Gov. Emmanuel laying foundation for viable economy – CoS

Mr Ephraim Inyang, Chief of Staff to Gov. Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom, has said that the governor had laid a solid foundation for industrialisation in the south-south state. Inyang, who stated this while fielding questions from journalists in Uyo on Monday, said the government was expected to complete many projects in that regard before the end of the administration.

According to him, the governor has a strong desire to take the state from being a civil service state to one with a viable economy. He said that the state government had already built industries that had transformed the economy of the state from a dependent to a viable economy. ”The governor is attracting investors to establish industries and diversify the economy to give the state a viable economy. “The governor came with a strong desire to take the state away from being a civil service state to one with a viable economy. “The governor has been able to revitalise the economy more than what all his predecessors were able to do since the state was created,” he said.

The chief of staff said it was regrettable that COVID-19 pandemic had distorted a lot of plans for the state government. He blamed the non-arrival of expatriates from India since 2020 for the non-take off of the 66 tons Coconut Refinery at Mkpat Enin Local Government of the state, attributing that to COVID-19.”Government had programmed the Coconut refinery to be inaugurated in 2019 but COVID-19 delayed the arrival of Indians who are to install the equipment,” he said. Inyang said that the state government was committed to the speedy take off of the Coconut Refinery, adding that the Ibom Deep Seaport had the capacity to transform and sustain the state even without revenue from oil.