Okon Bassey in Uyo
Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has emerged the ‘Sub-nation Governor with the best economic blueprint in Africa’.
The recognition is as a result of achievements recorded in the area of industrialisation, human capacity development, and wealth creation, and also earning more recognitions and commendations within and outside the country.
The award is to be presented to the governor during The African Regional Journal (TARJ) Forum and Trade Fair- Luanda 2022 by the West African Regional Magazine on November 18 and 19, 2022, at Intercontinental Hotel in Luanda, Angola.
The theme of the event is ‘The significance of unity in diversity in the integration of Africa’, and will be held side by side with this year’s listing of 100 inspiring individuals in Africa, with the focus on promoting made-in-Africa products and connecting African businesses.
According to a statement issued by the organisers, “Governor Emmanuel’s visionary leadership with a business-inclined disposition and private-sector approach to governance is a contributing factor to the transformation of Akwa Ibom into an enterprise state.
“This was captured in a blueprint that offered an amenable roadmap for achieving renaissance along the routes of job creation, wealth creation, poverty
alleviation, infrastructural consolidation and expansion and eco-political inclusion.
A letter personally addressed to the governor by Mrs. Rossette Aliu Squire maintained that: “Upon assumption of office, you (governor) set up a remodeling committee to engender a social contract and a technical committee on Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) to promote, midwife and enhance the flow of investments into Akwa Ibom State.
“The result is a horde of firms, including the largest syringe manufacturing factory in Africa; electrical digital metering solutions manufacturing factory; rice mill; coconut oil processing plant, and flour mill to mention a few.
“Added to the volley of strategic partnerships, the result is the emergence of hundreds of businesses, thousands of jobs with ripple and multiplier effects that phenomenally impact the livelihoods of Akwabomites and Nigerians.
“You created the uniqueness of the investment environment of this enterprise state that allows the evolution of capsuling in some very capital-intensive industries that have either comparative advantage, absolute advantage or technological advantage.
“Your excellent sense of judgement and business integrity earned from long term
meritorious and untainted service in the corporate world as one of the defining figures, your ambidexterity as exemplified in the way you balanced autonomy and dependency and your intrapreneurship fervor are part of the vast ‘capital’ and collateral that availed the needed investors’ confidence.”
The award organisers observed that every part of the state has been uplifted under Emmanuel’s leadership, including the healthcare sector, infrastructural, education among others.
They added that the state is indeed emerging into an aviation hub with a viable airline, and a modern smart terminal building almost completed.
“Ibom Air is the only one by any sub-national entity”, they added.
The governor had been listed last year among 100 Inspiring Individuals in Africa in the 2021 edition of the fair held in Radisson Blu Hotel, Kigali, Rwanda.
Meanwhile, another special award for the Most Progressive Sub-nation in Africa is to be awarded to Akwa Ibom State for outstanding growth and development recorded in the last few years.
