Governor Umo Eno Flags Off 11km Rural/RAAMP Project In Nsit Ibom, Ibesikpo Asutan LGAs

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has again assured of his determination to adhere to his social contract with the people through the A. R. I. S. E. Agenda blueprint of his administration for the benefit of the people.

Governor Eno gave his words, Tuesday, when he flagged off the Rural Access Agricultural Marketing Project, RAAMP, And Construction of Owot Uta -Nung Oku Ekere -Afaha Udo Eyop - Edebom 1 By Ekponwa Market Roads connecting Ibesikpo Asutan with Nsit Ibom Local Government Area.

He said that the vision of his administration would best be interpreted through the A.R.I.S.E. Agenda which is anchored on rural and agricultural development, stressing that the basic step to translating the vision to reality is by working the talk on RAAMP  which seeks to create access in the rural communities for production and marketing of agricultural products.

He expressed appreciation to the World Bank and RAAMP, for their partnership which he acknowledged, has charted a way forward for the A.R.I.S.E Agenda blueprints, explaining that the project was nurtured to fruition by previous administration, and that his administration is only consolidating on the past initiative. 

"Let me begin by appreciating the people of Nsit Ibom and Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government areas for voting overwhelmingly for us in the just concluded election." 

"We thank you for your commitment and for enabling us to bring to bear, the vision that we have for Akwa Ibom State through our A.R.I.S.E Agenda. I can never thank you enough, may God bless you real good."

"We are committed to ensuring that we keep to our social contract with you. By the Grace of God, we will do our very best to implement the programmes as encapsulated in our A.R.I.S.E Agenda."

"I would like to thank and appreciate the World Bank and by extension, the Management of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project(RAAMP) for working with us and ensuring that our partnership become very fruitful."

"Remember that as I have said earlier, this project started some years back. But you see, it is bearing fruits in our time and that for me is very significant."

"It means that everything we touch in this administration will bear fruit. Thank you very much for keeping faith with us, and  thank you for keying into our A.R.I.S.E. Agenda."

The Governor urged farmers in the benefiting local government areas to register with the Department of Agricultural Investment in AKICORP for proper documentation and accessment of soft loans for their agricultural ventures, warning that the farmers should not pay for the registration as all the bills have been picked by the state government.

Speaking further, he said that the registration would facilitate the training of farmers in various skills for expansion of the agricultural revolution initiative of his administration and maintained that people with business acumen would enjoy to the detriment of the indolent ones in his administration.

"During the RAAMP project, there are other things that we did that will also further strengthen the work that we are doing."

"It was the State Government that established the Ibom FADAMA Micro Finance Bank and it was meant to help our farmers by providing soft loans and grants for them. So I would like to plead with all farmers in Nsit Ibom and Ibesikpo Asutan to ensure that they are registered in the department of Agricultural investment in AKIPCORP so that we can have their data."

"I have been informed that some people are selling the forms. Believe me, one person has been arrested and we will make sure he vomits all the money he collected from people through falsehood."

"Please don't pay a dime for the form. It is for free. The only condition is that we will come and know your farm and see what you do", he explained.

Governor Eno announced plans to constitute the State Executive Council within the month, assuring that the road project would be completed as scheduled.

"Very soon, when we constitute the State Executive Council which we will do this month, we will ensure that we begin to work directly with our farmers and will make sure that sub loans and grants will go to them."

"We will do that through the Ibom Micro Finance Bank. We have our data base , we are going to transfer to Ibom FADAMA micro Finance Bank and we will do what we have to do to encourage you to farm."

"Before then, we will bring all our farmers together and train you in the various things you are doing. This is to help our Agricultural revolution initiative in the State."

"I assure you that the people who will not enjoy our government are those who are lazy; those who who do not want to work with their hands."

"Take my words,  if you do something with your hands, this government shall profit you and do everything to encourage your profit and growth."

"Thank you for bringing us here and I promise you that this project shall be completed as scheduled and we will come back to commission it soon", he stated.

Earlier, In her welcome remark the Acting Chairman of Nsit Ibom Local Government Council, Hon. Otobong Aaron, flanked by her counterpart in Ibesikpo Asutan, Hon. Akon Asuquo, said that the benefiting Council Areas, Nsit Ibom and Ibesikpo Asutan appreciate the Governor's maganimity in opening up the area with access road for development and easy marketing of agricultural produce.

She noted that people of the benefiting community, Edebom 1, are predominantly farmers but lacked good roads to market their produce and sustain the value chain.

The Council boss asserted that the flag-off of the road project has assuaged their frustrations as traders would now easily access the popular Ekponwa Market in Edebom 1, and described the gesture as a new lease of life for the people of the area.

In a good will message, the House Of Assembly member for Nsit Ibom State Constituency, Hon. Eric Akpan, thanked the Governor for deeming it necessary to flag off the road construction in Nsit Ibom and Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Areas after his initial flag off of a similar project in Uyo barely few days of his assumption of office.

He described the gesture as unprecedented and pledged to support the project execution to enable it see the light of the day.

Also, his counterpart for Ibesikpo Asutan State Constituency, Prince Ubong Attah, appreciated the Governor for the gesture, saying he will use his position as Chairman House Committe on Agriculture to ensure that the A.R.I.S.E. Agenda which takes development to the rural dwellers, sees the light of the day.

He pledged to ensure that the value chain in agriculture is established fully in the state and described the project as a flagship project, expressing optimism that Governor Eno would complete the road construction and other developmental projects in a record time in the two Local Government Areas.

On his part, representative of the National Coordinator RAAMP, Engr. Charles Ogongo, spoke of the mammoth crowd witnessed in the flag off ceremony as a testament of the acceptability of the project by Akwa Ibom people and expressed optimism that the project would be executed to completion.

He commended the Governor for hiting the ground running within few days of his assumption of office and assured the Governor of the support of the Federal Project Management Unit which controls and supervises the project, adding that other projects announced by his coordinator would be awarded following due process.

He told the people that RAAMP projects are exclusively for farmers and advised farmers in the benefitting communities to embrace the project and transform their areas to a food basket.

Permanent Secretary Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs. Mary Bassey, in a vote of thanks appreciated the Governor for the giant strides recorded within his one month of stay in office and thanked the immediate past Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, for having initiated the road project by releasing funds for the commencement of the road project.

Highpoints of the flag off ceremony was operation of the heavy duty machine by Governor Umo Eno and presentation of farm produce by the women of the benefiting Local Government Areas to the Governor and his deputy, Sen. Akon Eyakenyi.

Media Unit 

Government House, Uyo

4/7/23