Ita Enang to Gov. Udom: Declare ownership structure of industries in Akwa Ibom; Expert speaks on keys to industrial revolution

Dennis Udoma, Uyo

Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to President Muhammadu Buhari on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Ita Solomon Enang, has challenged Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State to declare publicly the ownership structures of the industries and other investments that his administration has so far attracted to the state.

Senator Enang, who previously served as  Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari on National Assembly Matters from August 2015 to May 2019,  represented the Itu and Ibiono Ibom Federal Constituency of Akwa Ibom State in the House of Representatives from 1999 to 2011 and was elected Senator for the Akwa Ibom North East Senatorial District from 2011 to 2015.

He gave Governor Emmanuel the challenge at the Media Round Table organized by the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Akwa Ibom State Council on Thursday in Uyo against the background of questions that are being asked by critics of the governor, especially concerning the alleged opaque nature of the ownership structures of the investments.

However, an Investment Advisor in the state, Mr. Udeme Etukeyen said that the state government retains a reasonable percentage of equity in all the private investments it has attracted to the state, contrary to criticisms and opinions held in some quarters, that government has no hands in the businesses.

Etukeyen said that the government is “a major owner of all private investments in the state, having provided land and necessary enabling environment in terms of roads, security, peace and harmony.”

Speaking also at the media round table discussion which had as theme, “Maximising the Investment Potentials in Akwa Ibom State for Sustainable Development in Post Covid-19 era,” Etukeyen stressed that Government’s provision of enabling environment for investment would ginger industrial revolution in the state.

He noted that peace and tranquility, good network of roads, Ibom Air as well as availability of other social amenities make Akwa Ibom a destination of choice for investors.

Etukeyen suggested that the government should build and develop the maritime sector’s investment potential in the state to create more employment and further ginger the state’s economy.

He also called on the Federal Government and States to work out policies that would energize the investment sector.

“There is also need for the federal and state governments to harmonise policies that would promote industrialization and growth of private investments,” he stressed.

Chairman, Akwa Ibom Human Rights Community, Barrister Clifford Thomas, who also spoke, urged governments to maximize the investment potentials of the state by re-orientating the mindsets of the people.

He said that “previous governments in the state had made cultism a criterion for involvement in governance without raising the consciousness of the people particularly, the youths to be positively self reliant,” noting that there is a “demand culture prevalent among our youths as opposed to the culture of productiveness.” Youths should work towards being entrepreneurs, he insisted.

“Akwa Ibom state would have been the production hub of the country if the Science Park had been developed. The state government should involve the communities to help harness and drive investment,” he also said and applauded  the Akwa Ibom State government for making Ibom Air the best managed airline in Nigeria.