Buhari and the state of the Nation

And The Truth Shall Make President Buhari Free

By Reno Omokri

President M. Buhari

Having worked twice at the Nigerian Presidential villa and once at the British Parliament, if there is anything I have learned, it is that it is impossible to over inform a leader. You can under inform him, but no matter how much information you give a leader, you cannot give him too much information.

In today's world, strength and weakness are gauged differently than they were, say in 1984. In the millennial age in which we live in, information is power and lack of information is weakness.

My concern is that there are a lot of weaknesses in Nigeria's seat of power because not enough information is being given to President Muhammadu Buhari.

I, like other Nigerians, have heard or read reports of ministers in President Buhari's cabinet being afraid to challenge him or disagree with him. Perhaps unawares, the minister of state for petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, corroborated these reports in a recorded YouTube video now circulating where he revealed that the President ignores his ministers when they bring up issues that he does not want to discuss.

Having such anodyne personalities around you just means that you are living in a bubble, seeing things as you want them to be and not as they are.

On Friday, May 20th, 2016, Dr. Yemi Kale, the Statistician-General of the Federation and head of the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics revealed that Nigeria's economy had not grown in the first quarter of the year but had rather shrunk by 0.36%, the worst contraction in 25 years!

Since the announcement was made, there has been various reactions with pundits pointing at this or the other as being the cause of this setback.

But I am convinced beyond any reasonable doubts that this negative trend owes more to President Muhammadu Buhari's utterances on our economy and polity than to any other single causative factor.

The bigger problem is that even though I suspect that his ministers know that what I have just said is true, they would rather pander to the President and like Dr. Chris Ngige, say that Nigerians are lucky to have President Buhari (obvious Ngige does not know the meaning of luck).

In the last eleven months, the President had traversed the globe and has spoken about Nigeria's economy as if he was the chief undertaker of our polity rather than the chief marketer that he is meant to be.

Of what benefit is it to the President's agenda or to Nigeria's economic well-being for him to go to foreign nations and instead of highlighting the positive things that are happening in Nigeria, he begins to regale his hosts with the most unsavory stories about Nigeria.

And some of the stories the President tells are just that tales. They are not factual. At best they can be argued.

You go to India for a summit where other world leaders are competing with you for the attention of venture capitalists and foreign investors and while your counterparts are talking about how great their countries are, you tell the audience how everybody in your country is corrupt except you and oh, can they come and invest in your country?

Only a foolish investor would go and invest in a country whose President thinks his citizens are 'criminals' (as the President said to the Telegraph of UK in February) and whose officials are 'fantastically corrupt' (as the President said in agreement with British PM David Cameron when questioned by Sky News, BBC News and CNN Amanpour).

The President speaks on the Nigerian economy and polity without any filters and his comments are causing his chickens to roost with devastating consequences for all of us.

Never in the history of Nigeria has there been such a divestment of investment as we have seen in the past year.

Truworths has pulled out of Nigeria, Virgin Atlantic has closed up shop, Iberia is pulling out, RenCap is pulling funds from Nigeria, both Alquity Investment Management Ltd. and, Duet Asset Management Ltd. are divesting their Nigeria holding.

Zenith Bank laid off 1,200 staff, FCMB sacks 700 employees, Ecobank sacked 50% of its top management staff. The President of the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Tony Ejinkeonye revealed that in just two months 50,000 staff were laid off in Abuja alone.

The results are telling. A little over a year ago, Nigeria was projected by CNNMoney to be the third fastest growing economy in the world behind China and Qatar yet just two weeks ago the International Monetary Fund released its World Economic Outlook and Nigeria is not even among the top 15 fastest growing economies in Africa let alone the world!

And when you try to raise the alarm, the refrain from the government and its horde of unofficial spokesmen is that the downturn is caused by the fall in crude prices.

Yet this logic is flawed. The government's own economic monitoring agency, the National Bureau of Statistics itself reported that the exponential growth Nigeria enjoyed especially from 2012 to its 2014 climax (when our economy overtook South Africa to be Africa's largest economy) was spurred not by the oil sector, but "this growth was largely driven by improved activities in the telecommunications, building and construction, hotel and restaurant and business services" to quote the NBS.

Yes, oil accounts for something like 90-95 percent of our foreign exchange revenues but it only accounts for a mere 15% of our GDP.

