₦airaland Forum

Eziachi:
I always likes to make it personal. If the money spent here was your family inheritance under Akpabio's care paid care would accept that he used it to build a project, lucky to be used twice every year and that will cost arm and leg to maintain?
I take it that super eagles will be playing there each weak.
Teams like Arsenal their stadium cost almost the but twice the capacity of Akpabio nest work hard to bring more revenue despite making average of £3m per game at the Emirates.

arresa:
Were you not the same hypocrite blabbing about another governor's spending?

Please keep your hypocritical mouth quiet..

Nctrice:
Akpabio is just a Typical Akwa IBOM Man... I might not blame him... in as much as the writer is right in his assertion he should not forget get that Akpabio constructed thousands of kilometers of good roads, roads are said to be basic infrastructure, even though I have always been of the opinion that in Nigeria we should have grown past the level where we celebrate roads as a form of development. But one thing I am sure of is that come 19th when super eagles would play their qualifiers on that stadium an average man might end up making some extra cash for himself by venturing in one form of business activity or the other! To me it starts there!

tinkinjow:
Haters will never stop.
So why has Fashola not built a refinery and call on the private sector to manage it?
Envy
Bitterness
Petty jealousy. This is all I see. This write up is ill conceived
No country waits until the last citizen is taken out of poverty until it embark on certain projects.
India, China, Russia, US, etc all started space programmes at a time many ( in some cases hundreds of millions ) of their citizens were ( some still are ) stricken with poverty.
Akwa Ibom deserved more of such stadiums and has gotten one kudos to Akpabio.
Stop the hate.
You will all wake up one day to discover that Akwa ibom had surpassed Lagos. ( maybe this is the problem)
When Fashola refurbished the kiosk at Surulere he was praised to high heavens. No one complained that Lagos is full of the worst slums in Africa.
I am beginning to agree that a section of this country frowns at another section out performing it. Sometimes am really short for words.
Akpabio had built more roads with bridges than you have ever seen a single government did, federal roads inclusive and is not complaining like Fashola
Schools at almost 90% completely renovated. ( u can claim ameachis own are better yet I think his is not up to 20%)
An elibrary
Schools to secondary level are free, waec/neco fees are paid
5 nos hospitals, many more health centres built,
Children under the ages of 6 and adults above 65 get free medicare
A referral hospital probably the best purpose built is to be commissioned soon.
The Tropicana/cineplex, sheraton on course
An airport completed with Maintenance hangar, expansion on course
Ibom power plant completed built tens of kilometres of pipeline from Eket to Ikot Abasi also erected a High tension to evacuate the power from Ikot Abasi to Eket.
Over 85% electrification achieved with 100% promised by 2015
Thousands of minor inter ministerial projects most of which have been advertised in some national dailies with locations and photographs (I guess for pips like this writer) to see.

In the 21st century only e.d.i.o.t.s still think that it's the role of government to build factories or plant plantations.
Russia realised it wasn't the best, China knows it's impossible. If government have built dams please farm. Since there are good roads please be a transporter.
You can't be more Catholic than the pope. Stop despising the Akwa Ibomites. They are happy.

I read somewhere where someone demanded life touching projects and I asked are these ones death touching.
May the envious perish.

michelz:
Now Dude,how do i begin to help you,if you can't see a BIG difference between the actions of Fayemi and Akpabio in the context you quoted? smh...

nigerianvenom:
thank u!
they all have nothing to criticise,so all they do is to sit down and formulate illicit ideas to rant about

