By Narratives hub
The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State and civil engineer, Engr. Dr Emem Coffie, has called for a shift from road construction to industrialisation, youth employment and small business development in Akwa Ibom State, saying infrastructure alone cannot lift residents out of poverty.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Coffie said the state needed to return to its original development master plan and prioritise industries that would create jobs, strengthen local businesses and improve the livelihoods of residents.
He said Akwa Ibom’s natural resources, including oil, gas and palm kernel, could support the establishment of industries across its local government areas, adding that young people should be trained to work in such facilities.
Coffie argued that roads would deliver greater economic benefits when linked to industries capable of generating employment and income for residents.
He said, “Road construction is interesting but road construction does not put food on the table of people.
“The people are poor. Akwa Ibom has no industries. I stand to be proven wrong.”
He called for the establishment of refineries, gas plants, steel plants and gas-to-liquid facilities, alongside apprenticeship programmes to equip young people with the skills required to work in the industries.
He said participants in apprenticeship schemes should receive stipends during their training to encourage them to acquire relevant skills.
The engineer also advocated soft loans for small and medium-scale enterprises, saying local traders and entrepreneurs needed access to capital to expand their businesses.
“I would also want to have more SMEs, SMEs programmes, small-scale industries, small-scale entrepreneurs,” he said.
He urged the state government to encourage banks holding state funds to provide affordable loans to small businesses, including traders dealing in agricultural produce and other locally available products.
Coffie further proposed cottage industries across local government areas, including palm oil processing plants and facilities that could use palm kernel waste to produce briquettes.
He said such investments would create jobs, support suppliers and distributors, and enable money to circulate within communities without depending on government handouts.
On infrastructure, Coffie called for the implementation of Akwa Ibom’s original development master plan, saying successive administrations should build on projects initiated by their predecessors rather than abandon them.
He identified the deep seaport, science park, road network, airport and power plants as projects included in the state’s development plans.
“When I say Genesis, let’s go back to that master plan and start to execute it all over again,” he said.
Coffie, who has about 35 years of experience in engineering and project development, also called for greater investment in human capital, arguing that residents should be equipped with the skills and resources needed to establish businesses and earn sustainable incomes.
He said the state needed to move beyond a development model focused mainly on physical infrastructure to one that prioritised productive industries, skilled workers and viable businesses.
Coffie is promoting the development agenda, “A New Drive Back to the Genesis,” which advocates a return to the state’s original development plan and greater attention to economic opportunities for residents.