The service sector and the commercial and real sector are the engine or used to be the engine of our economic growth. But these sectors are heavily capital and technology intensive and require cooperation with foreign investors and when you consistently bad mouth your economy and its regulator's investor confidence tanks and the result is what we are seeing today.

I support President Buhari's anti-corruption war but it should not be a substitute for sound economic ideas or policies.

And the way the President has carried out his anti-corruption crusade is in itself self-sabotaging and feeds the narrative of those who say that Nigeria is far too complex and dynamic a country to be run by someone who should be quietly collecting his pension.

And President Buhari's behavior is flowing down the pyramid. There is a contagious effect in the utterances of major figures in his administration.

For instance, when Vice President Osinbajo tells the world that the Jonathan administration looted $15 Billion in security contracts, many people in the West who like to read such stories to justify their hidden opinion that the Black man cannot govern himself, will clap for him.

Coming from the nation's own Vice President, the Western press will report the news as a fact. At that level, such a statement carries the weight of an admission.

But then ask yourself, what was the entire security budget for the five years that Jonathan was President of Nigeria?

In 2011, defense and security had a budget of ₦348 billion or just over $2 billion. In 2012, it skyrocketed to ₦921 billion or $5.7 billion. It grew to ₦1.055 trillion in 2013 or $6 billion. In 2014, ₦968 billion was budgeted for defense and security or $5.8 billion. The 2015 budget was passed in April and President Jonathan handed over to President Buhari a month later so I cannot see how the previous administration could have 'chopped' that money.

So of the $19 billion budgeted for defense and security while former President Jonathan was in office, how could $15 billion have been looted when more than half that amount went to paying salaries?

Did Vice President Osinbajo think this accusation through?

The President and his vice with their cabinet and their political appointees are not a court. They cannot convict anybody. As such when they speak this way, what it amounts to is propagandized activity.

In an anti-corruption war, one must separate activity from results. Results are convictions from a court after due and diligent prosecution. And when you look at it from that perspective, this administration has been delivering activity and not results.

For instance, then candidate Muhammadu Buhari and his party, the All Progressive Congress, had called the subsidy payments made by the Jonathan administration a fraud!

They claimed that the amount was too high at ₦1.1 trillion in 2014.

Well if fuel subsidy had been a fraud, the first thing that should have happened naturally when President Muhammadu Buhari took over was that the amount should have reduced, but it DID NOT reduce. As a matter of fact, Nigeria spent over $5 billion on fuel subsidy in 2015 and President Buhari was in power for most of that year!

The point I am making here is that the elections are over. President Buhari and his administration should stop tarnishing the image of Nigeria in the mistaken belief that they are rubbishing the person of former President Jonathan.

The President should take in the big picture and realize that you need to be underneath somebody in order to pull him down.

One year has come and gone and has seemingly been wasted pointing fingers in blame instead of at solutions. The time for blame games has gone.

Only last month, President Buhari complained that the Sahara desert was advancing southward. He should also realize that that is not the only thing going south. The Nigerian economy is going south at perhaps a faster rate and blaming others for it will never stem the tide.

The President should focus on marketing his plans and policies when he travels abroad instead of de marketing the plans and policies of former President Jonathan's administration.

It has been said that if you want a conversation with a habitual complainer to end abruptly, just ask him how he intends to fix the problem. That is the question Nigerians want answered by President Buhari.

Under former President Jonathan, Nigeria's economy exploded and became the largest economy in Africa and the 24th largest economy in the world. Let it not be said that under President Buhari that economy collapsed like a pack of clouds because the hand that should have steered the ship was too busy pointing an accusing finger.

APC holds rally in Abuja, says Nigeria democracy under threat

APC Chieftains

The All Progressives Congress, APC, led by its National Chairman, Chief Odigie Oyegun as well as some Chieftains like Muhammadu Buhari and few hand picked individuals have currently taken to some major streets in Abuja, in what is tagged, Salvation Rally, which the APC described as a warning rally.

Chief Oyegun, national chairman of the APC said the party is disturbed by the level of insecurity in Nigeria; manipulation of the Permanent Voters Card, PVC, issuance process in APC-controlled states as well as the current dwindling state of the nation’s economy.

Oyegun said the rally was organized because the leadership of the APC considered that it was time to give the government of Goodluck Jonathan a public warning and to call the attention of every Nigerian to the looming dangers ahead.

