthcare facilities, and other infrastructure in rural communities.
Much as we welcome the state government’s plans for a new flood and drainage master plan, we demand speedy implementation to alleviate sufferings of many during rainy periods.
It is common knowledge that we are blessed with abundant seafood products. However, it is sad that most riverine areas in the state are faced with neglect and are handicapped by social amenities, while local fishermen are being exploited by foreign merchants, traders and middlemen, coupled with illicit outsourcing of the products to other states to the disadvantage of our local fishermen.
As the state advances in age, we are worried by the spate of food insecurity that force our traders to bring in most farming products especially yams and Garri from other states. The state government’s development should timely address this critical area.
As the state journeys ahead, let us remember that a fool at that age is a fool forever. We must create incentives for private businesses and industries, use the state’s oil revenues to build productive assets, create more jobs for young people, establish well-funded vocational and technical training programmes.
Also, let the state invest in more shares in reputable companies, and encourage investment in solar and other distributed energy systems, particularly for rural communities.
We must deploy our resources wisely and rise to build a virile, strong and dynamic society where every citizen has a sense of belonging and we-ness.
