Mr. Akan Okon, a governorship aspirant in Akwa Ibom State, has appealed to the people of the state to allow him the opportunity to serve them, promising to provide the greatest service and leadership the people deserve.
Mr. Okon stated this in his formal statement while declaring to run for the exalted position
He said as commissioner, he has studied all sectors of the State and knows the requirements of the State and the people, and that he will work diligently to promote shared prosperity.
Mr. Akan Okon has been Commissioner for almost seven years, overseeing six ministries in two administrations. Under the administrations of Senator Godswill Akpabio and Governor Udom Emmanuel
‘I am familiar with government procedures.
As part of my commitment to provide high-quality services to our beloved state, I plan to use my technocratic knowledge to ensure good governance.”
“It became clear that the time has come to put myself forward to be used by God through your collective goodwill to begin the journey to place our dear state on a pedestal that will ensure incrementally unending progress of our dear State and people after extensive and painstaking consultations with critical stakeholders across the length and breadth of our State.”
“My purpose is simple today: I am presenting myself as your future Governor, and I am humbly seeking your support.
I’m ready to provide value-added leadership for everyone’s benefit.
I’m standing before you today to formally declare my intention to run for governor of our state in 2023 on the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) platform.”
Mr. Okon stated that he will lead with honesty, effectiveness, loyalty, professionalism, diversity, inclusion, integrity, quality, and openness as a foundation.
“Our basic principles are reflected in the acronym HELP DIIET, which stands for Honesty, Effectiveness, Loyalty, Professionalism, Diversity, Inclusiveness, Integrity, Excellence, and Transparency.”
He stated that he will work hard to ensure that all homes have access to electricity and that he will invest in agriculture, which he highlighted will be the foundation of his economic growth plan.
“We will prioritize investment in electricity generation, transmission, and distribution as part of our development goals.
By firmly implementing the government’s policy trust aimed at securing power for all, we will investigate other ways of ensuring that the power generated from the Ibom Power Plant satisfies our needs.”
“We will make significant investments in agriculture through R&D to provide food security and sufficiency for our people.
For this objective, appropriate infrastructure will be supplied.”
“Agriculture, in particular, will be the pivot of our economic development, where we will have a competitive advantage.
Through the many value chains, we want the agriculture sector to provide 80% of total employment.”
Mr. Okon stated that the development of renewable energy and the deployment of climate-friendly technology will receive special attention in order to offset the effects of climate change on agriculture and the environment.
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He also stated that he will broaden the scope of the state’s industrial base and investments beyond what the current administration has done by leveraging identified potential in aviation, maritime, ICT, real estate, food technology, and medical technology.
According to the candidate, he plans to build new industrial layouts and establish an economic development office that would provide information and counseling to small business owners.
“We will establish the Akwa Ibom State Economic Development Office, which will be led by a Small Business, Entrepreneur, and Innovation team was known as the Ibom Business Entrepreneur Centre (IBEC), which will provide information and guidance to help entrepreneurs and small business owners start, expand, and create jobs.”
\We will build additional industrial layouts and clusters around the state, I guarantee.’
Mr. Okon remarked, “This, without a doubt, would lead to the expansion of additional MSMEs in the State and the promotion of high-quality Made in Akwa Ibom goods.”
Mr. Akan Okon, an investment banker, oversaw the launch of Ibom Air, the state-owned airline; the construction of the 21 story smart building; and the approval of the amended business case and license for the development of the Akwa Ibom deep seaport and industrial city.
