By Dianime Uko

The Chairman of Ikot Ekpene Local Government Council, Hon. Aniefiok Nkom, says his administration is reviving the area’s moribund raffia industry, creating jobs for youths and expanding the council’s revenue base through strategic investments.

Nkom made the disclosure when a delegation of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Akwa Ibom State Council, led by its Chairman, Comrade Nsibiet John , visited the local government as part of the Union’s tour of the 31 local government areas of the state. The tour is aimed at assessing and showcasing projects and programmes of the various local government administrations and deepening grassroots development.

Speaking on the achievements and plans of his administration, Nkom said the council had acquired two hectares of land for the cultivation of raffia palm seedlings to provide raw materials for the revival of the International Raffia Enterprise in Ikot Ekpene.

“The raffia business in Ikot Ekpene was extinct, but we are reviving it. We have acquired a two-hectare piece of land to plant raffia palm to feed our International Raffia Enterprise which we are reviving, so we won’t be going outside for raw materials,” he said.

The chairman also disclosed that the council was investing in the development of young people through skills acquisition and entrepreneurship programmes, including sponsorship of indigenes to the Dakada Skills Acquisition Centre, where they receive vocational training and cash grants to establish their businesses.

According to him, one of the beneficiaries had already secured employment at a council project site, while the administration was also preparing youths to take advantage of emerging economic opportunities, including the Ibom Deep Seaport and other investments being promoted by the state government.

“We are making this administration entrepreneurial-based to ensure our youths get skilled for self-reliance and the future,” Nkom said.

On revenue generation, the chairman disclosed that the council had commenced the construction of the Raffia City Mall, an International Market and a truck park at Ibiakpan, explaining that the projects were designed to generate revenue, create employment and stimulate economic activities.

He said the International Market, when completed, would reduce the need for traders and buyers from the area to travel to commercial centres such as Aba and Onitsha.

“The International Market will stop the rush to Aba and Onitsha. It is going to be a stop-over for so many people to buy and sell. It will bring revenue to the local government, employment and economic advancement to the state.”

On infrastructure, Nkom said the council had repaired its tractor and deployed it for the grading of rural roads, with more than 20 rural roads graded and 10 major tarred roads rehabilitated, including Dibue, Ikono Junction and Old Itu Roads, to improve accessibility and facilitate the movement of agricultural produce.

The chairman further disclosed that his administration had invested in education through the payment of school fees and bursaries for students, as well as sponsorship of indigenes undertaking professional courses in tertiary institutions.

Nkom said the administration had domesticated the ARISE agenda of the Akwa Ibom State Government at the local government level to ensure that the impact of government programmes was felt directly by the people.

The NUJ team, during the tour, inspected some of the projects and programmes of the local government administration as part of the Union’s efforts to document and report grassroots development initiatives across the state.