tinkinjow:
Haters will never stop.
So why has Fashola not built a refinery and call on the private sector to manage it?
Envy
Bitterness
Petty jealousy. This is all I see. This write up is ill conceived
No country waits until the last citizen is taken out of poverty until it embark on certain projects.
India, China, Russia, US, etc all started space programmes at a time many ( in some cases hundreds of millions ) of their citizens were ( some still are ) stricken with poverty.
Akwa Ibom deserved more of such stadiums and has gotten one kudos to Akpabio.
Stop the hate.
You will all wake up one day to discover that Akwa ibom had surpassed Lagos. ( maybe this is the problem)
When Fashola refurbished the kiosk at Surulere he was praised to high heavens. No one complained that Lagos is full of the worst slums in Africa.
I am beginning to agree that a section of this country frowns at another section out performing it. Sometimes am really short for words.
Akpabio had built more roads with bridges than you have ever seen a single government did, federal roads inclusive and is not complaining like Fashola
Schools at almost 90% completely renovated. ( u can claim ameachis own are better yet I think his is not up to 20%)
An elibrary
Schools to secondary level are free, waec/neco fees are paid
5 nos hospitals, many more health centres built,
Children under the ages of 6 and adults above 65 get free medicare
A referral hospital probably the best purpose built is to be commissioned soon.
The Tropicana/cineplex, sheraton on course
An airport completed with Maintenance hangar, expansion on course
Ibom power plant completed built tens of kilometres of pipeline from Eket to Ikot Abasi also erected a High tension to evacuate the power from Ikot Abasi to Eket.
Over 85% electrification achieved with 100% promised by 2015
Thousands of minor inter ministerial projects most of which have been advertised in some national dailies with locations and photographs (I guess for pips like this writer) to see.

In the 21st century only e.d.i.o.t.s still think that it's the role of government to build factories or plant plantations.
Russia realised it wasn't the best, China knows it's impossible. If government have built dams please farm. Since there are good roads please be a transporter.
You can't be more Catholic than the pope. Stop despising the Akwa Ibomites. They are happy.

I read somewhere where someone demanded life touching projects and I asked are these ones death touching.
May the envious perish.

nigerianvenom:
thanks,thanks and thank u.
i dont know what to offer u on this piece u've written.
u are a rare gem!
ur kind is rare.
akpabio has tried,i would've been one of his greatest critics but this guys keeps suprising me.
u forgot to add that he built 4 fly overs in uyo and also the biggest flyover in south south is built in abak,just some 25km from uyo.people are just wicked with s.i.l.y criticism.

tinkinjow:
Haters will never stop.
So why has Fashola not built a refinery and call on the private sector to manage it?
Envy
Bitterness
Petty jealousy. This is all I see. This write up is ill conceived
No country waits until the last citizen is taken out of poverty until it embark on certain projects.
India, China, Russia, US, etc all started space programmes at a time many ( in some cases hundreds of millions ) of their citizens were ( some still are ) stricken with poverty.
Akwa Ibom deserved more of such stadiums and has gotten one kudos to Akpabio.
Stop the hate.
You will all wake up one day to discover that Akwa ibom had surpassed Lagos. ( maybe this is the problem)
When Fashola refurbished the kiosk at Surulere he was praised to high heavens. No one complained that Lagos is full of the worst slums in Africa.
I am beginning to agree that a section of this country frowns at another section out performing it. Sometimes am really short for words.
Akpabio had built more roads with bridges than you have ever seen a single government did, federal roads inclusive and is not complaining like Fashola
Schools at almost 90% completely renovated. ( u can claim ameachis own are better yet I think his is not up to 20%)
An elibrary
Schools to secondary level are free, waec/neco fees are paid
5 nos hospitals, many more health centres built,
Children under the ages of 6 and adults above 65 get free medicare
A referral hospital probably the best purpose built is to be commissioned soon.
The Tropicana/cineplex, sheraton on course
An airport completed with Maintenance hangar, expansion on course
Ibom power plant completed built tens of kilometres of pipeline from Eket to Ikot Abasi also erected a High tension to evacuate the power from Ikot Abasi to Eket.
Over 85% electrification achieved with 100% promised by 2015
Thousands of minor inter ministerial projects most of which have been advertised in some national dailies with locations and photographs (I guess for pips like this writer) to see.

In the 21st century only e.d.i.o.t.s still think that it's the role of government to build factories or plant plantations.
Russia realised it wasn't the best, China knows it's impossible. If government have built dams please farm. Since there are good roads please be a transporter.
You can't be more Catholic than the pope. Stop despising the Akwa Ibomites. They are happy.

I read somewhere where someone demanded life touching projects and I asked are these ones death touching.
May the envious perish.

Splashme:
[size=15pt]The writer is an APC bad belle janjaweeed[/size]

tinkinjow:
I forgot but because it is a bit time consuming to list Akpabio's completed projects here. Even in the dailies they consumed almost all the pages.

