Akwa Ibom governor Udom Emmanuel wants local government areas in the state to join the circuits of reinventing the state economically.
Emmanuel spoke this at Ikot Akpa Nkuk, the headquarters of Ukanafun local government area on Tuesday during the maiden Ukanafun Economic Development Summit to mark the 45 years anniversary of its creation.
He urged the councils to cue in the over-all vision of his administration which is to transform Akwa Ibom and fast-track its attainment of destiny by means of a vibrant economy.
”The initiative takes the beams from the high-house at our centre of gravity in Uyo into hinterland of the state, and if this gesture is replicated by other local government areas, we should be well on our way to joining the circuits on the impact of our efforts to reinvent the state economically,’’ the governor remarked.
Tagged Repositioning Ukanafun For Sustainable Development, Emmanuel observed that creation of local government was a journey in economic self advancement and encouraged council areas to make an annual economic assessment so that the purpose of self government at whatever level would not be defeated
“The creation of a state , or in this case , a local government area , is in itself a release for a journey in economic self – advancement , and if all we do on yearly basis is to number the cycles, without counting our blessings on the economic front, the purpose of self government at whatever level , would have been defeated.”
“This is why at the state level, our number one priority is the economy. The second priority has been the economy and third priority is also the economy. Without a vibrant economy, nothing works,” he said.
Governor Emmanuel who was represented by his deputy, Mr. Moses Ekpo, noted that the theme of the summit was in consonant with the vision if his administration aimed at transforming the state and fast track its attainment of destiny by means of vibrant economy.
He commended Ukanafun local government area for immortalizing the late state chairman of People Democratic Party (PDP), the late Mr. Udo Ekpenyong during their 45th anniversary of its creation adding that the late chairman who was an indigene of the area deserved all the monuments raised for his post humous.
The Chairman of the planning committee, Barr. Aniekan Ukpanah, recalled that Ukanafun Local Government Area was created on June 1, 1976 during the regime of General Olusegun Obasanjo, as military Head of State and appealed to indigenes to develop the area to befit its age and status.
Mr. Ray Ekpu, a renowned journalist observed that the state government has not cited any industry in the area to boast economic renaissance at the grassroot .
“Today, Ukanafun local government area is 45 years-old but the state governor Udom Emmanuel has not considered it necessary to site any cottage industry here,” Ekpu, a prominent indigene of the area, bemoaned.
He, therefore, called on the state government to consider the area in the industrialization drive on the last stage of Governor Emmanuel’s completion agenda.
