[size=18pt]The Worst Road in the State is a Federal Road. Our Federal Agencies including the Federal Government are an abysmal lot and failures. People who are only interested in lining their pockets. [/size]


When Akwa Ibom State was created on September 23, 1987 by the regime of General Ibrahim Babangida, many who were left behind in Cross River State (especially the indigenes of Calabar) heaved a sigh of relief in the hope they now had more breathing space.

Even though civil servants moved to their new state of origin, many Akwa Ibomites remained in Calabar. The old prejudice that described the relationship between the two sides showed itself recently when the Cross River State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs. Ekama Iwara, reported that majority of prostitutes in Calabar were from Akwa Ibom State.

Social and economic ladder

As things stand now, Akwa Ibom is rapidly on the rise to the top rung of Nigeria’s social and economic ladder. The first leg of the journey started from the moment that Babangida decided to create only Akwa Ibom and Katsina States. The second leg did not start until the dawn of democracy in 1999 when Obong Victor Attah was elected.

Opinions are divided as to the quality of Attah’s contributions to the development of the state. Officials in incumbent Governor Godswill Akpabio’s government are quick to point out that many roads built during that era were washed out within two rainy seasons.

Two things Attah contributed to the rise of the state from the mud to Olympian heights broke the barrier.

The first was the struggle for resource control and payment of the 13 per cent derivation based on oil royalties mined on the Continental Shelf, not just onshore. The rest of the country except the South East fought bitterly to deny the Niger Delta States their right to earn royalties from offshore oil and gas but at the end of the day justice prevailed because if you remove the sea from a riverine people you have taken life from them.

Akwa Ibom would have been no better than Edo as an oil producing state. But with this settlement, the state is now the largest revenue earner from derivation royalties. This has enabled it to commence one of the most ambitious developmental strides anywhere in the country.

Attah’s second contribution was that he appointed Barrister Godswill Obot Akpabio as Commissioner who served in various capacities between 2002 and 2006 when he started his political journey to the Government House on May 29, 2007. The exchange of batons was not smooth.

Attah wanted his son in-law to succeed him, but Akpabio clinched his party’s ticket at the primaries. Attah’s spirited (but failed) efforts to ensure Akpabio did not succeed him created the bad blood that persists till date. However, Akpabio continued from where his predecessor stopped, ensuring to complete all ongoing projects.

Today, the state is probably the only one in the country that can boast of zero abandoned projects.

To celebrate the 24th anniversary of the state, Akwa Ibom pulled all the stops because as Akpabio put it: “there is something to celebrate”. Any Cinderella story is worth celebrating. The state has undergone what President Goodluck Jonathan described as “uncommon transformation”, with world class infrastructure.

Akpabio has proved that when big money meets big ideas big things happen. When this reporter visited the state last in 2007, the Akwa Ibom International Airport runway was just being bulldozed, yet former President Olusegun Obasanjo “commissioned” it! But today, three aircraft land from Lagos alone at the Uyo Airport.

The dual carriageway to Uyo is classier than the Bill Clinton Way leading into Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

The underground drainage system has gone a long way in solving the perennial flooding of the state capital, though the work is yet to be concluded. Apart from its network of high quality roads, perhaps the most impressive thing about today’s Akwa Ibom is the educational policies.

There is free and compulsory education up to secondary school level for residents of the states, not just indigenes. Akwa Ibom is one of the few states in the federation that does not discriminate between indigenes and settlers in educating Nigerian children living in their state.

Governor Akpabio has monitoring groups in all three senatorial districts, whose job is to go round and arrest any student found wandering during school hours. Besides, primary and secondary schools in the state have been fully modernised and our touring team was able to see so many of them throughout the state.

Akwa Ibom is also preparing big for tourism, what with its massive e-library and the Ibom Tropicana complex, which is a one-stop entertainment centre. Akwa Ibom is better seen than described.

Politics in the state

However, politics in the state is vicious. This is understandable though not excusable. Any politician who visits the brand new Government House will like to live there. Anyone who knows the amount of money that flows into the coffers of the state government will like to control the purse.

The state government forwarded an Appropriation Bill of a whopping N309 billion for 2011, out of which 80 per cent is devoted to capital projects, thus making the state the highest in capital to recurrent ratio in the country.

Neighbouring Rivers State, which is also one of the best performing states in the federation, has 64 percent reserved for capital expenditure.

The signs are very positive that the oil wealth of the state will only get bigger.

The US government rated Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Edo states as states with “impressive governors” to “watch out for” in a rare positive Wikileaks diplomatic cable message. A lot of work is required to be done for Akwa Ibom to start competing with states like Lagos and Rivers in terms of internal revenue generation. Right now, Akwa Ibom is heavily oil revenue-dependent.