BabaTony:
Akpabio, you are the man! A true Akwa ibom man, You have sent these good for nothing APC goons hypertensive with your projects in Akwa Ibom, each time they see your projects hypertension sets in because it was not what they expected. They didn’t get to see this one coming. Now they are all over Nairaland running from pillar to post resorting to abuse and empty rants when FACTS are there for all to see. When Oil money was used to build them National Stadium in surulere they were all in ecstatic mood, they even went ahead to even build another one just opposite it (does this even makes sense?), then it was money well spent, when oil money was used in building Third mainland Bridge when the traffic at the time did not necessitate such project, they were all over telling Africa that it was the longest bridge in Africa, when oil money was used to build the Nation’s financial district at Marina, all was well, the likes of Bimbo did not write in their columns. A whole town called FESTAC was built and handed over to them in the name of Black cultural festival that we are yet to see the benefits yet they quietly sneaked it under their armpits, Nigeria spent oil money building a national theater then there was no crying and weeping and gnashing of teeth saying that makoko is still a slum next door. Nigeria spent billions building 1004 estates and eric moore towers, when at that point, Ajengunle was still bubbling with slums, gangsters, criminals, homeless folks,etc. yet these foooools didn’t complain. Lets not even go to other states because we all familiar with the story here on Nairaland. These people have governors, the writer is from Ibadan, Oyo state has a governor, WHAT HAS HE DONE? We are yet to see. I was born to hear that Ibadan was an ancient town, yet Ibadan is still an Ancient Town! And yet these people have governors!

Akwa ibom created just yesterday in 1987 is building its own infrastructure from scratch because before now Nigeria never cared if we existed despite providing the country with its wealth and peeps are here running helter skelter questioning every move-SAD but we don’t care the Movement is on. This is the very reason Nigeria will never make headway because we have a lot of people with PHDs- Pull Him Down syndrome. They always think good things should only and always happen to them, when it happens to the neighbor ENVY, JEALOUSY, MALICE etc all pop up! How can someone in his right senses see that beautiful stadium and not call it a National treasure that should be cherished and projected to the world to see that well-built stuff can be built here in Africa. Akwa ibom is on the right track all other things will fall in place at the appointed time. Those who knew the state before 1999 can attest to this but that’s story for another day. The NEST OF CHAMPIONS will surely see better days .This stadium launch has really put some other governors on the dock that why we are seeing all sorts of write ups, columnist, editorials jumping up. This is Politics seasons so I expect more but the people know the truth and will go for it any time!
N.B. – for those who never appreciate good things, more breathe taking commissionings are coming up, so please inform your doctors to be around you that day as you watch it because heart attack can show up anytime.

jhydosky:
Friday last week, President Goodluck Jonathan, accompanied by Presidents John Mahama of Ghana and Alassane Quattara of Cote d’Ivorie flew to Akwa Ibom State and inaugurated the 30, 000-capacity Akwa Ibom International Stadium, called the “Nest of champions.” The project was wholly financed by the state government.

Days before the event, some journalists fed us to constipation with stories of the stadium’s magnificence. They threw up the phrase “world class” while describing the edifice that at some point it became clichéd. You would think they ought to take some time and enlighten us on the projected revenue earnings of the project.

The state governor, Godswill Akpabio, was the man of the moment. Like most Nigerian politicians, Akpabio loves hyperboles and there was no better occasion to dish them out than at the occasion. If he had stopped at envisioning world-beaters springing from the stadium, his hyperboles would have been less insufferable. But bent on maximising his photo-op, he launched into the worth of the global sports industry, noted the earnings of sporting stars like boxer Floyd Mayweather, footballer Cristiano Ronaldo and tennis star Serena Williams, and concluded that Nigeria deserves some share of the money.

How that was supposed to happen from the stadium apparently escaped the governor’s top-down tunnel vision. I guess his speechwriters left that to his listeners to figure out by themselves.

The National Stadium, Lagos – like, the similarly named National Stadium, Abuja, – are imposing sports facilities built on crass rationale and ambiguous dreams. Nigeria has yet to visualise how to make these projects a money making venture. How does Akpabio’s own propose to be different?

