Quantum Petrochemical Project And Esit Eket Gas Processing Plant: Walk-Way To Industrial Revolution In Akwa Ibom State

By Matts Udoaka

At last the Akwa Ibom State is poised for a clean break from the industrial dearth that has characterized most of the states of the federation. If states have been growing economically, the yearning for true federalism could have received the approval of all the states which have been suffering from the industrial and economic backwardness over the years.

 

President Goodluck Jonathan shaking hands with Gov. Akpabio
during a State Banquet at AKS Banquet Hall in Uyo after commissioning
the Uquo Gas Plan
Economic development is not more than planning and executing strategic national, futuristic projects that would ensure a macro-economic mechanism in a growing population such as ours. Rather, Nigerian federation and her burgeoning states have been antagonizing themselves in the miasma of federation account and derivation war. Our myopic leaders do not take into account, the infrastructural index of their states as a road map for industrial revolution. They enmesh themselves with envious phobia of those who foresee the future and address the decay in their state’s infrastructure. They capitalize in the control of funds meant for the development of their states without minding the result of corruption that does no nation any good.

From the United Nations Global Ascendancy Index (G.A.I), it is no longer a big deal to note that the third world countries are drastically dragging down their progress, and remain abased following their corruption and leadership incompetence. Even though they are desperately anxious to move ahead rapidly, the allied evil of corruption and incompetence do not  allow the evils of wants and ignorance to overcome the resultant effect of corruption. The result becomes the deeply entrenched foes of poverty and lack of growth. Nigerians have to recognize that a man who plans to stand on the moon in a few years time, can surely first order things more reasonably on his own planet.

That becomes the perspective of scheming and  siting of viable and feasible industries like Quantum Petrochemical Project, and Gas Processing Plant in Akwa Ibom State.

The siting of these two projects being petroleum based, would pose no problem of scarcity of raw materials since the region they are sited offers petroleum solution at a finger tip. As it is, the allied projects have become a walk-way for industrial revolution of Akwa Ibom State. The derivatives of the two projects would sustain each other and create ways for other projects to come in.

What the projects require is good and efficient management. Like Shell Petroleum in Port Harcourt, the petrochemical project would attract legions of other companies into the state and turn Akwa Ibom State a hub of industries too.

This issue of corruption that Nigeria is linked as the twelvth most corrupt nation in the world is very worrisome. It is not sufficient to state that other big nations like the Great Britain and the United States of America had experienced corruption in their polity before. But with determination and will power they were able to overcome it. Their past in the 19th century was not better, however, with their docile application of sincerity, ploughing back of their resources, and agricultural expansion, their economy was assisted to grow continuously.

This unrestrained corruption that has become the bane of our economic progress has destroyed the growth of our nation. Nothing is done actually to reduce and abstain from it. Disparagingly, the evil of corruption is merely being condemned and purportedly nailed on the cross. But fundamentally, it thrives harder than ever before. If our government can muscle the political will to combat corruption inwardly, its root would be truncated. The government must understand that he who goes to equity must go with clean hands. If Amilcar Cabral of Guinea Bisau did not prefer to seek the comforts of his life and that of his family under the colonial system when he fought out the Portuguese colonial rulers from his country, Nigerians who want their names in the Guinness Book of History can do it. The corrupt leaders in our nation do not care about their names. All they believe is the ill-gotten wealth. We are yet to see a man like that from Nigeria, who can overcome long throat for wealth and honour his name and his country.

The minutest of such attempt was Lateef Jakande, the second republic governor of Lagos State, who, despite the enormous wealth of Lagos State, drove his old Datsun Lurel car, while he was a governor, and lived in his personal residence with a very little number of retinue. However, Jakande was slightly roped into the murky water of Dileolu Farms, an agric project of his mentor Chief Obafemi Awolowo, which he was fingered for funding with the Lagos State money. Since then, we have been experiencing corruption fought in Nigeria with lips and tongue, as the beneficiaries of corrupt wealth are the cronies of political and public office holders; and the highly placed themselves. No selfless service in this country has been noticed from the present breed of our leaders. No Nigerian leader who has never mortgaged his conscience, and sell himself cheap for the sake of satisfying himself first. Yet everybody hopes to lift Nigeria and his state to the next level.

A number of other African leaders who close their eyes to the public wealth abound in other countries and nations, but in Nigeria, we are yet to see one.

Having been blessed with the siting of a privately owned Petrochemical Project in this state, the government and people of the state must cooperate with investors to have a level playing field. If a Nigerian from another state can willingly decide to site a project like petrochemical company in a state order than his birth place, we can imagine the level of trust he reposes on the Akwa Ibom people. Mr. Jim Ovia, whose name sounds like that of Edo state, is here to do business. He does not invest his capital for nothing. Therefore, all amounts of sincerity, peace and love must be accorded him. He is here for making business, and that means making money. His investment can never succeed under a tensed atmosphere or  unstable environment. The Akwa Ibom people must understand that one good turn deserves another. If this first project, after the creation of this state for the past 27 years succeeds, it means a window of success for other investments, and more windows of successes for our people. No one would love to throw the drain. To him, he should rest assured that Akwa Ibom State has the required climate for business to thrive. The people are friendly, and they love progress more than any thing.

It is pleasurable to state that the state government, in its wisdom has addressed the infrastructure in the state, to a successful level. Coupled with the transformation effort of President Goodluck Jonathan, time is now for investors to have a field day in Nigeria. Everything being equal, Akwa Ibom State, and indeed Nigeria has walked past some of the petty issues of darkness that has been standing against progress in the country. Investors in the state will never hear of kidnapping again in this region of the country. Both young and old must do something that affords them good food in a day. With the improvement of the electricity supply in the country, economic improvement of all spheres is assured.

The petrochemical complex about to be opened and the gas project have become the teaser that was needed to attract other investment into the state. The state is pregnant with other untapped resources that are capable of raising the economy of the state to the next level. The more the investors come in, the more taxes to come into the coffers of the state government. That is to say that the purpose of this state which was spoken of by seers and scientists would soon become a reality.

Another area which is not out of place for government to handle is development of estates. Apart from Ewet Housing which was allocated to individuals for their houses, there is no other estate the Akwa Ibom State Government can proudly point to. And it cannot be taken with levity, the dire need of the Akwa Ibom state housing estate in Uyo, Eket, Ikot Ekpene, Ikot Abasi and other cosmopolitan areas. The only known estate individuals are occupying is the Federal Housing Estate in Abak Road, Uyo. With the population exploding in Uyo, the Federal Housing Estate is nothing to write home about. As Akwa Ibom State, is struggling among equals to stand out as a state to look up to, if the state government fails to develop its own estate with no further delay, possibly the dearth of houses in the state would reach an alarming dimension. Gone are the days the state was only looked at, as a civil service state. What is in the state presently should inform the powers that be that every sphere of infrastructural development requires equal uplift. For all we know, what we have at hand will justify what we expect in future.