Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has commended President Ahmed Tinubu for providing incentives for the realization of the Oil And Gas Free Zone in the state.
Governor Eno gave the commendation when he received in audience a delegation from the Oil And Gas Free Zone Authorities, led by the Special Adviser, Industry,Trade And Investment to the President, John Uwajumogu , at Government House, Uyo.
He said that President Tinubu’s approach of bringing every interest together to push for development and looking beyond party lines, has shown that development can be achieved irrespective of people’s differences, adding that the gesture has endeared him to the federal government led-administration.
The Governor acknowledged that License for the operation of the Oil And Gas Free Zone was awarded by the APC led- government and commended the delegation for keying into the vision of the federal government for development to thrive and enable the people to enjoy the dividends of democracy.
“Let me thank the President for this very unbiased approach to leadership by bringing everyone together and pushing development forward beyond and across party lines. That is what endears me basically to the administration.
“This proves that we can put those differences behind us and seek to develop the state jointly across all obstacles.
“So that is to express our thanks and appreciations to him, and then to all of you for imbibing that culture of not putting a demarcation.
“The Oil and Gas Free Zone, the licence was given even under the APC administration. Again, this is a practical example that we can all work together to move our country forward and let our citizens have the benefit of Democracy.
He spoke of the delegations’ appreciation of the ambience of the state, attributing the feat to past administrators with emphasis on the immediate past government of Mr Udom Emmanuel, which made infrastructural revolution the cardinal thrust of its administration.
The State Chief Executive assured that his government will use the A.R.I.S.E. Agenda blueprint to consolidate on the layers of the past administration to drive development into the hinterland so as to better the lot of the rural dwellers with motorable roads, electricity, pipe borne water and health care facilities.
“Thank you for the very warm sentiments that you have expressed about our state. Each time I hear this, it reminds us formerly on the work that the last administration under Deacon Udom Emmanuel did.
“We just came into that work. The last eight years of that administration, he invested heavily in infrastructural and industrial development of the state.
“Our prayer is that God will help us to continue to carry on that work and to ensure that we put everything in place to the trajectory we want to push.
“That is why we launched the A.R.I.S.E. AGENDA which is the five pillar upon which we hope to run our administration to extend development especially to our rural areas, in the area of Agriculture, Rural Development, infrastructure, security, education, entrepreneurship and environment.
“So we believe that on this pillars, we can move towards our rural communities. We will spread this development down and it will really help us a great deal. That’s what we are doing and we trust God that we will be able to have the best to our people.
“Let people in our rural communities begin to have the real benefits of Democracy in the area of school, markets, roads, light and water.
These are the things we believe can help them. They don’t really require much to be honest. If we can provide some of those basic amenities for some of them to live their lives easily.
He said beyond the courtesies there was need for working sessions to enable him ascertain on facilities to be put on ground for the take off of the Free Zone and commended the initiative of establishing an office at the zone , saying that it would attract other companies to open shops at the zone.
Governor Eno assured the delegation on the preparedness of the state administration to partner with the Oil And Gas Free Zone using the Committee earlier put in place by the State government to work out modalities for the smooth take off of the zone alongside Boards , Commissions and other state apparatus.
While suing for partnership in the development of the Airport, he maintained that with the MRO, modern terminal and second runway on ground the Agency can facilitate issuance of Free Trade Licence for the Airport to assist the Cargo and Airplanes in their services and earned foreign exchange for the country as well as fast tract development to the state.
Earlier, leader of the delegation and Special Adviser to the President on Industry, Trade And Investment, John Uwajumogu, congratulated the Governor on his victory in the last gubernatorial poll, urging him to continue in the path of his predecessor.
He said their visit to the state has taken the team to the Oil And Gas Free Zone and Sterling Petroleum where they witnessed investment of over five hundred million dollars on ground and pledged the readiness of the team to support the Oil And Gas venture which he described as the largest in Africa, having employed not less than one thousand indigenes of the state.
He congratulated the state administration and the people for having such an huge investment .
He made a case for the strengthening of the joint Committee put in place to resolve all land related disputes for the speedy take off of the free zone project and informed the Governor that contract has been awarded for the building of an office accommodation in the zone as well as construction of the main road leading to the office .
On his part, the CEO Oil And Gas Free Zone Authorities, Senator Tijani Laura, commended the Governor’s vision of making the state an investment hub in the country with investment drive into Agriculture, Manufacturing and Oil And Gas.
Senator Laura spoke of the infrastructural strides in the state, saying that the feat has prepared the state for the economic revolution about to take place and expressed the readiness of the federal government to collaborate to make the state an investment haven.
Could you elaborate on the commendation given by Governor Eno during his meeting with a delegation from the Oil and Gas Free Zone Authorities, led by John Uwajumogu, the Special Adviser, Industry, Trade, and Investment to the President, at the Government House in Uyo?