For those about to defend Akpabio’s sporting vision, a caveat: This is not the first time he imposed a white elephant, for that is what the stadium is, on the state. There are other glaring instances of his misplaced priorities.

In March, The Nation reported that Akwa Ibom was going to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with SnowValley Europe Limited for the building of a snow resort. You read that right; a snow resort in Akwa Ibom State! Akpabio was quoted as saying, “This project is not only essential in Nigeria but also in West Africa. We want to move the country forward with this type of project. The world is a global village and we need our children to compete with the rest of the world by creating quality facilities.”

How a snow resort in Uyo will translate into West African children competing effectively with the rest of the world might have to be prised out of the governor’s hyperactive imagination.

Then, the Tropicana Entertainment Centre, built at a staggering N33bn, is another instance. In July, The Nation again reported, “Initially, N100 was charged at the cinema. After stabilising the centre and ensuring enough traffic flow of people, the rate was increased to N250 while the state government is still subsidising the amount. During one of his visits to the centre, Governor Akpabio explained that the state government was subsidising the centre to encourage the low income earners enjoy one of the best facilities of the state government. Akpabio admitted that the economy of the state has not developed to the extent where the low income earners would be spending N1, 500 in watching a movie.”

You might want to ask Akpabio why his government built an uneconomical entertainment centre that was obviously not part of his people’s immediate priorities. Where in the world does the state subsidise entertainment? And, was he not one of the governors who stoutly rejected fuel subsidy in 2012?

Then in November, the same governor launches a multi-billion-naira stadium. Given more time and enough money, Akpabio will build a shrine to the god of hedonism. He seems to prefer the easier and superficial road to development; the one that gives us something to gawk at, praise and even celebrate with a vanity fair. Such pretentious achievements do not take hard work neither do they require profundity of thoughts. Instead, they exist on abracadabra – you keep looking in one direction while the sleight of hand is going on elsewhere.

Before Akpabio embarked on these projects, did he work with feasibility studies? Did he pay a visit to Tinapa in nearby Calabar and ask himself why that project, launched with dazzling fanfare, has failed to generate the kind of patronage then Cross River State Governor Donald Duke envisioned?

Just how many matches can be played in Akpabio’s “world-class” stadium every year to guarantee the place running without the government having to give it a crutch to stand? If 30, 000 people paid N1, 000 to watch matches in that stadium every weekend (assuming that is ever possible), will it buy the diesel for the many generators necessary to supply power and keep the place running?

His comparing the Nigerian sports industry to foreign one misses an important point: the cultural economy the Oyinbo have built around their sports industry is akin to religion in and of itself. Until you have a country where someone will travel from Mubi, Adamawa State to Uyo simply to watch his local team play, investing in huge sporting facilities in Nigeria is sheer waste of resources.

The trouble with the likes of Akpabio, really, is that they are afflicted with the Udoji syndrome – so much money, practically non-existent development ideas. In the 70s, when Nigeria suddenly found itself awash with money, then Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, was reported to have gleefully declared that they had no clue what to do with money. Part of their efforts at spending was to create the “Udoji award” and that era witnessed heightened profligacy that wrecked the economy. The irony is that we accumulate these historical experiences but we never seem to learn from them.

Today, Akwa Ibom is rich, perhaps richer than several African countries put together. The state has a relatively small population and as Akpabio admitted, a number of them are low-income earners. In such a context, it is unsurprising that his dreams are easily exhausted that he resorts to building monuments to vanity.

If Akwa Ibom has so much money, is it too much to save for the future? With the unpredictability of oil earnings, what happens if global prices of oil should crash as is the case now with Nigeria? How does the state survive? And if he has an aversion to savings, should he and his co-Niger Delta governors not begin to consider some kind of regional cooperation, and build regenerative infrastructure that will take advantage of geographical proximity? Collectively, their humongous earnings can be used to set up infrastructure that make for a conducive investing atmosphere. That way, there will be jobs for the people. With their income level raised, they will be able to afford the simple pleasures of life such as buying their movie tickets.

source:
http://www.punchng.com/opinion/viewpoint/governor-money-miss-road/

nationwide1:
If Akpabio was in APC, would you have written this? Last time I checked, Amaechi, Kwankwazo, Nyako who were seen as corrupt immediately turned saint because there joined APC. Nigerians are too wise for this. I'm sure if Donald Duke was a governor today, APC would have condemned his excellent work.

