Amid Security Crises, A’Ibom Gov Begs US To Expunge State From List Of Unsafe States

With Akwa Ibom deeply embroiled in security crises, Governor
Udom Emmanuel has appealed to the United States of America (USA)
government to expunge the state from the list of other Nigerian
states considered as unsafe for their citizens to travel to.

According to Emmanuel, such categorisation was at variance with
the decisions of several security agencies, that place Akwa Ibom as
one of the safest states in the country.

The governor, who made the plea during a courtesy visit on him
by the Ambassador of the US to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, at the
Government House, Uyo, the state capital, noted that naming Akwa
Ibom among the unsafe states in Nigeria, was repelling to
investors, hence inimical to the industrialization drive of the
state government.

“Help me review, right now we are expecting a whole lot of
investors into the state the issue being that the publication that
Akwa Ibom state is unsafe for Americans to travel into, is going to
affect a whole lot of investments in the country, especially in
Akwa Ibom, because it stands contrary to Police report and other
security agencies reports.

“There is no society on Planet earth that there are no pockets
of crime. Pockets of crime cannot render that state insecure,”
governor Emmanuel stressed.

Governor Udom Emmanuel who appreciated the partnership between
America and Nigeria in the provision of critical facilities in the
state appealed to the American government to partner with the state
government in the implementation of policies and programmes as well
as effective monitoring of projects and transparency.

“The United State Agency for International Development (USAID)
can come in, we don’t need the money, they can partner this
programme with the state government, the Ministry of Health and the
beneficiaries.

“You appoint the implementing partners we don’t know them and
because you don’t create that interface between the State
Government and these group of implementing partners. So we cannot
even monitor as a second check of what we are doing, to be able to
report back that money you are spending is actually getting to the
people,” he said.

He explained that “if the projects must go to the implementing
partners, let the state government be the third party for proper
monitoring and transparency in its financial reporting.”

The governor further emphasised that the partnership with the
state government will ensure that the programmes executed by US
Government are of immense benefits to the people as the funds
allocated will trickle down to the appropriate locations without
encumbrances.

The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, said
she was pleased to have the opportunity to visit the state to
ascertain the status of the US-funded projects, after constraints
posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The US envoy described the Akwa Ibom State government as a model
in the pandemic management and fundamental support for the USAID
projects in the state.

She expressed delight over the investments made by the Akwa Ibom
State Government in the health sector.

These, she said, were evident in the improved health
infrastructure, trained health workers, the wellbeing of USAID
projects in the state, reversal of hitherto held statistics in
malaria, HIV/AIDS amidst the COVID pandemic.

With Akwa Ibom deeply embroiled in security crises, Governor
Udom Emmanuel has appealed to the United States of America (USA)
government to expunge the state from the list of other Nigerian
states considered as unsafe for their citizens to travel to.

According to Emmanuel, such categorisation was at variance with
the decisions of several security agencies, that place Akwa Ibom as
one of the safest states in the country.

The governor, who made the plea during a courtesy visit on him
by the Ambassador of the US to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, at the
Government House, Uyo, the state capital, noted that naming Akwa
Ibom among the unsafe states in Nigeria, was repelling to
investors, hence inimical to the industrialization drive of the
state government.

“Help me review, right now we are expecting a whole lot of
investors into the state the issue being that the publication that
Akwa Ibom state is unsafe for Americans to travel into, is going to
affect a whole lot of investments in the country, especially in
Akwa Ibom, because it stands contrary to Police report and other
security agencies reports.

“There is no society on Planet earth that there are no pockets
of crime. Pockets of crime cannot render that state insecure,”
governor Emmanuel stressed.

Governor Udom Emmanuel who appreciated the partnership between
America and Nigeria in the provision of critical facilities in the
state appealed to the American government to partner with the state
government in the implementation of policies and programmes as well
as effective monitoring of projects and transparency.

“The United State Agency for International Development (USAID)
can come in, we don’t need the money, they can partner this
programme with the state government, the Ministry of Health and the
beneficiaries.

“You appoint the implementing partners we don’t know them and
because you don’t create that interface between the State
Government and these group of implementing partners. So we cannot
even monitor as a second check of what we are doing, to be able to
report back that money you are spending is actually getting to the
people,” he said.

He explained that “if the projects must go to the implementing
partners, let the state government be the third party for proper
monitoring and transparency in its financial reporting.”

The governor further emphasised that the partnership with the
state government will ensure that the programmes executed by US
Government are of immense benefits to the people as the funds
allocated will trickle down to the appropriate locations without
encumbrances.

The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, said
she was pleased to have the opportunity to visit the state to
ascertain the status of the US-funded projects, after constraints
posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The US envoy described the Akwa Ibom State government as a model
in the pandemic management and fundamental support for the USAID
projects in the state.

She expressed delight over the investments made by the Akwa Ibom
State Government in the health sector.

These, she said, were evident in the improved health
infrastructure, trained health workers, the wellbeing of USAID
projects in the state, reversal of hitherto held statistics in
malaria, HIV/AIDS amidst the COVID pandemic.