Gov. Udom One Year In Office: Enobong Uwah, And The Housing Ministry’s Tact In Keeping With The Times
Beginning from next year, Akwa Ibom state Government will save itself from the agony of coughing out several millions of naira it has been spending over the years as rent for private building housing some of its Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs).
This relief will be coming against the backdrop of one commendable decision of the Governor Udom Emmanuel-led administration – converting the proposed 10th Anniversary hospital building to an office complex.
The applause that has greeted this decision will reverberate for a long while.
The reason for this lingering applause is quite understandable as most Akwa Ibom people see this creditable decision of the state government not to allow that structure go to waste as a physical demonstration of its commitment in trying to keep its recurrent expenditure as low as possible.
Interestingly, that decision of the government and the committed efforts of the Honourable commissioner for Housing and Urban Renewal, Hon Enobong Uwah, in converting the 10th Anniversary Hospital structure to an office complex will help the government achieving two things.
First, it will drastically reduce if not completely put an end to the expenditure of government on rents for buildings to house some of its MDAs, thereby allowing government to channel such funds to other profitable ventures. Second, since the complex will also serve as office space to some MDAs currently occupying unbefitting structures as office space, the cozy ambience of the new environment will have a positive impact on the productivity of the staff.
In light of this, Governor Udom Emmanuel deserves greater kudos for the leadership prowess he has exhibited these 361 days in sailing the Akwa Ibom state ship towards a land of economic prosperity and wealth anchored on industrialization. The Governor deserves even more commendation for his choice of thoroughbred and passionate technocrats like Hon. Enobong Uwah as the people to help him initiate and drive these people-centered policies and programmes.
Being a tested professional and Public Servant, Hon. Enobong Uwah has a clear understanding of the visions and aspirations of the Governor Udom Emmanuel-led administration. This deeper understanding has driven him into the task of developing a workable blueprint in the area of Housing and Urban development capable of helping the present administration realize its core visions.
A study of into the impressive template for urban renewal drawn up by Hon Enobong Uwah shows that the template is anchored on his understanding of the crucial fact that for centuries, cities have been the heart, the lifeblood of various civilizations, the epicenter of economic, political and artistic activities. This important status unfortunately makes cities prone to some peculiar problems which include urban decay, slum, overcrowding, lawlessness; invasion of periurban spaces causes the loss of land and natural resources.
In the template drawn up by the Ministry headed by Hon Enobong Uwah, current and formidable Urban renewal strategies such as Filtration, social planning, the boot-strap strategy, replacement, guiding urban growth through investment and local government strategy.
With Filtration, Hon Enobong Uwah through the Ministry of Housing is hoping to assist the Governor Udom Emmanuel-led administration drive a result-oriented programme of peripheral development around metro cities. This of course will be achieved through the creation of new towns by provision of basic infrastructures that have the propensity to transform dull semi-urban areas to city centers. This strategy of course is visible with the opening up of urban roads in Etinan, Ibeno, Eket by the present administration.
This effort in opening up these semi-urban areas with these roads infrastructure will have positive multiplier effects on the industrialization and wealth creation programmes of Governor Udom Emmanuel as Private investors wishing to site their factories at locations near the raw materials will not groan due to the problems of bad roads. Again, these factories will not only trigger other cottage economic activities but will lead to a general improvement of economic life in these hitherto semi-urban areas. This in turn will stem the tide of the rural to urban migration as new urban cities are springing up with almost if not completely similar economic potentials that are found in established cities like Uyo, the state capital.
In the years ahead, his position as the Commissioner for Housing and Urban renewal will place on Hon. Enobong Uwah’s shoulders, the huge responsibility of close collaboration with other relevant ministries of the Akwa Ibom state Government to create formidable synergies in areas of Urban renewal in Akwa Ibom state.
For instance, in the template, the close collaboration between the Akwa Ibom state Ministry of Housing and Urban Renewal and the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment will give birth to the floating of more commercial viable schemes that could turn on entrepreneurial taps in the new city centers that will emerge. The Collaboration of Hon Uwah’s Ministry of Housing and Urban renewal with the Ministry of Works and Transport will give way to the more impactful designs and construction of infrastructures that align with the overall vision of urbanization of Akwa Ibom state as well as fit into the socio-economic desires of the people.
As things stand, the efforts Hon Enobong Uwah has put in these few months in office since his assumption of office have done a wonderful job in portraying him as an Exco member that has clearly read the message of the times – that Governor Udom Emmanuel is passionate about leaving impressive legacies. I would wager that with the template he has armed himself with; the job of turning Akwa Ibom state into a reference state in the area of urbanization will be easier.
For the Housing and Urban Ministry, the future we had dreamt of is here! It looks bright with Hon Enobong Uwah on the saddle as Commissioner.
* Arc. Edidiong Udoh, A United Nations trained development Architect wrote in from Port Harcourt, Rivers State