BabaTony:
Akpabio, you are the man! A true Akwa ibom man, You have sent these good for nothing APC goons hypertensive with your projects in Akwa Ibom, each time they see your projects hypertension sets in because it was not what they expected. They didn’t get to see this one coming. Now they are all over Nairaland running from pillar to post resorting to abuse and empty rants when FACTS are there for all to see. When Oil money was used to build them National Stadium in surulere they were all in ecstatic mood, they even went ahead to even build another one just opposite it (does this even makes sense?), then it was money well spent, when oil money was used in building Third mainland Bridge when the traffic at the time did not necessitate such project, they were all over telling Africa that it was the longest bridge in Africa, when oil money was used to build the Nation’s financial district at Marina, all was well, the likes of Bimbo did not write in their columns. A whole town called FESTAC was built and handed over to them in the name of Black cultural festival that we are yet to see the benefits yet they quietly sneaked it under their armpits, Nigeria spent oil money building a national theater then there was no crying and weeping and gnashing of teeth saying that makoko is still a slum next door. Nigeria spent billions building 1004 estates and eric moore towers, when at that point, Ajengunle was still bubbling with slums, gangsters, criminals, homeless folks,etc. yet these foooools didn’t complain. Lets not even go to other states because we all familiar with the story here on Nairaland. These people have governors, the writer is from Ibadan, Oyo state has a governor, WHAT HAS HE DONE? We are yet to see. I was born to hear that Ibadan was an ancient town, yet Ibadan is still an Ancient Town! And yet these people have governors!

Akwa ibom created just yesterday in 1987 is building its own infrastructure from scratch because before now Nigeria never cared if we existed despite providing the country with its wealth and peeps are here running helter skelter questioning every move-SAD but we don’t care the Movement is on. This is the very reason Nigeria will never make headway because we have a lot of people with PHDs- Pull Him Down syndrome. They always think good things should only and always happen to them, when it happens to the neighbor ENVY, JEALOUSY, MALICE etc all pop up! How can someone in his right senses see that beautiful stadium and not call it a National treasure that should be cherished and projected to the world to see that well-built stuff can be built here in Africa. Akwa ibom is on the right track all other things will fall in place at the appointed time. Those who knew the state before 1999 can attest to this but that’s story for another day. The NEST OF CHAMPIONS will surely see better days .This stadium launch has really put some other governors on the dock that why we are seeing all sorts of write ups, columnist, editorials jumping up. This is Politics seasons so I expect more but the people know the truth and will go for it any time!
N.B. – for those who never appreciate good things, more breathe taking commissionings are coming up, so please inform your doctors to be around you that day as you watch it because heart attack can show up anytime.

arresa:
[s][/s]


What's this rubbish got to do with the topic? Is it by force to comment?

nationwide1:
Who deceived you that resorting to insults makes your points more valid? Why does abusive language seem to be the main stay of APC? How comes the evil and corrupt former PDP governors who decamped to APC are now saints? How comes only APC governors are the ones who are said to do well? Even the most gullible mind would not be deceived by these childish intrigues.

Nctrice:
Etteh Ufok! Abadie?

nigerianvenom:
mbakara akwa ibom,abasi ofon akan owo

ayuse:
That Akpabio has done well for his pple is not debatable. His work speak for him. Its unfortunate some pple see some of our contribution as hatred. Today d price of crude oil has fallen below d budget benchmark, thank God we are ending d year assuming ds happened around March ds year Akpabio would v find it difficult to found Akwa-Ibom State. Most likely d price of crude oil will continue to fall which means next year Akwa-Ibom will not v d kind of money it has now. What many of us on ds forum has been saying is that Akpabio should v invested d state money on things that can generate money so that whether federal allocation from crude oil decrease or not d state will b unshakable bc it has its own money generating sources. UAE some years ago started investing much of their oil money on things that will b another sources of income, today that country is still rich in crude oil but it no longer depend on money from crude oil so d fall in price of oil can never affect their economy, as a matter of fact they are now saving earnings from crude oil while their economy is sustained by d economic hub they created with their oil money, thats d kind of economy we anticipate oil rich states like Rivers, Akwa-Ibom, Delta and Bayelsa will build for their pple.

