By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
Senator Bassey Albert Akpan, one of the major contestants to the Hill Top Mansion in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State has promised to develop Mbo Local Government Area of the state to become a commercial hub for the entire Gulf of Guinea, if elected Governor in 2023.
In realising this, an intensive human capital development scheme involving targeted training of youth with the required skill set and certification, will be launched in the area ahead of the take-off of the Deep Seaport in Ibaka.
Senator Akpan popularly known in the state as OBA, gave the promise at the weekend, during his consultative visit to Mbo, where he met with delegates and other stakeholders of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) towards achieving his ambition for the state.
To further demonstrate his commitment, Akpan said that contract for the construction of the road to the Seaport would be awarded within his first 100 days in office as the governor of the state.
The development blueprint highlights process where some selected indigenes from the state would be trained in relevant areas such as: engineering, transport and logistics management, industrial welding and fabrication, maritime law, dockyard operations and management, seafaring, marine engineering and oceanography, environmental impact assessment, pollution management, safety, and other related fields.
Aside from the deep seaport project, which is expected to provide over 5000 jobs, OBA also hinted at commercialising fishing in the area with the input of technical supports.
Ebughu Fishing Terminal has been moribund for years. Revamping it will provide the platform for post-harvest value addition processing and linkage with local and international markets, the Senator Akpan assured.
“It costs nothing to bring in fishing trawlers to Mbo waters”, he added.
Akpan, who is a Senator representing Akwa Ibom North East (Uyo) Senatorial District in the Senate, also spoke about his conscious involvement in the Petroleum Industry Act, knowing that Mbo people and other oil bearing communities in the state stand to benefit, assured them of his commitment to ensure official recognition of Oro nation as oil-bearing communities.
OBA also informed the people of his sole sponsorship of 481 students, including Mbo children, on scholarship scheme in tertiary institutions across Nigeria, a venture that has produced 28 first class graduates so far.
He appealed to the people to support him based on their conscience, assuring that his administration will be a government of the people.
Earlier, the Director General of Akwa UbokAbasi campaign organisation, Pastor Sunny Ibuot; Chairman, Strategic Committee, Arch Bishop Andrew Unwanta and Chairman, Campaign Council, Sir Emem Akpabio all spoke glowingly of OBA’s competence, capacity and commitment to ensure that the masses benefit from his government.
They also charged the people to support equity, justice and fair-play, so that Oro nation will also benefit from those virtues when the governorship returns to Eket senatorial district.
“If you join them to kill rotation, when governorship comes back to Eket Senatorial District, those same people will argue that it is open to everybody, thereby depriving Oron Federal Constituency of their opportunity“, Sir Akpabio said.
Pastor Ibuot said OBA has made Akwa Ibom proud at the national level in his representation in the Senate, therefore deserves to be given the chance as governor.
Presenting OBA to the people, Akpabio described the aspirant as someone who is qualified, competent and knows Mbo in-and-out, having traversed the area while serving as Chairman of Inter-ministerial Direct Labour Project under the then Gov Godswill Akpabio.
The PDP Chapter Chairman in Mbo, Mr Etetim Okon Isemin, while responding, said all power belongs to God and prayed that OBA will sail through to Government House.
Ikpoto Okon Osung, a party chieftain from Oro nation, noted that the situation in the state is so bleak and the only person to redeem it is OBA.
Chief Eddie Abang, pleaded for the completion of the abandoned Etebi-Ewang Road and Uresi bridge linking the East-West road, when he becomes the governor.
