Israel Umoh
For a fourth time, the former Nigeria’s President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has visited Akwa Ibom State, but this time again, embarking on investment trip to the state which he readily sees as a safe haven for investment.
During the reign of ex-governor Godswill Akpabio, the former president landed his chopper in a thick bush and performed the ground-breaking ceremony of the $I.5 billion (US$1.8 billion?) Methanol Plant located in Ibeno Local Government Area of the state ably facilitated by Jim Ovia, the Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc.
By then, the immediate past Governor, Udom Emmanuel who had worked as Director, Zenith Bank Plc, was the Secretary to the State Government.
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Investment experts saw the multi-billion dollars project as a win-win for industrial dynamo in the state and the people saw it as brimming light to fast-track an economically growing state for the marginalised people.
After the ground-breaking ceremony and accompanying encomiums, Jonathan has not returned to inaugurate the project to the fulfil the general saying that the hand that lays foundation of a project is usually the one that commissions it, except in some rare cases where eventuality strikes.
Rather, he visited the state in November 2021 without reminding then governor who took over from Akpabio the fate of the project.
However, he showed up again on April 23, 2024 under the wings of Governor Umo Eno’s 60th birthday anniversary with a team of investors in the gas sector.
Apart from staying a night and was lavished with Akwa Ibom hospitality, he came on a dual mission: business visit with gas investors to the State Governor at Government House, Uyo, and to inaugurate some projects marking governor’s birthday at 60.
The investors might not have brought any person of Akwa Ibom extraction because some myopic people feel that the state has not gotten people with technical skills to harness the rich natural resources abound in the state. It is a frayed perception of the prejudiced that the Akwa Ibom people could be better in domestic chores. How has this narrative changed and some giants are springing like mushrooms from the sands of Akwa Ibom!
When Jonathan landed again, he described the ‘‘state as promising because of the environment and most especially the commitment of successive governors to good governance.’’
“When the group came to me and asked that I facilitate their coming here, I said that Akwa Ibom is one State that I like to visit.
“Preheat Energy indicated their interest for investment in gas. I know that Akwa Ibom has gas for domestic use and of course power generation. And with the commitment of the government, we have already handed over the thing to the relevant ministries and I believe that this project will take off very fast.
“If you ask me why the choice of Akwa Ibom: the group selected Akwa Ibom because it focuses on development and peace. Akwa Ibom is peaceful and without peace there can be no development,” he told the governor and his executive members.
Perhaps, he might have forgotten that the project he laid the foundation several years has gone into the deep and he felt he should bring a group of investors to Akwa Ibom, thinking the people have ‘‘short memory.’’
He might have reached a pact with the investors and extracted commitment based on what he may term ‘fruitful discussions’ with the State governor, then he jetted to his remote village in Bayelsa State, which has no gas reserves, but crude oil in good quantity unfit for a team of investors from Akwa Ibom to go and exploit in Oloibiri, the first place crude oil was discovered.
As a former President, he did not see the need to bring the investors to Akwa Ibom; he did not see the need to give final approval for Ibom Deep Seaport and he did not see the need to attract Federal projects to the state that gave his political party large chunk of votes that ushered him into the bedroom of power.
As a lucky man, he saw the investors when he moved into the valley of power and he brought them in what is akin to a ‘Greek gift’ to assault the intelligence of Akwa Ibom people, he never, while in power, empowered nor approved construction of the abandoned federal roads including the deplorable Calabar-Itu Federal Highway and the long-awaited East-West Road spanning about five states.
Well, the State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, a smart guy, gazed at him like a gazelle looking at a pond and in his usual calm mien, commended the former president for what he called ‘‘his love and interest in Akwa Ibom State, and for leading the team to invest.’’
Governor Umo, who described the former president as a man of peace, stated that Akwa Ibom is indeed a one of the safest and most peaceful states in Nigeria to do business.
He assured that the government would provide the necessary support to enable a smooth take-off of the Preheat project, stating, “we look forward to working with you, we have an Ibom Industrial City, and it is around the area where we are trying to set up our Ibom Deep Seaport, and the Oil and Gas Free Trade Zone.
“We believe that the area will provide the kind of site you are looking for. We have a lot of organizations that have met us for business opportunities there, but we just want to make sure that we identify the right people as we go into this gas business. But because this delegation has the endorsement of no less a person than the former President, it is certain that we will give you land.
“I am not used to too many words, but I think I can only tell you that this is the safest place to be and do business. We are one of the most peaceful states in this country. We have good infrastructure, and you can use our good road network too.
“From any local Government to Uyo, the State capital, is maximum of one hour. We have one of the best road networks in this country outside Abuja, and you will find Akwa Ibom people very hospitable.
“We trust that this relationship will continue as we begin this journey today, and I ask you that you should please feel at home, we will not disappoint you,” he said.
Earlier in his presentation, the Vice President of the organization, Azibaola Robert, had said they have been in business for over five years with partners across the globe, adding that given the current climate change experience, there is need to de-emphasize use of fossil fuel and concentrate on LNG with gas as its major component.
He said the Niger Delta region has a good deposit of gas which has not been adequately explored for the benefit of the people, and assured that the investment when it takes off, will create jobs and other opportunities for Akwa Ibom people and beyond.
And the business session came to a close and the ‘beneficiaries’ dispersed leaving the owners of the common patrimony to continue to wallow in poverty and lack in the midst of plenty.
Experiences of Universal Energy with large sign post in the Banking Layout, Uyo, the Oqua Gas plant, Seven Energy Frontier Oil Limited and the Accugas Limited done in conjunction with the Akwa Ibom State Government in Esit Eket Local Government Area are dark and not worth remembering.
In fact, these gas projects have not brought commensurate dividends to the state economy and indeed to the people papaurised and emasculated by the ill-conceived policies and poorly executed programmes of the various tiers of government in the country and in the state.
This time around, let Akwa Ibom people shine their eyes, because the saying ‘once bitten, twice shy,’ is not a cliché in investment and development, at least, to people who should have derived maximum benefit of their God-given resources.