His words: “It is now clear that the PDP government of President Jonathan is exploiting the lives and shedding the blood of our children in the entire northeast of the country for purely simple political reasons. How can Boko Haram move into Mubi without one single shot of resistance? How did it happen?

“Our military men have proven themselves worldwide; they shed their blood for the survival of Liberia and Sudan. Why is it that all of a sudden in their own nation, they would be unable to fight these terrorists? This is not guerilla warfare, because these terrorists come in trucks and bikes. Have our armed forces so deteriorated into such a mess?  No.”

“The Nigerian government has virtually become the armorers of the insurgents.  Why would the army during retreat leave behind all its weapons and ammunitions? We have implicit confidence in our armed forces, but the PDP is sacrificing the lives of our brothers, sisters, mothers and children for selfish political gains.”

Meanwhile, the former head of state and APC presidential aspirant, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari said the PDP is corrupt, inefficient and indiscipline as such the party’s concern is the lack of concern of the federal government.

“The PDP cannot escape the blame of the position they have put Nigeria in terms of security and a failing economy.  Today, this country is going bankrupt. We will stabilize the system if we vote the PDP out,” Buhari said.

Report reaching Nigeria Politics Online explained that APC is being followed by hundreds of its supporters in the rally.

Courtesy; nigeriapoliticsonline

Is NYSC (National Youth Service Corps) Scheme still fulfilling her purposed of creation?

Is there any tangible proof that over the years, the NYSC scheme has been and still is fulfilling the purpose of its creation?

The NYSC scheme was created in a bid to reconstruct, reconcile and rebuild the country after the Nigerian Civil war. The unfortunate antecedents in our national history gave impetus to the establishment of the National Youth Service Corps by decree No.24 of 22nd May 1973 which stated that the NYSC is being established "with a view to the proper encouragement and development of common ties among the youths of Nigeria and the promotion of national unity".

Having lasted for about 38 years, many Nigerians opine that the NYSC (National Youth Service Corps) program may have outlived its usefulness. Several corpers have died in the course of their service either as victims of violent outbreaks in the region where they served or due to the poor living conditions they face in the places they are posted to. Many families are still grieving the loss of their loved ones, mothers have buried the children they labored for, chest fed and invested so much time, care and money in.

The question is: is there any tangible proof that over the years, the NYSC scheme has been and still is fulfilling the purpose of its creation; that is to ensure national integration and co-existence? Are there any testimonies to this effect? Should the program continue simply because it provides employment for those in charge of supplying kits and other accessories for the NYSC programs while some of the NYSC members don’t live to see the end of the program? Is it actually even possible to secure the Youth corpers when it is on record that some NYSC members were murdered at a police station after a female corporal was beheaded and the police station itself was incinerated? Can the NYSC be a means of fostering national unity after all the grief it has already caused? Has any of one of those who think the program should remain ever lost a loved one in the course of the program? For how long will young vibrant Nigerians die senselessly at the hands of ignorant, illiterate brutes because the Government does not provide adequate security for its citizens? 

To continue...

JONATHAN, OTHERS ARRIVE IN BURKINA FASO FOR CRISIS TALKS

Jonathan, others arrive in Ouagadougou for crisis talks

President Goodluck Jonathan has arrived in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, for talks aimed at quickening the resolution of the current political crisis in that country.

Jonathan is joined by Presidents Macky Sall of Senegal and John Mahama of Ghana.

Mahama is the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Authority of Heads of State and Government.

The three leaders are members of a delegation of Heads of State and Government raised by ECOWAS to intervene in the crisis in which Blaise Compaore resigned as Burkina Faso President on Friday.

Jonathan, who arrived at the Presidential Wing of the Ouagadougou International Airport at 9.50 a.m. local time was received by the country’s interim Head of State, Lt-Col. Isaac Zida.

He is accompanied by Mr Nurudeen Mohammed, the Minister of State II for Foreign Affairs and some principal aides.

Also at the airport to receive Jonathan was the Nigerian Ambassador to Burkina Faso, Mr David Bala, and other officials of the Embassy.

The visiting Heads of State are billed to hold talks with Zida, opposition leaders, members of civil society organisations and other political stakeholders in Burkina Faso.

As at the time of filing this report, Jonathan, Sall and Mahama were holding preliminary discussions behind closed doors at the Libya Hotels, venue of the mediation talks.

They will later meet with other parties involved in the crisis.

Compaore resigned and fled to Ivory Coast on Friday following mass protest in Ouagadougou.

