Wike Commissions Projects in Akwa Ibom, Lauds Emmanuel’s Performance

• Performs groundbreaking ceremonies for AKSU Teaching Hospital, Giwa Gas

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has commended his Akwa Ibom State counterpart, Mr. Udom Emmanuel for his sterling performances since assumption of office in 2015.

Governor Wike gave the commendations on Wednesday, while on a visit to Akwa Ibom to inaugurate projects as part of activities to mark the 6th anniversary of Governor Udom Emmanuel’s administration.

Performing the groundbreaking and foundation laying ceremony for the Akwa Ibom State University Teaching Hospital ( AKSUTH ) at Awa in Onna LGA, Gov Wike described his host as a performing leader with great antecedents worthy of emulations and support.

According to the Rivers State Chief Executive, ”Governor Emmanuel has touched all the sectors, and that has moved Akwa Ibom not only forward, but as one of the best performing states in this country ” .

”We all know that development in Akwa Ibom is not propaganda because we have all seen it, touched it and have felt it ”.

” God has really blessed Akwa Ibom State by giving us someone like Gov. Udom Emmanuel, and as a person, I only identify with people whom I can benefit from through sharing of ideas. If I come to a place like this , and the leader is doing well, I don’t need to envy him, rather, I will ask him questions and that would encourage me to do better in my own place ”.

” I came in through the airport road, and I can see that in terms of road network, there is a huge difference.Therefore, I am proud to identity myself with the performing Governor of Akwa Ibom State,” Wike stated .

Reiterating his passion to continue to improve on the lives of the citizenry earlier, Governor Emmanuel said that the provision of affordable medicare remains top on his agenda for the state’s healthcare sector.

” Having developed so much in terms of secondary healthcare system, it has also become imperative for us to step up a bit forward to the tertiary healthcare system so that we can train our people, and that would lead us to the standard we are aiming at, and the only place we can train our people is at the teaching hospital. So today, we are here to lay the foundation that would give us a good footing in our quest for an improved tertiary healthcare system ”.

” As you know, without a teaching hospital, you can’t have a college of medicine, so we must first of all set up a well equipped teaching hospital before we can apply for a college of medicine, and that is the step we are taking today ” .

” I want to also assure the VC that due to our passion for quality healthcare delivery system, this hospital is going to be a world class facility, ” he said.

Meanwhile, Governor Emmanuel has hinted that the partnership deal for the construction of the new teaching hospital was hatched between the Akwa Ibom State Government and the Bua Group of Companies through one of its affiliates, the Abdul Samad Rabiu Initiative, (ASR Africa- an initiative with interest in funding Education, Health and Social Development).

Gov. Emmanuel further explained that the group have promised to contribute the sum of N5billion towards the completion of the hospital. He also acknowledged the receipt of N2.5 billion first tranche payment recently released to the state by the ASR Group.

Similarly, at Eastern Obolo LGA, Governor Wike, assisted by his host, Governor Udom Emmanuel, performed the groundbreaking ceremony for Giwa Gas Limited , a private investor(s) driven interest in oil and gas investments.

While addressing the gathering, Governor Emmanuel said that his administration would continue to harness the potentials of the state into a viable economic opportunities for its citizenry.

” When we came into office, we promised industrialization and people were just wondering how we would do it but today, we are partnering with a lot of investors to make sure that the whole of this zone becomes a proper industrial zone, and that is why we have declared it oil and gas free trade zone ”

” Again, very soon the entire swampy area would be turned into an industrial hub so that we can continue to provide jobs for our people ”

” Let me also thank the community leaders who are working to ensure that you have peace in this area ”.

” We are also trying to build capacities for our people so that they can take full advantage of the jobs opportunities these highly skilled sectors will offer them, rather than wait for other people to take over those jobs ”.

” Very soon, we are going to start a programme called Train- the-Trainers; where we would train our people on oil and gas so that they can be able to do so much more, ” he hinted.

In his remarks, Governor Wike said that he was excited to join the Akwa Ibom State governor to inaugurate live-touching projects across the state.

According to Wike, ” I only go to somebody who means well for his people, and has committed his or herself to serving his people ”.

” What Governor Emmanuel is doing in Akwa Ibom has the capacity to generate multiple employment for youths in the state, and if the state was not safe, investors would not be here. Therefore, I must commend him for providing an enabling environment that gives confidence to the investors who are coming here ”.

” I want to congratulate this company for having the confidence to come to Akwa Ibom, and i believe that your set targets would be achieved ”.

Also speaking, the Chairman of Giwa Gas Ltd, Mr.Tony Chukwu Eke, said that his company decided to invest in Akwa Ibom because of the peaceful ambience and the numerous potentials of the state in the oil and gas sector .

”Of all the places I have worked in the Niger Delta region, Eastern Obolo is the only place I came to, but not to resolve a problem.”

” Your Excellency, this project is going to be a landmark project because it would be the biggest gas project in Nigeria and it is done in conjunction with the Akwa Ibom State Government ”.

” I want to also thank you sir for the Landmark Free Trade Zone which you have donated to this project, and this project is going to produce liquefied petroleum gas which hopefully, would replace cooking gas, not just in Akwa Ibom State but also in Rivers State well as as the eastern states of Abia and Imo”. Mr. Eke said .

In a related development, Governor Emmanuel led his Rivers State counterpart, Nyesom Wike to inaugurate the newly constructed 10.9km Nkana-Awa Iman Road with 2.3Km spur in Awa

Describing the road as a major stretch for the revitalization of rural economic activities in the area, Governor Emmanuel said that the road would also provide access to several other communities in Etinan and Onna LGAs respectively, thus enhancing the standard of living of the people.

Governor Wike, while inaugurating the road appreciated the Emmanuel administration’s giant strides in infrastructure, and called on the people to continue to support the Governor to the end of his tenure.

In his welcome address, the immediate past State Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party and the Current Chairman, State Universal Education Board, (SUBEB), Mr. Paul Ekpo, thanked the governor for fulfilling his campaign promises to the people of the area .

” I am happy to receive you, the members of your entourage in Nkana today. We remember what you told us when u came for your campaign in this community ” .

” You promised to shorten the distance between Awa and Nkana and it has come to pass today that you have kept your promises with the people ”.

Highpoints of the event was the cutting of tape to officially mark the inauguration of the 10.9 km Awa-Nkana Iman road.