30 Years and Counting: Where We Were. Where We Are

30 years and counting…

Ibom International Airport

ACCESSIBILITY

Previously accessible only by land and perhaps water, Akwa Ibom is today one of very few states accessible by Land, Air and Water. The Akwa Ibom International Airport at Okobo and the Airstrip at Eket provide in routes to the state by air, while the water fronts at Oron, Itu and Ikot Abasi serve as waterways. You can access Akwa Ibom on land through Ikot Ekpene from Aba and Umuahia in Abia State; through Itu from Odukpani in Cross River State; and through Ikot Abasi from Port Harcourt in Rivers State.

COMMUTING

Commercial motorcycles, locally called “Alalok,” and to a lesser extent, taxicabs used to be the basic means of intra-city commuting. Today, motorcycles are largely extinct especially in the city centres. Tricycles named “Keke NAPEP” (after the National Poverty Eradication Programme, NAPEP, of 2001) taxi-cabs and (mini) buses now ply the intra-city roads.

Akwa Ibom Transport Company was one of the first state transport companies floated in the country. The ripple effect of this has been the influx of every major transport service provider in the country to Akwa Ibom.

Ibom Specialist Hospital, Itam

EDUCATION

Akwa Ibom has remained one of the country’s educational bedrock with long-standing institutions of repute like Methodist Boys High School founded in 1905; Etinan Institute in 1915; Holy Family College, Abak, in 1942; Cornelia Connelly College, Afaha Oku, in 1944; Union Secondary School, Ibiaku, in 1948; as well as Maritime Academy, Oron established in 1977. The creation of Akwa Ibom instigated a massive increment in schools enrolment. Effectively, Akwa Ibom now has about 1160 public Primary Schools; 700 Private Nursery/Primary schools; 300 Private Secondary Schools; 241 public Secondary Schools, Technical Colleges/Special Education Centre; and about 10 Tertiary Institutions.

Many Professional and vocational Training courses and programmes, hitherto undertaken outside the state are available in Akwa Ibom, and are now more of a weekly exercise within the state.

Ini

Obot Akara

Ikot Ekpene

Essien Udim Ikono

Ibiono Ibom

Itu

Ika

Etim Ekpo

Ukanafun

Oruk Anam

Ikot Abasi Abak Uyo

Mkpat Enin Ibesikpo Asutan Uruan

Nsit Ibom

Etinan

Nsit Ubium Nsit Atai

Onna Eket Okobo

Oron

Esit Eket Urue Offong/ Oruko Udung Uko

Mbo

Ibeno

Eastern Obolo

GEO-POLITICAL SET-UP

At creation Akwa Ibom had 10 Local Government Areas. Decree 15 of 1989 empowered for the creation of another 10. In 1990 four were added and in 1996, an additional seven Local Government Areas were created; bringing the number to 31 where it stands today.

HEALTHCARE

From only a handful of health institutions (about 26 health facilities in total) at creation, Akwa Ibom today has a state-of-the-art Ibom Specialist Hospital, the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital as well as more than 50 healthcare facilities – including hospitals (both General, Public and private) and Health Centres – across the state.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

A new entrepreneurial wave has overwhelmed the state, propelled by Dakkada (a reorientation initiative of the state government) and catalyzed by the immense human potentials in the State. Young men and women are now proud owners of business outfits cutting across manufacturing, ICT, tourism & hospitality, event management, beauty care & Fashion, culinary services, groceries etc.

HOSPITALITY, ENTERTAINMENT & LEISURE

Once a pedestrian State, Akwa Ibom has today become the preferred destination for holidays, national and international events, meetings and conferences, including Senate Retreats, National team football matches, etc.

INDUSTRIES

A combination of factors including a fluctuating national economy, mismanagement and unstable policies over the years left industries like Sunshine Batteries Ltd., Qua Steel Ltd., Quality Ceramics Ltd., Asbesonit Ltd., and Nigerian Newsprint Manufacturing Company (NNMC) comatose.