The protest was triggered by Compaore’s plan to amend the Constitution of Burkina Faso
to pave way for him to contest for the Presidency again in next year’s elections after 27 years in power.

On Saturday, the military seized power and named Zida, who was second in command of the Presidential Guard, as the new interim leader.

Although the military said a civilian-led transitional government would be established as soon as possible, opposition leaders were demanding immediate establishment of civilian transition government.

Meanwhile, normalcy had returned to Ouagadougou, as most businesses were open on Wednesday, although a 12 midnight to 5 a.m. curfew was still in force in the city. (NAN)

Courtesy: Vanguard

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF STATE

The National Council of State in Nigeria has asked security agents to ‘add more venom’ to the fight against terrorism, stressing the need to end the attacks by the Boko Haram terrorist group on villages and towns in the north-east.

The call was made by the National Council of State members on Tuesday after they were briefed of the security efforts of the agencies to end the over five year’s terrorism that has claimed thousands of lives in the north-east.

The Council of State meeting was held at the Presidential Villa and it was presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan.

In attendance were four former Heads of State – Generel Yakubu Gowon, Mr Shehu Shagari, Mr Ernest  Shonekan and Mr Olusegun Obasanjo.

After a briefing by the National Security Adviser, the Council of State members observed that the government was doing everything possible to ensure that the schoolgirls abducted from their school’s dormitory by members of the Boko Haram sect in April were released safe and sound.

The governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio expressed the Federal Government’s commitment to securing the release of the girls.

It stressed the need for the security agents to add more venom to the fight against the Boko Haram sect that had continued to attack villages and towns in the north-east days after the Nigerian government said it had reached a ceasefire agreement with the Islamic sect.

Less than 24 hours after the ceasefire agreement was announced, the terrorist group attacked two towns in Borno. The leader of the group in a video released on Friday denied any ceasefire agreement, emphasizing that the girls abducted from the school had been married off.  

The National Council of State is the highest policy making body in Nigeria and all past leaders are expected to attend the council meeting.

At the last count at the meeting venue, only four of them were in attendance.

The meeting was also briefed on Nigeria’s Ebola-free status by Governor Akpabio.

The council also reviewed the report by a committee set up to investigate reports of discriminations against persons that were infected but now free of the virus across the states and mandated the committee to beef up the recommendations of sanctions against anyone that is working against the unity of the country in any guise.

Courtesy: Channels Television 

Nigeria To Unveil Commemorative 100 Naira Note

President Goodluck Jonathan will unveil the specially designed commemorative 100 Naira banknote by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Wednesday, November 5.

A statement on Monday by the CBN’s Director, Corporate Communications Department, Ibarahim Mu’azu, said the commemorative note was part of the apex bank’s contribution to the centenary celebration, which is in line with its mandate of issuing legal tender currency in Nigeria.

“The choice of the 100 Naira denomination is to mark the centenary celebration of Nigeria and is consistent with best global practices for Central Banks around the world during the celebration of national events,” the statement read.

Part of the features of the commemorative banknote is the inscription of the theme of the centenary celebration: “One Nigeria, Great Promise” as a micro-text.

According to the statement, the new note is also designed to incorporate additional security features for digital communication, protection against counterfeiting, tolerance to the tropics and ease of recognition of genuineness.

The Bank further emphasised that the commemorative note was for the purpose of the centenary celebration and would circulate alongside the existing 100 Naira note.

Wednesday’s unveiling ceremony will be preceded by a brief presentation by the CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, detailing the aesthetic and security features of the note.

The CBN had in 2010, issued commemorative 50 Naira polymer note to mark Nigeria’s 50th Independence Anniversary celebration.

The 100 Naira note bearing the portrait of Chief Obafemi Awolowo was first issued in December 1999.

BAR. AUSTIN MBEH CLAIMED THAT AKPABIO HAS IMPRESSED OBOT AKARA PEOPLE

Barr Austin Mbeh in an interaction with newsmen in his office claimed that His Excellency Governor Godswill Akpabio has impressed Obot Akara People.

Mbeh, who is the commissioner for Transport claimed and insisted that all is well with Obot Akara People, when he was question about a publication by another indigene of the area published in a local tabloid that Obot Akara has not benefited from the present administration in the state, saying that nothing could be more untrue.

