Gov Eno Orders Probe into Activities of Chinese Manufacturing Factory in A’Ibom

Okon Bassey in Uyo

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Umo Eno, has ordered a detailed investigation into the activities of a Chinese manufacturing company, Golden Tripod Limited operating in the state. 

The manufacturing firm located along Ikot Ekpene Road, Uyo, the state capital, has been directed to relocate to the Ibom Industrial Park in Itam, Itu Local Government Area of the state.

Governor Eno gave the order while flagging off the construction of a 2.2Km Tabernacle Road project, off Ikot Ekpene Road, traversing Itu and Uyo local government areas.

The action of the governor ordering the relocation of the Chinese firm from the area was based on reports of environmental pollution from the factory.

Eno equally directed the State Commissioner for Environment and that of Internal Security to avail him with a report on activities of the factory in 48 hours and demanded that the factory be moved to the industrial park which is an appropriate location for such ventures.

“Commissioner for Environment and Commissioner for Internal security, I want to have a report on what this factory manufactures in the next 48 hours. 

“I understand that there are always serious emissions around here. Please, first of all, find out what they do and immediately relocate them to the industrial park. It is not proper to cite factories in the middle of a city,” he stressed. 

He urged investors establishing industries in the state to utilise the industrial park, assuring that with the new innovations from the government the park will provide a veritable environment for industries to thrive.

 “That park has been partitioned into 150 plots of between four thousand and five thousand square meters. 

“What we are saying is that those who are ready to establish industries should come and analyse the kind of industry they intend to create. They will tell us the time frame and the number of people that will be employed, and we will then allocate lands for them.

“We are going to fence it round. We will put a police station there, we are going to get a power station to be there, we will make water available too. It will be like any industrial park anywhere in the world so that when we look at your project, we can allocate land for you there,” he added. 

The governor also assured that his administration will utilise the Industrial Park to support entrepreneurship to checkmate capital flight in the state, reaffirming that all clothing to support the education innovations of his administration will be produced by Akwa Ibom youths through the various skills acquisition programmes and support by state government.

“We want to move and motivate our young people to be able to have what to do. We will ensure that when you finish your training in the Ibom Leadership Entrepreneurial Centre, we will provide you with a shop in the industrial park and provide you with necessary equipments and tools to start practicing what you learn. 

“That is what our empowerment will look like. Not only will we give you a shop, we will give you business. It is our idea to start providing uniforms and shoes to our pupils in primary schools.”

On the Tabernacle Road project, Eno thanked the people of Uyo and Itu for supporting his emergence as governor and described the intervention as a response to the yearnings of the people as well as fulfillment of his campaign promises to extend development beyond high profile areas in the city to those in the grassroots whose votes saw to his victory at 2023 gubernatorial election. 

“It was your desire to have a government that will come and remember the poor and rural dwellers. That is the kind of government you voted for. This is that dividend of democracy I promised you. We have come here to thank all the Uyo and Itu people who supported us during the election,” the governor said. 

Presenting an overview of the Tabernacle Road project, the Commissioner for Works and Fire Service, Prof. Eno Ibanga, said beyond the road construction, the project is a major de-flooding work to reclaim the entire area, adding that the end result of the project will be a respite for the people of Uyo and Itu LGAs.

He said the 2.2km road project will be finished with a 0.97Km underground drain that will empty into the Calabar-Itu Road drainage, assuring of his ministry’s commitment to ensure that contractors deliver according to specifications handed them by the state government.