Due to big revenue allocation, the 2011 elections in the state were particularly nasty, and bedevilled with kidnappings, killings, unhealthy propaganda, burning of government property and subsequent detention of the most prominent challenger to Governor Akpabio, Senator Akpan Udoedehe, the candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). However, the bid to use tribalism as means of gaining power did not work.

All that Akwa Ibom needs for more rapid development is peace and common purpose among its political leadership. In the next five years, Akwa Ibom will be an uncommon African story going by the pace of work.

Giving Lagos a run

THE only bad major road you will see in Akwa Ibom is the Eket – Ibeno federal road, a most shoddy job being handled by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). It is an irony that the road leading into the state’s prime economic zone is the worst, though the state government has tried in vain to take it over and construct it to the standard of the rest. [size=18pt]SHAME TO JEG & NDDC[/size]
Ibeno immediately reminds one of Bar beach in Lagos. But unlike Bar beach and the Lagos coastline, this is the oil and gas belt. The state’s coastline covers several local governments, and plans have reached an advanced stage to establish a deep seaport – the first in the East – at Ibaka in Mbo Local Government Area.

If properly developed, the Ibeno and Ibaka areas can be transformed into the nation’s only coastal oil city after the fashion of Houston, Texas, USA. Nigeria will then have two copies of Lagos instead of one. Agreements have been signed by the Akwa Ibom State Government and various stakeholders, including the Federal Ministry of Transport, Nigerian Ports Authority and the government of the Kingdom of Belgium.

The future of the state’s economy lies in this area of Akwa Ibom.



[size=18pt]This Governor needs to be encouraged- He has done well, Kudos Akpabio[/size]

KnowAll:

The state government forwarded an Appropriation Bill of a whopping N309 billion for 2011, out of which 80 per cent is devoted to capital projects, thus making the state the highest in capital to recurrent ratio in the country.

Amazing! So spending $1.6 billion a year on capital projects? Will be the most developed state in Nigeria at that rate.

How do the different states rank?

Hrm, very impressive.

Btw, source of this article?

N309 billion?


Richer that all the SE states.

FG should speed up the completion of the deep sea port there and let guys relocate and enjoy the money; 2 hrs drive is all it takes

Amazing! So spending $1.6 billion a year on capital projects? Will be the most developed state in Nigeria at that rate.

How do the different states rank?

Hrm, very impressive.

T[b]he only way is up for this state. He has to pass the baton to another reformist like himself when he finishes his term. [/b]

KnowAll:

T[b]he only way is up for this state. He has to pass the baton to another reformist like himself if he finishes his term. [/b]

Perhaps it is time to pay AKS a visit, hehe.

Oil wealth properly managed = prosperity.

Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers earn a lot, but AKS will zoom past all of them at the rate it is going.

Btw, source of this article?

Online Vanguard.

If someone wants to compile that list of how the states rank by capital vs. recurrent, please do so and post here.

Perhaps it is time to pay AKS a visit, hehe.

Oil wealth properly managed = prosperity.

Bayelsa and Rivers earn a lot, but AKS will zoom past both of them at the rate it is going.

I am serioulsy thinking of opening a beach bar in Eket and environs, I have to do my home work well though.  

poster, what's the source of your article or are you the source?
I like the capital-recurrent budget ratio
a lot of good investments which will spur further grow can happen with good infrastructure

As much as I applaud Akpabio for the development initiative, I have the inkling that this development drive is unsustainable given that much of the revenue utilized for the development comes from oil proceeds. With the oil wells and costal lines thought to have belonged to Akwa-Ibom now being reclaimed by Cross-Rivers and Rivers States, like some economic analyst have said not too long ago, Akwa-Ibom would shoot itself in the foot.

More worrying is the fact that the state IGR rank below states like Edo and Ogun and I am of the opinion that it is not enough for governments today in Nigeria to build roads, bridges, etcas they must go a step further to ensure the development is sustainable by strengthening thier financial based through well orchestrasted IGR.

In all, kudos to Akwa-Ibom and the Akpabio government.

sourceeeee

sourceeeee

Vanguard News Paper

Akwa Ibom’s Cinderella story
On October 3, 2011 · In People & Politics
By Ochereome Nnanna

I can't copy the source because I am on a secured Network.

Omo_Tier1:

As much as I applaud Akpabio for the development initiative, I have the inkling that this development drive is unsustainable given that much of the revenue utilized for the development comes from oil proceeds. With the oil wells and costal lines thought to have belonged to Akwa-Ibom now being reclaimed by Cross-Rivers and Rivers States, like some economic analyst have said not too long ago, Akwa-Ibom would shoot itself in the foot.

