GOV ENO MEETS PRESIDENT TINUBU ON KEY AREAS OF STATE, FEDERAL GOVT PARTNERSHIP

By The Evangelist News edition, Thursday, January 11, 2024.

Akwa Ibom State Government has reached a new phase of partnership with the government of the Federation to advance its investments in the areas of agriculture, aviation and the blue economy.

The partnership was the hallmark of discussions in a meeting between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, at the State House, Abuja.

Briefing Government House Correspondents at the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo, upon his return to the State, Governor Eno said the meeting was necessary to present the good wishes of Akwa Ibom people, as constituents of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to the President and to brief him on the progress of key projects in the State which are of national interest.

He said the President was briefed on the progress of the Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul (MRO) facility at the Victor Attah International Airport, feats so far recorded by Ibom Air, needs for federal government’s support to advance the Ibom Deep Sea Port project, and the need to revamp the Akwa Palms project.

According to the Governor, Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was impressed with the explanations that the State Airline, Ibom Air, is run purely as a private investment to ensure effective operations and optimum efficiency.

The President promised to assist the State in key projects and programmes which, he affirmed, had potentials to enhance the economic fortunes of not only the State but the entire nation.

“we talked about the MRO which is about 98% ready and we have to partner the federal government. The honourable Minister of Aviation will be visiting soon to ascertain the state of completion. We talked about help for Ibom Deep Seaport because the State alone cannot pull that through. We need federal might to support us. We talked about help for the Dakkada Global Oil Palm, formerly known as Akwa Palm.

“Of course we also talked about the progress of Ibom Air. The President asked a few questions about the Ibom Air and you could see that he is a business man. He’s a hands-on person and he’s always on point.”

Stressing the state’s advantaged location along the tropical zone and the need to revamp the oil palm industry, the governor explained that Akwa Ibom is an oil palm zone and with the assistance of the federal government, could drive the full value chain of the agricultural produce, which can be exported to secure foreign exchange for the nation, besides the various economic benefits to the state.