In his word; He said in the contrary, that the present administration has brought about a great sense of belonging to Obot Akara people through the provision of rural intervention projects and access roads which have opened up the area for more flourishing economic activities, such as Health centre at Abama village, provision of modern digital library at the Local Government council, electrification of many villages, construction and renovation of classroom blocks, construction of Abiakpo Nkap bridge, and reconstruction of Nkap - Ikot Abasi Eduo road.

He listed some of the projects executed in the area to include rural water and electricity projects, social and other basic amenities as well as agricultural and women empowerments through micro-credit schemes, adding that the state government has approved a process that will facilitate the building of more roads and bridges in some Obot Akara communities.

On the planned industrialization of the state, Barr Mbeh noted that Governor Akpabio was unrelenting in his plan for the sector by providing superior infrastructure to support industrialization, maintaining however that it was never government’s intention to take over the direct setting up of the industries, since previous attempts by government usually met with monumental failure.

The Transport Commissioner noted that as government’s commitment to the development of the industrial sector of the State, all parts of the State have in the last six years been effectively connected through a network of standard roads by governor Akpabio, adding that this was complemented by the completion and activation of the state Independent Power Project as well as ensuring that the insecurity enigma that plagued the south southern part of the country, was resisted and stamped out from the state.

With such an investor -friendly environment according to Mbeh, it was safer and easier for investors from within and outside the State to key into the state government’s industrialization agenda in the State.

According to him, Governor Akpabio is even ready to support any investor in the state economy with a seed fund through the State investment and Industrial Promotion Council (AKIIPOC).

Barrister Austin Mbeh is sure not to leave in Obot Akara as his claims are entire political, the said library has not function for a day since it completion, I will agree that I noticed the installations of electric poles and mini transformers in some villages in the Local Government, most of the electrical project is said to be done by individuals whom parents were kidnapped in the cause of doing so e.g. the man that installed electricity at Okop Village, that neighbored Ubon Akwa the just discovered hide out of kidnappers whom when approach by the Nigerian police force weeks ago succeeded in killing some police officers.

when I was briefed, I was not surprised at the outcome of the operation, how could the police succeed in carrying out a perfect operation in a village like that, a village without road and electricity, the gravels lay on the road that leads to the village from Ikot Ineme at Aba Road, ends in the said village, meanwhile that construction was supposed to get to Nto Areno the local government headquarter. What make so many people reject truth for their selfishness; the road assigned to Berger from Uyo to Abia State does not enter Obot Akara as a LGA. neither does the one at Umuhia Road Entered Obot Akara, the water mention was given as a project to one village head or the other, how many of such project remained functional at this time, anyone can go around Obot Akara and take a look at those project, who and who where or are empowered in Obot Akara LGA.

When a politicians settles those that campaign for him or her, the right name for it, is empowerment, you give money and cars to people that steak their neck for you to become one thing or the other, when is time that you feel like they should be compensated, you call it empowerment, hoping the masses are entirely stupid, what part of Obot akara are we having Micro Finance scheme and who is assisted with it apart from the politicians and their relatives, why can’t we be straight forward, the money is but of the earth and one day you are going to leave it behind no matter how much you have acquired.

Investment can’t strive in a LGA. Like Obot Akara, had any politicians invested in the local government area ever, the answer is no, you are all too afraid or too selfish to do so, though in that contest it is not your fault is the problem of the entire Akwa Ibomites, we all need quick money instead of investing on a reasonable business, we will rather build an hotel or drinking parlor so that we can start making money immediately, maybe some of us can emulate Innoson Motors in Nnewi, Anambra State.

I am saying this to say that there is no investment anywhere in Obot Akara. His Excellency Governor Godswill Obot Akpabio is, will, and if his tenor be extended remains the “Best Governor in Akwa Ibom State” But pardon my manners Sir, nothing I mean absolutely nothing is happening in Obot Akara Local Government Area, ask Ikot Akpan-Abia Police station or Area Command, Obot Akara Local Government Area is due to negligence becoming a safe heaven for all sort of criminals, kidnappers and heartless fellows. Sir, please go round and confirmed that the single Health Centre at Abama village is functional and how many village does it covered.

Obot-Akara needs help.

AKWA IBOM CITY DEVELOPMENT ON FOCUS

As Akwa Ibom Government project wing, got into Ikot Ekpene road with further diversion towards Itam main market.

