By lmo Ben
For years now, the rural areas have been bereft of the basic social amenities like healthcare centres, functional schools, electricity, etc. But like the scripture says, weeping may endure throughout the night, yet there is hope for joy in the morning!
The expected joy coming from May 2023 is reflected in the Positive Impact Agenda, a well thought-out development plan of Obong Bassey Albert (OBA), the governorship candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP).
It is comprehensive, interconnected and woven into practicable homegrown solutions to improve the living standard and instigate economic growth in communities, especially in the rural areas.
Definately, rural areas under OBA’s government will witness the kind of marvelous transformation that will be a model for other developing societies to emulate. He supervised such before as Commissioner for Finance and Chairman InterMinisterial Direct Labour Projects.
In OBA’s government, social amenities and infrastructural projects will be brought closer to every community in order to instigate development. This will make life better l and will check rural-to-urban migration, tremendously. Imagine basic amenities being brought within one kilometre radius in communities across the state!
The positive impact of bringing catalysts of transformation nearer to people is better. Think of having improved electricity in almost all the communities; what about being close to accessible and functional healthcare facilities and partaking productively in homegrown economy peculiar to each area where natural resources are in abundance?
OBA is certainly out to change the narrative better with his Operation Basic Amenities (OBA). The impact of the citizens enjoying the provision of public water, establishment of free, effective but qualitative schools and skills development centers near their reach in various communities will be tremendously felt. Just envisage the impact! Indeed, no community will be left behind!
What OBA’s development module at the community level will do is engage people productively in economic activities dominant within or near their residences. The essence is for them to benefit from effect of comparative advantage of doing businesses or working from home, instead of urban migration to unwarranted hardship.
OBA’s “operation leave no community behind” and “operation basic amenities” are meant to bring about economic development and family financial growth to dwellers in rural areas. For instance, in riverine communities where fishing is the main occupation, there will be reformation of operations to modernize the way things are done in order to grow fishing businesses to the highest level possible.
Government, the senator has promised, will establish cold-room storage facilities, provide boats and other fishing equipment, to boost the fishing and maritime-related businesses in the state.
Also, areas where palm oil production activities are major engagement of the people, OBA has promised to change the way things are done at subsistent level by building modernized processing mills, opening up access to funding for bulk purchase by local merchants as well as providing improved seedlings for replanting. By provision of grants and interest-free loans, he will make some areas business hubs for rice, palm oil, etc.
With actualisation of this vision, local merchants will have control over pricing in order to stop non-resident buyers trooping into the state to exploit them at will. Their dwindling economic power will be boosted by government’s assistance to empower them to dominate these businesses and control pricing.
Different processing industries will be located where natural raw materials are available to feed them. OBA won’t neglect appropriate locations, to instead site all the industries in his village or local government area or senatorial district alone, because he will be governor for all!
Where long-forgotten tourists sites are located in the state, such places will be transformed to recreational centers and holiday resorts to become tourists’ havens. Akwa Ibom State is so blessed in terms of historical sites, rich cultural heritage and climate, and this advantage will be maximally utilized to create wealth and employment when the sector is repositioned.
For instance, during his campaign tour to some wards in Ikot Abasi local government area, OBA clearly assured the people that rich historical sites like the “Amalgamation House” and “Bridge of no Return” which will be transformed into internationally reckoned tourist attractions, to drive our quest for economic diversification.
Indeed, OBA’s administration is sure to make every community a beneficiary of his Positive Impact Agenda through Operation Basic Amenities and Operation Leave No Community Behind!
Vote for OBA; vote YPP; vote the fresh leaves and vote in positive life-changing impacts!
