AKWA IBOM SYRINGE FACTORY: GOV. UDOM OPENS UP ON OWNERSHIP

           
BY CLETUS UKPONG.

The Akwa Ibom State Government has cleared the air on the controversy surrounding the ownership of a multi-million naira syringe manufacturing company in the state.

The syringe factory was inaugurated by Nigeria’s Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, in September, last
year, as part of the activities to mark the 30th anniversary of the oil-rich state. The factory is said to have the capacity to produce 350 million units of 2ml, 5ml, and 10ml disposable syringes annually.

The Vice President had also inaugurated an Electric Metering Factory in the state. Both industries are located in Onna Local Government Area, where Governor Udom Emmanuel hails from. Governor Emmanuel has been accused by the opposition of covering up on the true ownership of the companies.

The State's Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Udoh, said that the two companies are owned by private investors and that the government only helped in attracting them to the state through the creation of “an enabling environment”. Mr. Udoh disclosed this on today, Monday during a live interview on Inspiration 105.9 FM Uyo.

“Let me say something clearly, what the government is doing is not building industries from the pockets of government; nobody does that anymore. The trend in the world is that you set an enabling environment and then attract investors to bring their investments to your territory,” Mr. Udoh said in the interview. “If you dip your hands into the coffers of government to build industries, when you leave office what happens?

“We have examples of industries dotting the landscape of Nigeria, all of them abandoned because one government conceptualised it, built it half-way, and left office, the other guy came in and doesn’t believe in it and it ends there,” he said.

The commissioner explained what he meant by “enabling environment”.
“Peace is key, infrastructure is key, communication is key, electric power is key. Most importantly, let the government of the day has integrity and transparency in what it is doing. Once you have that, then you are right on track,” he said.

“Look at the syringe manufacturing company, for instance. They have up to eight injector moulding machines, and each of those things cost a million dollars. Not to talk of the assembly plant. For a foreigner to leave his part of the world to come to invest that huge amount of money it means the government of the day in Akwa Ibom State is doing something right.

“The government has earned the confidence and trust of the people, beyond what people say in the street.
“Government equity in the industry is the provision of land, good road and security,” Mr. Udoh said.