Governorship aspirant promises Etim Ekpo people glass industry upon resuming office in 2023

One of the frontline contenders for the Akwa Ibom state government house in the 2023 elections, Obong Bassey Albert Akpan a.k.a OBA, has assured the people of Etim Ekpo local government area of harnessing the abundant silica-sand deposits in the locality for glass production when he becomes the governor.

He made the commitment during his consultative visit to Etim Ekpo to meet with prospective delegates and stakeholders.

He was heralded into the venue of the meeting by a huge crowd of supporters, comprising the youth and women groups as well as some of the stakeholders.

According to him, silica sand is currently in high demand in the market and is used for glass production when processed at a very high temperature.

“We shall deploy the needed resources to facilitate the development of industrial concerns to allow us optimally harness this God-given resource”, the senator said.

He pledged to introduce “positive development” to Etim Ekpo, assuring the people that he will not let them down once they support him with their votes.

According to him, while presenting his blueprint to the people, he stressed that Etim Ekpo is a gateway to Akwa Ibom and must not be toyed with.

Senator Akpan also mentioned the 481 students sponsored under his scholarship scheme, adding that 28 of them have so far graduated with first-class honours.

In addition, he said Etim Ekpo is also noted for its abundant oil and agricultural resources which remain untapped. He disclosed plans “to prioritize investment in infrastructures to open up the area, by providing access roads to enable our people to tap from this wealth”.

A couple of years ago, palm oil produced from Etim Ekpo environ was screened in the United States to ascertain its quality. It was discovered that the variety of palm oil in the area has low fatty acid, which makes it highly sort after in the international market.

According to OBA, the exportation of such products is an area his government will explore “for opportunities and a structure as a tool for lifting the standard of living of the rural farmers”.

His blueprint highlights the need to upgrade facilities at the Etim Ekpo general hospital to guarantee more access to quality healthcare and complement the primary health sector reforms.

The chapter vice-chairman, Saturday Dickson who spoke on behalf of the delegates and others, expressed happiness at his capacity and qualitative impact on the people, declaring support for him in the upcoming primary.

The leader of the Elders’ Council who doubles as the political leader of Etim Ekpo, Dr Emmanuel Ukpong, who spoke on behalf of the Etim Ekpo people, describes Senator Akpan as a “phenomenal” person whose name is “written in the heart of every Akwa Ibomites”.

Ukpong noted that as a banker, he excelled but that his appointment as commissioner of finance enabled him to affirm his commitment and loyalty to The Akwa Ibom Project.

“A few days ago someone drew my attention to the fact that over four hundred indigenes of Akwa Ibom State have benefitted from your scholarship scheme. This huge feat, I can boldly say, is not a function of how much money you have but rather, how much love you have for your people, humanity, and your indelible devotion to capacity building”, he said.

He also commended OBA’s performance in the Senate and urged him to continue his consultations with the noted maturity.

He warned: “let no man ever deceive you that he has all the delegates from Etim Ekpo for the PDP primaries elections in his pocket, that is a blatant lie”, urging him to interact freely with the delegates.

He declared that: “Today, Etim Ekpo has broken away from the political captivity of opportunist who wrongly assumed an ‘if-not-me-then-not-you’ position, and held the people politically captive for over ten years now”, adding that while many are still under that siege, “a greater number have escaped and promised never to return there”.

He pleaded with OBA not to forget the people of Etim Ekpo when he becomes the next governor while calling on the party to ensure a level-playing ground for all aspirants in the various contests.

And corroborating, the majority leader Etim Ekpo legislative council, Hon. Oliver Idio assured OBA that they will support and vote for him massively.

Earlier, the Chairman of his Campaign Council, Sir Emem Akpabio charged the people of Etim Epko to take their destinies into their hands by voting for Senator Akpan.

He wondered why Etim Ekpo would want to support a “least qualified” aspirant, instead of a man of proven capacity who knows the peculiar problems of the people.

He described OBA as the “homeboy” who will solve the problems of the Akwa Ibom people.