We discovered that is an environmental rascality and threat which has crept into the Uyo major city after the abolition of motor parks in the Uyo capital city roads, in this direction Government intend to revert back to the status of pre-2007 era, by legally closing down the illegal motor parks and ban the emergence of motor parks in Uyo capital city, Eket, Oron, Ikot Ekpene and Ikot Abasi LGA’s areas Government intend to transform to municipal and metropolitan cities, especially the motor parks in and outside Akwa Ibom transport corporation complex, while also rebuilding another AKTC motor park closer to the main park in order to relocate the AKTC/NSIK transport agency to join every other transport company in the would be upgraded main park ,and Government intend to demolished the existing AKTC complex to build a 20-storey mega office complex, also the demolished Uyo market will be upgraded to enable the government build another mega complex for the proposed Ibom oil and gas investment co.ltd with the sole objectives of partnering with foreign partners in the oil and gas industry to boost the oil and gas potentials of Akwa Ibom state in order to create wealth and employment opportunities for our people.

We are working tirelessly to kick start a mini refinery in at least two locations in Akwa Ibom state to capture both the domestic and export market in Cameroon, our market target is to reach out to the petroleum market in the north central axis through Itu-cross-river state, Benue state, plateau state, Bauchi state, Adamawa state, Jigawa state, Kano state, Borno state, Yobe state and if possible border towns of Chad Republic, while the Ikot Ekpene is to capture the Abia State, Imo State, Anambra State, Enugu State, Ebonyi. The Ikot Abasi is to take care of the domestic needs and the Mbo is to supply the export market of Cameroon and fishing travelers, offshore rigs and Equatorial Guinea. Our aim is to restore and improve domestic refining capacity and prevent shortfalls in supply of petroleum products, Akwa Ibom government intend to re-activate the abandoned oil refinery license of the immediate past administration, arch (Obong) victor Attah, while set up a strong committee to review the issue of who is in charge of the leasehold for the marginal oil field which was acquired for Akwa Ibom state in 2000 from the federal government of Nigeria, as this conferred exploratory rights on Akwa Ibom state over the stub creek marginal oil mining lease 14, from our preliminary findings, this OML is supposed to bring in hundreds of millions of dollars yearly as our counter-interest as our state’s interest is being managed by universal energy resources limited, incorporated on the September, 27, 2001 to pursue the bid for the oil lease.

The plans is to quickly unlock the oil and gas potentials and aspirations of the state without losing the state funds ,but kick starting a manageable and mini refinery in the state ,by constructing of oil refineries at low tonnage units kp-700 with 20,000 tons tank farm.

The Government intend to hold meeting with the Uyo local government council on the urgent need for partnership with the state government and private investors to either convert the old Uyo motor park that is being occupied now by Jardin construction company to a fast food center that will be taken over by either KFC of South Africa, big treat of China or create a Chinese restaurant or an Italian cuisine that will always attract the foreign or aliens residing in Akwa Ibom state or more so get a private garden resort developers to come and create a greenish cultured international garden with a mini-conference hall for events, weddings, seminars, and meetings, etc. getting further towards the Itam market area Government also consider the urgent need to also relocate the entire Itam market and the sawmill market to somewhere closer to the Itam main market park, and broker an arrangement with the Itu local government council and private developers to build a befitting model market complex in the new site to enable the traders relocate fast, while convert the present Itam market to a mega shopping mall in partnership with reputable Lebanese shopping mall magnets, this will great boost the aesthetic and mega city status of the emerging Akwa Ibom state capital, especially being the doorway to the main city, beyond the Itam market to the main park, we intend to swiftly upgrade the entire motor park with modern facilities and shore up the entire surrounding with street lights and a functional police station directly opposite the main park.

From government projections, once the proposed Ibom industrial international market, Ibaka oil and gas export free zone and other related industrial and agro businesses kick start fully couple with the proposed Ibom mega city along Itam along the Itam highway axis, the traffic congestion will be hectic and this suffice the need to relocate all traffic prune businesses to a separated areas like the main park axis, because of the massive influx of people and business interest to Uyo capital city.

Government are also considering intensifying lobby group to the appropriate quarters to relocate the ExxonMobil producing unlimited headquarters from Lekki-Lagos to Akwa Ibom state, therefore government are looking at the need to set aside a massive portion of land at Oku Ibesikpo, somewhere behind the Tropicana complex for the ExxonMobil headquarters complex, while Ibeno will still remain the operational base.