Efforts to industrialise Akwa Ibom State are beginning to yield dividends as an 11,000 hectare of coconut plantation and refinery project is set to take off soon.
Laying the foundation of the projects located along Ikot Abasi/Mkpat Enin/Eastern Obolo road, Governor Udom Emmanuel accompanied by the deputy governor, planted a coconut tree as a symbol of the readiness of the state government to kick-start the project.
Udom said the project was part of efforts to demonstrate to the global community the relevance of converting ideas and innovations by using available resources to make improvements outside the conventional wisdom, adding that the untapped landmass for the project had been a source of conflict between the three direct beneficiaries for several years.
He noted that the plantation would adopt latest techniques of spraying to check pest and draw the daily benefits of coconut with value chains in the economy, stressing that coconut yields are capable of serving generations up to 99 years.
He noted that the plantation/refinery would help in attracting the commencement of plans to build a 300 million capacity medical syringes factory as well as a housing estate for the personnel, explaining that the actualization of other projects for the area depend on the cooperation of the communities.
Speaking, Emmanuel Enoidem, commissioner for investment and industry said the plantation would help in raising the ranking of Akwa Ibom and the nation to the fore in the planting and refining of quality coconut oil, palm oil and kernel oil in the country, adding that expected benefits appear uncountable in the nearest future.
Enoidem noted that the project would directly and indirectly offer jobs to about 5000 individuals through the professional support of the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research NIFOR, describing it as historic and symbolic.