ayuse:
That Akpabio has done well for his pple is not debatable. His work speak for him. Its unfortunate some pple see some of our contribution as hatred. Today d price of crude oil has fallen below d budget benchmark, thank God we are ending d year assuming ds happened around March ds year Akpabio would v find it difficult to found Akwa-Ibom State. Most likely d price of crude oil will continue to fall which means next year Akwa-Ibom will not v d kind of money it has now. What many of us on ds forum has been saying is that Akpabio should v invested d state money on things that can generate money so that whether federal allocation from crude oil decrease or not d state will b unshakable bc it has its own money generating sources. UAE some years ago started investing much of their oil money on things that will b another sources of income, today that country is still rich in crude oil but it no longer depend on money from crude oil so d fall in price of oil can never affect their economy, as a matter of fact they are now saving earnings from crude oil while their economy is sustained by d economic hub they created with their oil money, thats d kind of economy we anticipate oil rich states like Rivers, Akwa-Ibom, Delta and Bayelsa will build for their pple.

jazzydee:
You see you cant answer that simple questions because specifics are difficult, but general statements are very easy to make.
The business will not come without adequate infrastructure in place basic ones like,security, roads, electricity, water, good schools, hospitals.
and major ones like Airports, seaports, rail, good hotels and good policies that makes business worthwhile.

Gov. Akpabio is doing his best in most of these areas to create these infrastructures that will enable business to thrive in his state. And if you look on all the above areas he is doing a marvelous job.
Government dont build industries, if they do it usually not sustainable. So Akpabio should keep putting the infrastructure in place and the private sector will respond.

ayuse:
If u read my first post u will.see.d.specifics there. That Government dont build industries is a lie told by Capitalist to make pple see reasons why Government need to sell its industries to capitalist. Only incompetent government say government cannot run industry. Government can run commercialised indistries, Nigeria is gradually becoming a capitalist economy and to make d economy grow fast government will v to enter partnership with private sector or build commercialised industry. The only thing that is d problem of government running industry is corruption which is affecting every thing in Nigeria that is why even regulatory agencies cant do thier work well. If we wait for only private organization to run our economy I can assure u, it will take a very long time for us to get to where we want Nigeria to b. Even d federal government know that, that is why it keep building electricity infrastructure and then privitize for investors to run. Akpabio without doubt has done well but he should v brought in investors to establish industries and loan them d money he used in building some facilities that will only b a burden to d government. I am in love with d standard of roads, schools and other basic infrastructures built by Akpabio. But money used in building facilities such as Stadium should v been loaned to investors to build industries that will in turn generate money for d state.

ayuse: he should v brought in investors to establish industries and loan them d money he used in building some facilities that will only b a burden to d government. I am in love with d standard of roads, schools and other basic infrastructures built by Akpabio. But money used in building facilities such as Stadium should v been loaned to investors to build industries that will in turn generate money for d state.

jazzydee:
Government is not a bank to loan money to industries, the best a govt, can do is to go into PPP with private sectors with equity in the investment interms of land donation and tax breaks, putting the necessary infrastructures for industry to thrive is the primary duty of government and Akpabio is doing those.

arresa:
Industries thrive when governments spends billions on cinemas and still end up paying billions to subsidize movie tickets just to keep the place alive because people can not afford the movie tickets?

Industries thrive when governments spends billions in a common football field that don't get patronage everyday and not even every month?

Look here, industries thrive when you build up you state institutions, when you spend on education by building and equip schools, hospitals, build and develop credible manpower training like the skills centers akpabio refused to build, hospitals for industries to consider and akpabio didn't build any, credible health care system and manpower that akpabio refused to fund and develop hence the FG shutting down his nursing school because of poor infrastructure...

Who spends billions on cinema and stadium and not on schools like nursing school hence allowing the nursing school to be shut down because of poor infrastructure?

AKpabio spent billions on worthless and non productive ego projects that means nothing to his people?

For a government to have the largest budget in Nigeria and in the history of Nigeria and still can not list 10 major projects or even finish 5 major projects and can only show the world 1 single football after 8 years in office is not only a shame, it's gross incompetent, mismanagement and even criminal...