By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
The Young Progressives Party (YPP) governorship standard bearer for Akwa Ibom State, Senator Bassey Akpan has said that he has economic master plan which will create 500,000 job opportunities within two years in the state if elected governor in 2023.
Akpan disclosed this at the YPP flag off of Governorship/State House of Assembly Campaigns and presentation of flags to candidates on Saturday in Uyo, the State capital.
Senator Akpan, assured that he would achieve the target and take unemployed youth off the streets through the development of tourism and agriculture sector of the economy.
He reiterated that both sectors which had remained largely untapped if developed, would not only crash down unemployment and poverty rates in the state, but would also attract foreign exchange.
His words, “We have a master plan for tourism development; and by combining this with agriculture, we hope to create 500,000 jobs in two years.
“We shall design and implement a tourism roadmap and protect our environment from the ravages of unforeseen natural occurrences. Equally, we shall leverage numerous value-chains prevalent in agro-allied ventures to create multi-faceted employment opportunities, produce processed goods and facilitate the export of goods by Akwa Ibom people”, he posited.
Stressing further on the master plan, the YPP governorship hopeful assured saying, “we have a plethora of programmes in agriculture and rural development that we shall immediately kick-start once we assume office. This includes plantation, cash cropping, value addition, storage, marketing, and a whole lot more in the value chain, to immediately take the youths and young school leavers off the streets, rehabilitate, and redirect their lives towards active entrepreneurship and productive endeavours.
“These are simple cost-effective things that ought to be done. The Akwa Ibom economy should not depend on Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) money. We are truly blessed, and we are poised to harness our God-given resources and human talents to the benefit of our people.
“For a start, our economic team has been mandated to create a data bank for the registration of people with special talents and flair, so that they can be immediately called upon, collectively, to lend their quota and flame up our quest to develop our dear state to the desired level”, he assured.
Senator Akpan, who is currently representating Akwa Ibom North East Senatorial District of Akwa Ibom State at the Senate, called on the people of the state to vote him to office come 2023 general elections.
Akpan in his 28-paragraph speech tagged “My Covenant With Akwa Ibom People” has assured of taking the state from dehumanizing poverty, maladministration, syndicated governance, burgeoning unemployment, hopelessness and despair.
The state chairman of YPP, Apostle Nyeneime Andy in his address, expressed hope that Akwa Ibom with Senator Bassey Akpan as the governor, would experience dividends of democracy from 2023.
Apostle Andy said that YPP has become a vehicle to drive these dividends of Senator Akpan, popularly known as OBA is elected of the state.
He described Senator Akpan as someone who has a strong will and love for the development of Akwa Ibom and its people.
“OBA is someone who has proved his love for the people, raising small people to become great men and women. OBA’s upcoming as the governor is the beginning of a new birth for Akwa Ibom State of our long desired dreams, where poverty, stagnation and deprivation currently facing the populace would be overcome,” Apostle Andy stated.
He also added that all the YPP candidates were carefully selected based on their pedigree and academic excellent for the best and future of Akwa Ibom.
Highpoint of the event included the presentation of flag to candidates for the 26-member State House of Assembly and Senator Bassey Akpan as the governorship standard bearer of the Party in the state.
The event was witnessed by national leadership of YPP, led by the national chairman, Comrade E. Amakiri, members of Akwa UbokAbasi Campaign Council, among others.
