Follow Us on Google
Joe Effiong, Uyo
The Akwa Ibom state owned Ibom Airline is billed to begin international flight to Equatorial Guinea as its fleet increases.
The airline currently has four aircrafts but the state deputy governor, Mr Moses Ekpo said the airline would acquire more aircraft in order to expand its route to Equatorial Guinea.
Ekpo who spoke with journalists as part of the celebration of 21 of unbroken years since the return to democracy, praised the airline as one of the flagship projects of the state’s administration, stressing that it was a turnkey profitable venture managed by seasoned hands.
“We are expecting other planes to arrive in another couple of months, adding, we will diversify our routes and also think of the Equatorial Guinea route as the project is managed by seasoned experts”.
Ekpo, a veteran journalists, first commissioner of information in Akwa Ibom State and former director general of the Nigerian Copyright Commission, said Nigeria has a lot to gain from democracy as it offers a strong opportunity for “people’s participation in how they are governed; the ingredients of the democratic enterprise are fairness, justice and equity which are taking in our contemporary democratic experience.”
“This is the setting that we have in the Udom Emmanuel administration in Akwa Ibom State. The interest of the people is paramount at all times. It’s not what the government wants. The State Government is preoccupied with what will promote the interest of the people. This is what we represent as a government
“Since this administration came, we have created and reconstructed well over 1,700 kilometers of roads and 40 bridges spread across our three senatorial districts. We have paid close attention to the mobility of the people such that there is no local government area headquarters that has not been linked by good and motorable roads.
On industrialization which is the flagship of the present administration’s policy, the deputy governor described the governor as an astute businessman investment expert who knows the area to put the state’s money, for great yields.
He noted that beyond the 26 industrial concerns initiated by the administration, he believes the best legacy of the present administration is the ability to strategically improve the living conditions of the people through the attraction of huge investments.
On the whole, Mr. Ekpo appears to score the nation low on the index of democratic development, saying unlike the experience of other nations, the evolution of Nigeria’s democracy appears to be taking too long with its attendant toll on the corporate development of the entire nation.
“The failure of the nation’s leadership to enthrone true federalism through the devolution of powers has remained a sour point for Nigeria’s democracy.” Ekpo lamented.
