Taking Development to the Grassroots

The rural communities of Akwa Ibom state are not just hearing about development, they are now feeling it, no thanks to the bold initiative of Governor Udom Emmanuel


In line with his 8 point Agenda for his second term in office, Governor Udom Emmanuel has promised to take the development of rural areas seriously. As part of his manifesto for his re-election, he set out an agenda for himself which he promised to fulfil before the end of his tenure in 2023. The 8 point Agenda which he tagged, “completion agenda 2019-2023” are, Industrialisation, Aviation Development, Rural and Riverine Area Development, Agricultural, Human Capacity Development, Security, Infrastructure, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises.

To set the ball rolling, Governor Udom Emmanuel kicked off his second term with a promise to take development beyond urban centres to the rural areas where the bulk of the population resides. And for the first time in the history of the state, rural development is getting to riverine communities that have often been neglected in the scheme of things. This is worthy of commendation when considered from the point of view of the fact that riverine communities have never been made to feel that they are part of the state, especially communities that are accessible only by canoe or boat. The sad irony is that these communities are usually considered to be part of the state during campaigns for elections, but forgotten after elections are won and lost.

Politicians seeking elective offices, including those from the mainland parts of the state who may not be very conversant with water transportation, would not mind risking their lives to travel by boats to campaign in communities they would ordinarily feel they have no business visiting at other times. They would promise the communities’ roads and bridges to link them with the rest of the state if voted into office, and after the elections the politicians will disappear only to reappear during another election with fresh promises. The communities have been living on hopes and promises while waiting for the actual messiah that will salvage them from their plight. The Akwa Ibom communities may not have to wait for long again as succor is already on their way through the rural and riverine community development of Governor Udom Emmanuel.

For Governor Emmanuel to be bold enough to break the jinx and look in the direction of these historically neglected communities, then he deserves not only attention but also commendation and support by not only Akwa Ibomites, but all right thinking Nigerians. I dare say that his efforts is also worthy of emulation by his colleagues. His administration has so far built more than 1, 000 kilometers of roads to open up the state, linking virtually every part by road. Now, with a programme he has christened Completion Agenda, he has made development of riverine communities an integral part of the plan to make all parts of the state feel the presence of his government and also have a sense of belonging in the state. This is part of a larger plan to engender unity among the people of the state and bring them on the same page with him in his plan of building the Akwa Ibom of tomorrow.

The plan of the current administration for rural and riverine areas is to see that by the time it winds down in 2023, the living standard of the people of those communities would have been significantly improved in terms of infrastructural and socio-economic development to be at the same level with other developed parts of the state. The government have shown sincere commitment to the development of the rural communities through construction of more rural roads, provision of electricity and building of health centres, as well as establishment of cottage industries by using the small and medium enterprises agenda of the administration as the anchor.

The effort would not only help in boosting the economy of the state, but would also generate employment for rural dwellers. The government also plans that within the four years of the second term of the administration that they will carry out routine maintenance of 400 dilapidated rural roads measuring about 120 kilometers during the dry season every year. They will also pursue the water supply component of the development agenda in order to attain the goal of Good Water for all by year 2023.

The rural and riverine development component of the Completion Agenda is an ambitious and laudable programme that is bound to change the narrative on the development of people that had hitherto been condemned to play the proverbial role of the hen that lays the golden egg for the urban dwellers through supplying the food that comes to the urban areas. Also, the government has promised to set up power stations to handle planning and management of rural electrification projects; investments in small distribution and power generation facilities. This would ensure connection of rural communities to the national power grid.

By developing the rural communities, they will be in a better position to contribute their quota to the economic transformation of the state in a manner that would be beneficial not just to them, but also to the entire state. This would involve using the available natural resources within their domain for the overall development of the state. An assessment of what is currently on ground in terms of achievement of the lofty objectives of the rural and riverine development programme of the administration shows that significant steps have so far been taken in meeting its goals in all areas.

From the way the government is going through accelerated development of the riverine and the rural communities, the residents of those communities may soon experience joy and development never seen before in the annals of their existence. While giving the state government kudos for the bold efforts, there is need for the various communities to support the initiative through peaceful cooperation.