WHITHER GOVERNOR UDOM INDUSTRALIZATION 2
*The Power Revolution in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria*

By Tom FredFish

It was the words of Professor Warren Bennis who Chairs, “The Leadership Institute” of California that “leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality”, that beckons my thoughts on the efforts of Akwa Ibom State government at interpreting policy statement to reality.

Recently, I was fortunate to listen to a discussion among artisans – traders, hawkers, keke and Mini-bus drivers which culminated into an argument. At first, I didn’t place much interest in their discussion. Why? Because the only time you see Nigerians converge to discuss like that irrespective of their political or religious background is when they talk about football. My disinterestedness is owing to the fact that I am never a fan of any of the European football teams.

On a critical appraisal of their deliberations, I noticed that the group was a conglomeration of the two major political parties in the state - the PDP and APC. But I was wrong on the title of their discourse. It was not about football but about electricity supply in Akwa Ibom State. The topic in contention pricked my curiosity. I stood to listen and to pick views. Two schools of thoughts were expected to generate from such assemblage and topic that relates to government policies: the collaborationist; those who agree that the government has done well and the discordant; those who disagree on government effort.

I had expected those that held the discordant views on the supply of electricity in the state to dominate the discussion but there was none. The crowd of people held one view - the collaborationist; that electricity supply has improved tremendously in Akwa Ibom State. The argument was therefore, the amount of hours each of them enjoy electricity supply in their respective areas / street. While some argued that they enjoy a minimum of 16 hours, some made note from 18 and 23 hours respectively.

The fact that electricity has improved in Akwa Ibom State is no longer news. But what has dominated recent discussion is how to sustain the tempo and make electricity supply spread to other areas of the state. These are among the many plans and policies that the governor Udom administration has taken into consideration.

Knowing full well that his promise to industrialize the state cannot be achieved without basic infrastructures such as constant electricity supply, governor Udom Emmanuel in June 2015, few days after assuming office held meetings with officials of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, PHDC in Hilltop mansion, Uyo where issues that bothers on irregular supply of electricity to Akwa Ibom state and ways the state can intervene to arrest the shortfall of electricity supply.

At the meeting, the PHDC officials tabled various problems among which are the need for sub-stations and difficulties providing meters to consumers as a result of its none-availability and the high importation rate. To assuage these problems, governor Udom move swiftly to provide sub-stations in the state and made big moves to attract and partner with Metering Solutions Manufacturing Services Limited (MSMSL), to build a metering company in Akwa Ibom state that would serve the state and the country at large. While other sub stations are currently being built in areas like Mkpat Enin, Eket, Oron and Ikot Ekpene, the sub-stations built and inaugurated at Edet Akpan Avenue, as well as in Oron road has ensured that there is steady power supply in Ifa, Mbiabong, Shelter Afrique, Osongama, Nsikak Eduok, the entire Oron road and Nwaniba road stretch.

The Metering company when operational, will produce single-phase and three-phase electricity meters in various configurations and mountings, light weight, slim skeletal, compact meters for pole top installation, prepayment type meters, split type electricity meters, standard one unit electricity meters, bulk electricity meters, maximum demand meters and smart electricity meters.

While well meaning residents of Akwa Ibom state has applauded the state governor for his effort so far, many are of the view that the commissioning of a Metering Company in September, 2017 by Nigeria’s Vice President Yemi Osibanjo, Akwa Ibom will yet break another record as the first state in Nigeria and Africa to product meters and set the state for a competitive metering production with other nations of the world such as china, Indian and Sri Lanka who are making attempts to industrialize their country.

Declaring open an Ante LECO Smart metering Company in Bandaragama in year January 2017, the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Ranil Wickremeisnghe noted that: “The Government is considering moving towards industrialization in its plans to take the country forward. But, as Sri Lanka requires rapid development, we must focus on Industrialization...however; Sri Lankan investors do not possess necessary resources to enact this plan, which is why we need foreign investment. We require their assistance and technology, by which way we can enter, and dominate, the foreign markets. For this, we must journey together. What we desire is to create a sustainable platform which enables the youth of Sri Lanka to have a better future than us.”

If those words can come from the president of a country, you will agree with me that governor Udom; a governor of a state in a federation is on the right path to create sustainable platform, dominate foreign market with the production of the Syringes and Meters in Akwa Ibom state as well as open a vestige of technology transfer to Nigeria and Akwa Ibom in particular.

The commissioning of these industries in Akwa Ibom state will impact in many ways. Firstly, it will help in Nigeria advance her policy on technology transfer as more than 200 Akwa Ibom indigenes have undergone training in Turkey; secondly, it will help ease the difficulties associated in importing these products to the country; thirdly, the near constant electricity supply will help boost businesses in the state - many of whom rely on electricity to thrive; fourthly, it will create massive employments; fifthly, convert the economics of the areas where the companies are sited and lastly, increase the revenue of the state.

These efforts by governor Udom can best be described with the words of Donald McGannon, a great leader and former president of the American National Urban League who said that “Leadership is action and not position”. It is wise to say that Akwa Ibom people opted for the best man for the job when they gave their mandate to governor Udom and as a political analysis once said: “one good term, deserve another.”

Using the words of Sri Lanka Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremeisnghe, “For this, we must journey together” Lets Journey with Udom; Udom needs our support; Udom deserves a second term in office.

(the pictures below are the newly commissioned Metering company in Sri Lanka and the one to be commissioned in Akwa Ibom state).

#Tom FredFish is a public policy analyst and media consultant based in uyo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wigzy_vPnxI