Udom Emmanuel's Enterprise-Economic Strategy (Vote Udom For Akwa Ibom State Governor)

Every governorship aspirant in Akwa Ibom State sings about industrialization and wealth creation like a canticle to win votes at next month's polls. But there is only one of them who has the magic wand, the most efficient model and the practical experience to bring these lofty dreams to realization. His name is Udom Emmanuel. Udom's focus is to cut waste of public resources and create tangible jobs for the teeming and intelligent work force. There are a million ways he can go about it.

Udom will encourage enterprise by expanding the economy and promoting industries so that jobs and business opportunities are created. To achieve that, he will work on practical statistics. As he has said severally that he will within the first few months put out a mechanism in place to get the statistics of the unemployed and their fields of endeavour to work with. He will engage the youths themselves in the process of getting these figures.

Udom will develop special Industrial Parks, centres and clusters in strategic areas that will target young people and women who start small businesses and providing access to electricity, water, capital equipment and clean sanitary environments and improved access roads. This will boost growth at the local government level and help to stem rural-urban migration, itself a significant strain on Akwa Ibom State's major towns.

Udom will equip the investment parks with major capital items required in operating small businesses such as motor mechanics, plumbing, artisans, leather and wood works, carpentry and similar trades. He will, for instance, provide tools for technicians and ICT-based enterprises. These are realistic measures and Udom will provide training services and create market for locally produced goods and services internally, regionally and internationally with his contacts. Udom through the proper agency will assist in promoting brand-names of locally manufactured, products to boost incomes for promising artisans.

Whatever the name would be called or which government unit will handle it, Udom will build on the Economic Stimulus Program (ESP) by establishing local economic development agencies at local government levels so that every LGA and constituency will have access to crucial facilities and services. To further enciurage investors, Udom will introduce tax breaks for companies that establish apprenticeship programmes for young people equipping young people with necessary skills and technology. As an experienced investment banker of the highest level, Udom understands the proper model for funding of businesses. He will encourage the development of micro-financial schemes for new businesses and farmers along the lines of renowned and successful investment Bank models.

With the right indices in place, Udom will spark a revolution in manufacturing. Jim Ovia's $1.5 billion methanol plant in Ibeno will be key. Ovia's $1.5 billion plant will put Akwa Ibom State on the global map for petrochemicals processing, particularly given the role that global brands such as IHS and Saipem are playing as the consultants and project developer of the initiative respective to. A heavy industry like a petrochemical and methanol plant will birth lots and lots of small scale industries that will utilize the base material from the plant to produce other goods. Lots of jobs
and opportunities will popup in Akwa Ibom as a result of
this.

The Ibaka deep sea port is the main ace in Udom's enterprise economy strategy. Udom has noticed the Lacuna and shipping logistic needs created by the activities of Lagos, Port Harcourt and Calabar Port. He will catch in to develop this deep seaport. The Ibaka sea port, currently used mainly for fishing activities and water transport for small crafts is a natural deep seaport of over 18 metres of
draft without dredging, with a quay area expected to span over two miles in terms of length, which makes it a safe haven for mega vessels of over 10,000 tells on completion, thus making it the largest in the gulf of Guinea. The Lagos ports complex, being the busiest and oldest port in the country, for now is over burdened with a combination of both technical and managerial problems. The Port Harcourt port has for over a decade now operated below expected berthing and haulage capacity with interlude of peak times, while the Calabar Port built over three decades ago has remained grossly initialized. Ibaka deep seaport holds the ace.

Udom knows that the Ibaka Sea Port will distribute traffic and maritime trade away from the suffocating Lagos road traffic to new grounds. It will create employment for over 100,000 Akwa Ibom people in addition to the down stream economic benefits of the establishment of refinery, industries, independent power plant, trade and commerce. The Ibaka deep Sea Port has natural features that will make it a cargo hub within the gulf of Guinea and besides, much of its cargoes will be delivered to neighboring ports by lighters and would not be affected by shore logistic problems but Udom also knows that the state needs integrated road network for haulage mostly by heavy duty trucks and that he will provide.

Udom hopes to develop tourism as an enterprise economy unit in a sustainable manner as a critical source of revenue and employment generation as well as for wealth creation . Governor Akpabio strongly believes in the great tourism potentials of Akwa Ibom State. Akwa Ibom has a rich history of early contact with Europeans. Mary Slessor spent the later part of her life in Akwa Ibom where she died . Lord Lugard signed the amalgamation papers in Ikot Abasi . Ikot Ekpene was the first place where Local Government administration was experimented. Slave trading posts were at Ikot
Abasi. The Women Riot started in Akwa Ibom.

With the entire planned infrastructure in place , airport , a seaport and rail lines, the state is accessible and definitely a tourism destination in the sub region. Already the state is now the preferred spot for conferences and retreats in Nigeria. Tropicana entertainment complex will help us to develop tourism in a sustainable manner as a critical source of revenue and employment generation as well as wealth creation. In this regard, Udom will Promote Akwa Ibom State as an end destination rather than a stop over with the aim of doubling the number of tourists to 3 million visitors a year. He will provide incentives to encourage investment in tourist accommodation to increase hotel bed capacity across the country.

Udom will introduce incentives, diversify products and improve other infrastructure requirements to encourage such investments that will attract high-value tourism such as business conferences, sports tourism and medical tourism, especially with our Anniversary hospital in view.

Udom will enhance the mandate and increase the funding of the Akwa Ibom Tourist Board to enable it to promote a diversified range of tourist destinations beyond our beautiful national parks and promote investment in high quality alternative attractions. He will enhance security so that tourists feel safe visiting our state. This includes protecting not only tourists visiting Akwa Ibom State, but the environment itself, and ensuring that the appropriate conservation measures are in place at all times.

In agriculture, he will Introduce affordable state loans to subsidize fertilizer and farm equipment as a way of ensuring food security. Udom will make it easy for AkwaIbomites to lease agricultural land and provide extension services. He will create and encourage Agricultural Investment Trusts (AITs) through tax incentives to direct private investment into the agricultural sector.

Udom certainly wil encourage mechanization and value addition so that young Akwa Ibom people can find employment and investment opportunities in agriculture. As part of the big plan, he will establish a state livestock insurance scheme and introduce an acceptable livestock evaluation system that would make it easier for pastoralists to access credit.

And for the purpose of learning encourage every school to have a model agricultural and fish farm.

There are several other sectors and facets the Udom Emmanuel administration will touch on but these few are enumerated here to wet the appetite of the good people of Akwa Ibom State. Akwa Ibom State is on a fast lane to prosperity and the people have seen the right direction. Think right good people. Vote Udom Emmanuel for Governor, Akwa Ibom State.

Courtesy Ime Bishop Umoh
A.k.a  Okon Lagos