The revival of Akwa Ibom’s industrial landscape leading up to the revitalization of dead and ailing industries and establishment of new ones has been the preoccupation of the State government, especially in the last two years. Through sound policies and a friendly investment environment, today Akwa Ibom can boast of Nigeria’s First syringe factory and Nigeria’s first pencil factory, an electricity metering solution industry, amongst other budding industries.

Work in progress at the Metering Solutions Manufacturing Services Ltd. at Onna

A 40-apartment residential estate at Mbiabong

HOUSING

From 39 Units of Houses in the Itiam-EniongEwet Housing, today the state boasts several residential Housing units across the state; notably Akwa Ima Housing Estate, Ikot Akpan Abia; Ebiye Haven 100 Housing Units, Uyo; Shelter Afrique Housing Estate, Mbiabong; Housing Estate Extension, Osong Ama. GRA in Ikot Ekpene, Mkpok Housing Estate in Eket and several other Residential Housing Units have been developed are scattered across the 31 local Government, including Security villages.

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION

Evolving from NITEL’s 085- code on the national telephony map, Akwa Ibom became one of the first states where GSM rolled out in 2001. From the State-owned AKBC Radio and Television stations, four private radio stations have sprung up making the state one of the most vibrant in the electronic media space. Print media has evolved too. The State-owned Pioneer Newspaper has from a weekly now has three weekly editions while at least 15 newspapers now hit the stands regularly. Occasioned by its extensive availability, Akwa Ibom is one of the country’s biggest users of the internet, and by extension, Social media.

POPULATION

The population of Akwa Ibomites resident in the state is now almost double since creation. Figures from the last census in 2006 put the state’s population at 3.9 million. The population was estimated to be 6.3 million a decade later in 2016.

POWER

Some parts of the state which had been in perpetual darkness in years past have progressively been illuminated due to constant investment in the improvement of power generation and supply. The result is well over 87% electricity coverage in Akwa Ibom. The State owned power plant also supplies power to the national grid.

An Electricity Injection Sub Station along Edet Akpan Avenue in Uyo

SECURITY

A sprinkle of police stations and an army barracks was all that the state had then. Today there are 37 divisions of the Police in the State, a Police Post on every Major Street, as well as Special Tasks, Surveillance and Emergency Response Squads. Increased security is also palpable with the establishment of new Army formations in the State.

SPORTS & RECREATION

Serial winners like Vincent Enyeama, Sam Peters, Aniefiok Udobong, Aniekeme Etim, as well as professionals like Paul Bassey and Colin Udoh, are testament to Akwa Ibom’s very productive sports sector which is consistently improving. Today, most Local Government Councils in the State can today boast of at least one township stadium, which when added to the magnificent Godswill Akpabio International Stadium and impending sports facilities in each of the 10 Federal constituencies, will ensure sustained discovery of sporting talents.

ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE

Infrastructure renaissance in Akwa Ibom has resulted in one of the best road networks – in quality and quantity – nationwide. All Local Government Councils are interlinked by roads of very high standard, just as various previously inaccessible areas are now motorable. Today the focus on road construction has gone beyond just for purposes of commuting; economic viability is also a major yardstick in the opening of new roads.

TOURISM

Being part of what was hitherto the country’s backwoods despite also being one of the significant regions of the country’s socio-cultural and political progression, Akwa Ibom has evolved naturally to become a tourist haven, housing relics of historical and touristic relevance.

WORKFORCE

Known for a sense of duty, a massive workforce returned home at creation to build one of the largest and most vibrant Civil Service systems in the country. The youthful working population in Akwa Ibom is very skilled, willing and enterprising; virtues integrated, imbued and strengthened over the last 30 years.

Aerial view of the impressive road network in Uyo metropolis and other parts of the state.

WOMEN

Akwa Ibom women have stepped out and are now exceling alongside the menfolk, in every facet of human endeavour led by Her Excellency, the wife of the Governor, Mrs. Martha Udom Emmanuel.