These are not white elephant projects but visible milestones made possible by a purposeful leadership championed by Deacon Emmanuel. The first term score card of Governor Udom Emmanuel is invariably anchored on the standpoint of creating an Akwa Ibom State where wealth can be created through hard work and diligence and not through politics and sycophancy as was the case yesterday.
Just when everyone thought the Governor has finished with the industries, towards the end of his first term, the whole world especially Nigerians were taken by unaware when the Akwa Ibom State Government announced that they had concluded plans to introduce a State owned Airline known as Ibom Air, critics were quick to dismiss it as a campaign strategy aimed at seducing electorates for the purpose of winning a second term in office. This is one project that has already provided our people with employment, more than 400 youths are to gain direct and indirect employment.
Aside the industries promised and delivered by the Governor in his first four years, Deacon Udom Emmanuel has equally performed creditably in the maintain peace and unity in all parts of Akwa Ibom State. The foundation was laid in one of his first move as a governor by insisting on God fearing men and women to form his cabinet.
In a state which made political motivated thuggery attractive to criminals, politically inspired crimes such as kidnapping, assassination, ballot box snatching, arm robbering and other vices became the other of the day. By first making himself and his wife God fearing, clear signals were sent to those juggling for appointments and elected positions in the state on which path to toe.
It is to the credit of the Governor that Akwa Ibom in the past four years has witnessed peace and security, Thuggery and cultism is no more rewarded and celebrated by the government.
Last year, in a well celebrated move, Governor Udom took the Bull by the horn by proscribing major cult groups in the state. The Governor, through the backing of the State House of Assembly made cult related activities a criminal offence. The benefits so far has been enormous, though the spate is yet to be been totally eliminated. Before now it was a common thing to see young men who do not belong to any recognized uniform organization in their hundreds, sometimes thousands at funerals matching with the corpse of a colleague and chanting war songs which were accompanied by gunshots. During this ritual, no “ordinary individual” even close family members and church members were permitted to get close to the corpse. It used to be horror scenes.
We cannot forget the last general elections so quickly; it can be adjudged the most peaceful election conducted in the state in recent times. The opposition’s wish was to make Akwa Ibom another a modern Warsaw headquarter, their aim was to liter the streets of Uyo with bloodshed and render as many as they could homeless but such devilish plan never saw the light of the day. Despite enormous provocations by the opposition parties, the governor maintained his calm not because he was handicapped but because his love for peace and the state was greater than stooping low to the level of his opponents.
On the plank of infrastructure development, the governor has demonstrated strong passion towards adding to improving the physical environment of the Akwa Ibom State, this administration has constructed more rural roads than past administrations. A total of 1,700km of roads have been completed and commissioned by the Governor. Just last Saturday the Governor led other citizens of the state to Mkpat Enin Local Government Area where he commissioned the 12.7kilometers Awa- Asong-Ikot Edim- Ukam road. That Particular road has opened up the rural communities and equally served as an alternative route for those journeying from Uyo to Mkpat Enin.
At the venue of the commissioning, Hon Ubong Ekefre, a former transition Chairman of Mkpat Enin confessed that he never knew there was a road that links his Community- Asong with the Governor’s village (Awa Iman) in ONNA Local Government Area.
This administration has also showed commitment in ensuring that the Deep Sea Port at Ibaka comes to life before the expiration of the second term. With assurances from the Honourable Commissioner for Special Duties, Housing and Aviation, Hon Akan Okon, the governor is passionate about this particular project. The economic gains of the deep sea port is better experienced than explained, what makes Lagos state the envy of the nation is the presence of the sea port which is not even a deep sea port.