More worrying is the fact that the state IGR rank below states like Edo and Ogun and I am of the opinion that it is not enough for governments today in Nigeria to build roads, bridges, etcas they must go a step further to ensure the development is sustainable by strengthening thier financial based through well orchestrasted IGR.

In all, kudos to Akwa-Ibom and the Akpabio government.

Akwa Ibom is on the right track. it is the only state in the country (aside Jigawa) that is investing in its people and developing the means for the man on the street to create wealth. Other states are planting trees and erecting traffic lights only, but development is not about beauty, rather it is about access to to opportunity and an enabling environment.
Akpabio is Nigeria's most intelligent and screwed on governor, thats why the US picked him out especially, as one to be watched, Amaechi and Oshiomole were merely mentioned. I hope GEJ can find a way to prop him up as President some day, he is already GEJ's biggest fan, I guess that will help. Nigeria would benefit a lot.

Concerning governance in Nigeria i'm a difficult person to please, but i have to grudgingly admit that i'm impressed with the government in Akwa-Ibom State. Everything they build is world-class, and it's clear the Governor has vision and an eye for detail. Akwa-Ibom is a state i'd recommend most state Governors visit to see the type of quality we ask for in the construction of roads; bridges; resorts; public buildings; etc.

Governor Apkabio sabi brag no be small sha, but i don't mind as there's things on the ground to back-up his bragging rights.

Kudos to Akwa-Ibom peeps .

I c nothing but image laundering here,a trend now growing on nairaland;whc authentic source in d state can verify dese claims?

And another thing i've noticed is the Akwa-Ibom Government don't faff about concerning projects. They say they'll do something and then go ahead and complete it in the blink of an eye. No ifs or buts.

I hope some of his style rubs off on some of our Governors in the south-east.

It is an irony that the road leading into the state’s prime economic zone is the worst, though the state government has tried in vain to take it over and construct it to the standard of the rest

.

SHAME TO JEG & NDDC

@ Beaf,

Don’t you think it is high time you tell your oga to get his act together in NDDC. All those sub-standard roads they are building all over the place is not it oh. It is just a ruse to share money, they should just disband NDDC and share whatever money that is accrued to that Organisation amongst the oil producing states for ‘inter oil producing states projects’ i.e the Governors in the recipient states would dictate the projects that would benefit them not some bloooooody bureaucrats in Abuja,  

^
Don't you guys get some training in how to interact socially? Why must you always come across as crude and agricultural? I'm hoping this thing is a strictly NL phenomenon.

PROUD-IGBO:

Concerning governance in Nigeria i'm a difficult person to please, but i have to grudgingly admit that i'm impressed with the government in Akwa-Ibom State. Everything they build is world-class, and it's clear the Governor has vision and an eye for detail. Akwa-Ibom is a state i'd recommend most state Governors visit to see the type of quality we ask for in the construction of roads; bridges; resorts; public buildings; etc.

Governor Apkabio sabi brag no be small sha, but i don't mind as there's things on the ground to back-up his bragging rights.

Kudos to Akwa-Ibom peeps .

That is very true. Di man get maut no be small!

Akwaibom is one of the modern States in Nigeria.I have pictures of Uyo taken with my own camera which I will post later.Let's look at it this way Imo,Ebonyi,Cross River and Akwaibom are quite clean and mordern,

Yet they cannot pay minimum wage; shaking my head.

the man responsible

road construction.

It makes more sense to pay workers fair wages according to the law than to beautify a city/state. Or are their their existence less important than flaunting new creations of inanimate objects like buildings and roads. Kinda like neglecting one's parents because you are saving up money to bury them extravagantly.

@Ndipe
With good roads and power, comes manufacturing. With manufacturing comes jobs. WIth jobs, come education and healthcare. With Education and healthcare comes happiness.

Akwa Ibom agreed to pay disburse the minimum wage on the 26th of last August.

I'm sure the governors of Delta, Bayerlsa and RIvers can learn from this man a fellow oil Producing state

Instead of renovating 10 primary schools with 940m

Uduaghan shey you dey see. The standard of uselessness

dayokanu:

I'm sure the governors of Delta, Bayerlsa and RIvers can learn from this man a fellow oil Producing state

Instead of renovating 10 primary schools with 940m

Uduaghan shey you dey see. The standard of uselessness

Well said. Of the oil-producing states in Nigeria, Akwa Ibom has the brighest future, imo.

80% capital expenditure is [size=18pt]MASSIVE[/size]!

Kudos Akwa Ibom slowly but surly Nigeria will get there

Abeg na only Uyo and Eket o. U should see the interior village my brother served in. No light, no telephones, no toilets, schools have no furniture, real bush.