More than N2b worth of equipment procured by former Governor of Akwa Ibom state Obong Victor Attah for the development of Ibom Science Park have been allowed to decay while 200 indigenes sponsored by the state government 20 years ago for training in Canada as personnel for the planned project absconded abroad.
Ibom Science Park was a pet project initiated by Obong Victor Attah to give the state a technological facelift where the state economy will develop.
Investigation reveals that the project site located along Uyo Village road in Itu local government area of the state has been overtaken by grasses indicating a state of decay and outright abandonment despite the huge amount of money spent by the government to equip the proposed science park.
Speaking on Monday at Uyo Book Club 2023 Colloquium in honour of Obong Victor Attah’s 85th birthday on the theme” The Vision of Attah On Science & Technology”, the former Commissioner of Science and Technology during Attah’s administration in the state Prof Linus Asuquo regretted the vision for the state on technology has been abandoned despite enormous advantages of the project for the state.
Asuquo, now the Director General/Chief Executive Officer of the National Metallurgical Development Centre and Guest Speaker said if the science park had succeeded Akwa Ibom would have been a cynosure of all eyes and a model for science and technology among other states in Nigeria.
He highlighted the vision of Attah on science and technology for the state to include accelerated economic growth, industrial development, poverty reduction, food security and sustainable development.
Asuquo recalled that the former governor sponsored a think tank and technical team to South Africa to study emerging technological management with a review to replicate them in the state.
” If all the policies in science and technology were implemented by successive governments after Victor Attah, Akwa Ibom would have become the “Dubai” of our time in Nigeria
” Akwa Ibom will continue to remain in unemployment if we don’t invest in science and technology”.
The university scholar explained that the former governor Attah sponsored 200 indigenes in various science-oriented disciplines to Canada so that they could bring back their experiences to bear in the technological development of the state.
” They were attached to different industries in Canada. But the sad news is that all the persons sponsored later absconded abroad and refused to return.
” Successive governments never made any step to track down or repatriate them. It was very disappointing ”
He therefore urged the present government in the state to revisit and bring back the vision to help in the development of the state instead of allowing it to rot away.
” As we speak now equipment worth over N2b has rotted away at the science park. This is a monumental waste to the government.
” The place has decayed and government is not doing anything to sustain the vision of Obong Attah in terms of science and technology.”
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These projects include Ibom Plaza, Technology Incubation Centre and Ibom Deep Sea Port.
However, the founder of Uyo Book Club Dr Udeme Nana has urged the state government to set aside every 20th November as a public holiday to honour Obong Victor Attah for taking the state to the pinnacle of glory when he was the state governor.
Nana who served as Director of Press Affairs in Obong Victor Attah’s administration stated that Akwa people have not honoured his boss as supposed considering how much he impacted the state.
He mentioned resource control, 13 per derivation paid to oil-bearing states, campaign against against house boy syndrome by those outside Akwa Ibom state adding that the state revenue allocation has improved through Attah’s agitation.
He said such a man of honour who had evolved an unbeatable development blueprint for his people should be celebrated.
His words” Attah struggled to bring more revenues to the state. In fighting for that right for the abrogation of onshore/offshore oil dichotomy he faced many obstacles.
” We suffered near crashes. On two occasions the plane we boarded to lobby other governors crash-landed. One at Eket Airstrip while the other one occurred while we were coming back from Kano because Attah had to interface with other governors to support him in the fight for resource control.
” He built fences. We went to Kano, Kaduna, Sokoto etc. In Nigeria politics, before. you get something, you network so that when you meet to discuss, you have support.
” Obong Attah had to seek the support of other governors . But finally, the matter was put to rest at the National Assembly”.
Responding, the former governor disclosed that he decided to lay a foundation for technology to thrive in the state.
” If we continue to build on existing infrastructure, we will make progress.
” I am out of office but not out of ideas to develop the state,” he said.
