Unarguably, industrialization plays a vital role in the economic development of underdeveloped countries through job creation, poverty eradication and mass production of goods and services. Industries no doubt plays a complex role in economic development.
Industrialization, the development of industries on a broad scale, is one policy vigorously pursued and strategically implemented by the Udom Emmanuel led administration in Akwa Ibom State that has left many astonished.
The advantage of the policy has not only changed the status of the state from a core civil service state but a bubbling industrial hub within the South South region of Nigeria and has increased the revenue base of the state with increased employment opportunity for the many unemployed youths.
The Industrialization policy has promoted the advent of specialized labor as division of work increases the marginal value product of labor, thus enhancing the profitability of the average Akwa Ibom worker. One area of interest is that the Industrial revolution has no doubt brought about a rise and growth in the agricultural sector with increased savings and investments for wealth creation.
Akwa Ibom today presents an industrialization success story. From the 2015 to 2021 alone, the basic foundation that will propel greater economic prosperity has been laid with it’s attendant consequences of urbanization and population growth. Uyo is fast growing and expanding due to influx of people and companies.
As the Governor himself noted recently, the central focus of government’s initial Five Point Agenda which have now condensed into the 8 Point Agenda was to rapidly industrialize the State and change the narrative as a purely civil service orientated State to an industrializing one with robust ICT and manufacturing base.
THE 21-STOREY “DAKKADA TOWER
The twenty-one storey smart building in Uyo, the Dakkada Towers, which is a flagship project of the Governor Udom Emmanuel-led government of Akwa Ibom State, has been declared completed and up for lease to high-earned clientiles.
The smart office complex is located in the central business district of Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.
The Governor of Akwa Ibom state Udom Emmanuel described the Dakkada Tower as one of the smartest, intelligent and most modern building in Nigeria today
The 21-Storey Dakkada Tower was constructed by VKS Construction Limited and has has a land area of 48,200 square metres and a total build area of 18,639 square metres. Dakkada Tower is 108.8 meters high and 5.8 meters tall making it the tallest building in the south-south region of Nigeria. The amenities and features of this building include 500 parking bays, 4 elevators, access control systems, humidity and temperature sensors, central cooling system, fire electric pumps, technical rooms E30 cabling for S90 fire , boom barrier for cars and a mechanical floor that controls sewage and takes care of waste disposal.
Governor Udom Emmanuel has advised International Oil Companies (IOCs) to relocate to Uyo and secure offices in the 21-Storey Dakkada Tower, fondly called the “Smart Building” as it was ready to accommodate them.
THE COCONUT VIRGIN OIL REFINERY
The St Gabriel Coconut Factory is designed to generate over 1300 direct job and 3000 indirectly employment opportunity. The Coconut factory has a capacity of processing 300,000 coconuts per shift which will produce 66 tons in a day from three shift of production, while employing 300 people to work in a shift. The coconut factory has the capacity to process one million nuts a day and has the potential to produce 66 tonnes per day and has supporting coconut plantations across the state.
IBOM AIR
On May 24, 2019, IbomAir left Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja back to Akwa Ibom International Airport, Uyo after a successful round of test flights while on June 7, 2019, history was made again when Ibom Air inaugural flight Z4102, took off from Uyo enroute to Lagos, a journey that opened the floodgate of several other flights that has revolutionalize air travel in Nigeria.
On Tuesday 10th September 2019, exactly three months and a day since the company began commercial flight operations, Ibom Air carried her 50,000th passenger during the boarding of flight Z4100 from Uyo to Lagos. The spice of this feat is that passenger number 50,000 turned out to be first time Ibom Air traveler, Ms Ruth Nsaka. The growth and expansion has never compromised it’s signature of schedule reliability, on-time departures and superior service that has become the envy of other airlines. Ibom Air score card includes over 96% schedule reliability & 94% on-time performance, unparalleled in Nigeria’s Aviation history.
