Akwa Ibom State Governor Pastor Umo Bassey Eno, has said that he has had serious conversation during his meeting with the Akwa Ibom indigenes in the diaspora.
He said the talk was about marketing the state’s potential, not just looking for investors but looking for development partners.
Speaking to the Government House Correspondents at the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo, on his return from the three-day Political Summit held at the House of Commons Westminster Palace, he said: “We used the opportunity also to meet with the Akwa Ibom indigenes in the diaspora. It is very important.”
“A lot of them are professionals and always want to help in the development of the State and country.”
“If you look at the foreign Direct investment from the diaspora that came into the country in the previous years,” Eno said. “You will find out that it was a large chunk and if we keep leaving our own people, we are losing parts of that large chunk.”
“That is what is important and we must understand that the monthly allocation alone can not do all we want to do,” he stated.
“Every opportunity we have, marketing the state’s potential is what we are doing. Not just that we are looking for investors. We are looking for development partners.”
As a delegate at the Summit, Eno added. “We go out there, meet these organisations, talk with them.”
“They want to know what you can do differently from what others are doing in the past. So we believe it was a successful meeting.”
He continued: “The problem with Africa is the trust issue, as we meet this sustainable development goals, there are development partners out there that want to hear your story, see what you are doing, and build trust.”
The Governor also said that the just concluded 8th Annual London Political Summit was of huge advantage to Akwa Ibom State as it was an ample opportunity to attract investors and development partners to the State.
He said he has convinced relevant organisations on the State’s readiness to create openings for foreign direct investment as well as opportunities for exchange engagements in areas of Health, Agriculture, Artificial Intelligence and ICT.
The A.R.I.S.E. Agenda blueprint of my administration is tailored to meet the sustainable development goals,” Eno said. “It has positioned the State as a favourable development partner to international organisations, hence his participation in the summit.”