EMMANUEL: FOOTPRINTS ON THE SANDS OF TIME

The outgoing governor of Akwa Ibom State has done remarkably well, reckons

 Ufot Akan Umoren 

Come May 29, 2023, when the class of 2015 state governors will be taking their last salute after their two-term tenure, the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel will stand out among others as the governor who has left a footprint in the hearts of Akwa Ibomites and Nigerians in general.

From the inception of his administration, Udom Emmanuel set out to achieve a new dimension of governance that dwells on creating enviable structures of development. As a private sector practitioner, Udom professionally deployed his eight years tenure to re-direct the conventional achievement of government from not just building roads, markets, schools and other infrastructural projects but raised the bar to elevating such infrastructure and human capital development efforts to best global standards.

It is worthy of mentioning that even in highly specialized areas where the federal government feared to thread or has failed, Governor Udom-led Akwa Ibom State to triumph in such ventures to the admiration of all.

Today, Ibom Air, a creation of the Udom administration, stands tall in our national aviation planet. It is to his credit that Ibom Air is the preferred airline when Nigerians speak of aviation business.  Amongst his ranks of Governors, Udom will be remembered as the only governor who created an award-winning airline with a fleet of no fewer than nine aircraft. Not even the federal government of Nigeria attained such a feat.

He strategically introduced the international terminal at the Obong Victor Atta Airport, Uyo, and also built a facility for the maintenance, overhaul and repairs for, not just Ibom Air aircraft, but also for the servicing of other airline’s facilities, thus opening the state to international tourists and creating access to Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) for the state.

Governor Emmanuel also embarked on the creation of wealth generating industries like the Jubilee syringes, which today is the largest syringes manufacturing company in Africa; the Automated Flour Mills, St. Gabriel Coconut Oil Factory, Ibom Deep Sea Port, Ibom Industrial Park/Jetty as well as power, refinery projects, gas processing plants and top-class health facilities amongst others in a drive to create functional employment for the youths of the state.

While power generation and distribution that will guaranty the availability of 24-hour electricity has been a mirage for the federal government, it is on record that Ibom power established under the leadership of Udom is already generating no less than 150 megawatts of power for the people of Akwa Ibom.

Any visitor to Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State, will be welcomed by the towering Dakkada, the tallest building in the Niger Delta region, built by Governor Emmanuel which provides office space for various sectors of the economy.

There is also the Dakkada skills acquisition centre designed to train Akwa Ibomites in various fields which includes civil technologies, mechanical engineering, automobile engineering, ICT, fashion/tourism/hotel management, agriculture, steel fabrication, carpentry works and general studies.

 On infrastructural development, Akwa Ibom has the best road network when compared to any state in the federation. A 10 lane road complete with two fountains; the 29km Etinan-Ndon Eyo road is also strengthened with two stayed cable bridges; the dualised Uyo-Ikot Ekpene road; and the Ikot Oku-Ikono flyover all attest to the magnificent achievements of Mr. Udom.

As Governor Emmanuel takes his exit, he will also be remembered by the good people of Akwa Ibom for life-touching projects including no fewer than 4,800 blocks of classroom with modern amenities modeled to provide the best of education for the future generations of leaders, highly equipped hospitals numbering about 20 and spanning across the rural areas of the State, state of the art skill acquisition centers, food production and agricultural projects.

 The magnitude of achievement and meeting of the timelines despite the daunting challenges shows Udom Emmanuel as a governor that came into power prepared to work for the people.

Above all, Governor Emmanuel’s tenure will be remembered for the peaceful atmosphere and secured environment that he created upon which the state machinery run freely especially the success of his novel Maintain Peace Movement, which created the enabling peaceful atmosphere for enhanced productivity as well as harmonious living in a multifarious state. Governor Emmanuel knitted the bonds of brotherhood and managed the process of succession without rancor.

Also noteworthy is his style of leadership primed on God’s direction as well as his bond with the ordinary people of Akwa Ibom whom he engages with at his various visits to the villages, towns and the city of Uyo.

Governor Emmanuel has succeeded in weaving these sensibilities together to produce a successor, Pastor Umo Eno, whose victory at the polls signposts the expansion of the horizon of development in Akwa Ibom.

From the achievements of his administration, Governor Emmanuel has displayed the characteristics of a silent achiever in whom Nigerians can place their trust in the future.

Umoren, National Coordinator of the Akwa Ibom Professionals, writes from Uyo