A key benefit of Ibom Air’s very modern fleet of Bombardier CRJ 900 aircraft is that they all come factory-fitted with High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters. HEPA filters are high-intensity filters that do not just filter dust, but effectively capture greater than 99.97% of the airborne microbes in cabin air, including microscopic particles such as bacteria and viruses. Cabin air in HEPA equipped aircraft generally pass through the filters every 2-3 minutes, removing contaminants and greatly enhancing the quality of air in the cabin.
JUBILEE SYRINGE FACTORY
The Jubilee Syringe Manufacturing Company Was Established In 2017 for the Purpose of Producing Disposable Syringes In Nigeria.
The Syringes are made from the highest quality, medical grade raw materials with state of the art technology. Reputed to be Africa’s largest syringe production company, Jubilee Syringe Factory has also expanded its scope of production to cover varieties of medical consumables, as the government doubles efforts to suitably position the state as a budding medical tourism destination.
The Factory Is Located In Onna Local Government Area, Akwa-Ibom State. It Covers 8,000m2 Of Indoor Space And 42,000m2 Of Outdoor Space.
THE METERING COMPANY
Africa’s first ever Electric Metering Industry was set up to reduce the high cost of electricity tariff and encourage micro, small and medium scale businesses to spring up in every nook and cranny of the State.
The company has a mission to produce single-phase and three-phase electricity meters in various configurations and mountings, light weight, slim skeletal, compact meters for pole top installation, prepayment type meters, split type electricity meters, standard one-unit electricity meters, bulk electricity meters, maximum demand meters and smart electricity meters.
THE KINGS FLOUR MILL COMPANY
Kings Flour Mill Limited was established in 2019 with a vision to meet the growing needs for superior Wheat based Flour and other Agro-allied products and to be No. 1 Agric-based company in Africa providing solutions to support players in the Agro-processing value chain.
With a mission to produce wheat-based products using the best global practices and processes; harnessing environmentally friendly technology and people capabilities.
THE LIBERTY OIL AND GAS FREE ZONE The Liberty Oil and Gas Free Trade Zone in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, has taken off with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Akwa Ibom State Government and Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority. The commencement of operations follows the receipt of the first cargo components, establishment of an Immigration office and setting up of a dedicated Customs command in the free trade zone. This will be another stimulant for Industrial revolution, while the Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria located in Ikot Abasi, is on the verge of being resuscitated following a partnership between the Akwa Ibom State Government with the federal government.
GREENWELL FERTILIZER PLANT
Greenwell Fertilizer Plant is one of the public private partnership projects of Governor Udom Emmanuel administration. The multi-fertilizer blending plant has an annual production capacity of N400,000 metric tons. The plant is located in Oku Abak, Abak Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. The plant has the capacity to blend assorted and muti-purpose types of fertilizer. The plant currently is producing 3 high in demand types of fertilizer including; 20:10:10; 12:12 17 + 2mgo and 15:15:15. The Greenwell Fertilizer Plant has a staff strength of 30, all indigenes of Akwa Ibom State.
THE 10-LANE ROAD
The road which is divided into two has the portion from Oron Road to Nwaniba Road named after the first indigenous Military Governor of the State, Idongesit Nkanga, while the stretch from Oron Road to Aka Road is named after former Governor of old Cross River State, Clement Isong.
The 9.5 Km road is 35 metres wide, with a 250mm thickness of stone-base and a 60mm of binder course. It has a 50mm of asphalt laying course as well as a 7mm deep, 2mm wide of underground flood control tunnel constructed by Nigerian Engineering company, Hensek Integrated Services..
Akwa Ibom today a success story that continues to astonish many as a hub for aviation, a hub for infrastructure, a hub for healthcare delivery and above a hub for agriculture and industrial revolution
If all these benefits could be derived from the Industrialization policy in just six years, one can only imagine what Akwa Ibom will look like when the Ibom Deep Seaport comes on board, when the Liberty Free Trade Zone begins to flourish, when the multiplier effect of the numerous companies and factories begins to flourish.
Indeed, under the Udom Emmanuel, Akwa Ibom remains Nigeria’s best kept secret.
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