By Ishmael Esenam
Senator Bassey Albert Akpan (OBA) loved on October 22, 2022 that he is fully prepared to positively change the deplorable economic situation in Akwa Ibom state, when he formally presented his blueprint tagged POSITIVE IMPACT AGENDA!
In it are grouped Five Strategic Pillars:
1. Agriculture and Rural Development
2. Education, Health and Social Services
3. Economic Prosperity and Infrastructure
4. Security, Environment and Tourism
5. Administrative Reforms and Completion of Projects.
This article will focus on agriculture.
Having traversed the entire state from his days as finance commissioner and Chairman of Inter Ministerial Direct Labour Coordinating Committee, with full knowledge of what the state and her people need, OBA considers agricultural development a game changer.
Agriculture, he reasons, is one sector that every government must give attention to. And as captured in the blueprint, OBA's government intends to prioritize on it.
In Ini and Ikono, for instance, OBA’s plan to collaborate with the private sector to transform the area into a major rice belt in the South - South, in order to open the area for major economic opportunities and employment.
He has identified difficulty in transportation of farm produce from the local areas to other places of needs, hence, the plan to build roads that connect the Eastern Ibibio and other cities for ease of transit.
Oil palm is another natural gift to Akwa Ibom people. In the 1980s, some Malaysians visited Oruk Anam and took samples of oil palm and developed them. As a result, they are today known as a major exporter of oil palm the world over.
To restore the lost glory of the state, OBA has promised that as governor, one of his programmes will include developing areas that produce oil palm into major hubs for domestic and industrial purposes.
Agriculture will boost the economy, provide employment for our teeming youths, feed our people and even feed others, as farm produce will be exported, too.
Our land is blessed with natural resources, for instance, in the riverine areas of the state. More than 60% of our people in the area are fish farmers. And overtime, their business has met a host of many challenges such as lack of road to either transport their aquatic commodities from production base to consumers.
As OBA told the Udung Uko, Mbo and Oron people on 25th October, 2022 during his ward - to - ward campaign, he will build roads that link the fish farmers and consumers of the commodities.
OBA also has in store for the people, a method of mechanized fish farming that will help grow their fish farming business.
Still in our dear state, some sections are blessed with other agricultural produce, as our lands are always fertile. And of course, each area is conducive for respective crops like rice, millet, sorghum, cassava, etc.
The federal government has put in place some restrictions as to importation of some commodities including rice. OBA's Government will leverage on this by making the local governments that produce rice a major rice hub, placing our state on a pedestal of exporter of rice.
As OBA told the people of Ini in March, 2022 during his consultative visits to local government areas, he will provide all necessary implements to the locals as well boost their productivities through financial grants, construction of roads linking the producers to the consumers, as well as provide enabling environment to them.
In line with his blueprint, OBA's Government will encourage farmers to thrive through series of programmes, support, project implementation, enabling community development, etc.
It is such a golden opportunity to have an OBA in a state like ours especially in times like this. As it is symbolized by the fresh leaves, our state will return to the path of freshness, growth and development, when OBA takes over leadership position next year.
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