•⁠ ⁠Declares State’s Move To Acquire Oil Field

By Egufe Yafugborhi

UYO – GOVERNOR Umo Eno has disclosed his administration’s resolve to revalidate all Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) issued for all landed property preceding emergence of the Akwa Ibom State Geographical Information System (AKWAGiS).

Eno at the three day Ministerial Briefing and End of Year Review of his administration which ended in Uyo Wednesday evening said the decision was to ensure all lands titles and transactions in the state were captured on the emergent digitised platform to check rampant issues of theft, fraud and encroachment.

The governor also told stakeholders that following the encouraging successes AKWAGiS has recorded in its formative stage, he would, next year, forward an executive bill to the State House of Assembly for a law to fully launch and make AKWAGiS a standalone agency of government to enhance efficiency while still under supervision of the Ministry of Lands and Water Resources.

He said, “This (AKWAGiS) was one of the first assignment I grappled with when I came into office as Commissioner for Lands and Water Resources (in the last administration). So credit must go to the past administration while we (present administration) also take part in sharing the credit because we followed it up logically.

“We’ve made some money from this effort and we will continue to make more, even as the World Bank appreciates what have done and we have gone far ahead of what some states have done. For me, there will lot of sensitisation as we make progress with AKWAGiS.

“We will be able to sign C of Os digitally. We’re going to revalidate all our C of Os, all, so we capture them on that digital platform. So from your phone you can do your search, authenticate ownership, do payments to make, just bring us up to speed with the trend. It is what places us now among states that have digitalised land acquisition.”

Push For Marginal Field

Menawhile Governor Eno has also announced Akwa Ibom Government’s search for a qualified expert to lead the state’s quest for successful acquisition of a marginal oil field as a key driver of economic prosperity for the state.

Eno said the state has already registered a company platform the intended oil and gas expert would manage to push for the marginal field acquisition.

According to the governor, Akwa Ibomites will have right of first refusal to compete for the top job, but stressed that he won’t hesitate looking beyond the state if he can’t find a capable indigene to engage.

He explained, “We have the marginal fields in our backyard. Why can’t we get involved. Today in the National Assembly, an Akwa Ibom son is the Chairman of Solid Mineral Exploration Committee in this country.

“We have an Akwa Ibom son as a Minister in the oil and gas sector. So why can’t we take advantage of telling these individuals to help us. This is something we need to do, one area we need to take advantage. We have the marginal field in our homes.”

On the terms of engagement of the intended oil and gas management expert to serve as Managing Director, Eno said, “We will take him for 12 months. He should be something who knows what is involved. Somebody who can go to Abuja and make things happen.

“We will take him. We put him 12 months. If he cannot give us the marginal field, we sack him. We are not pretending. So we are looking for a Managing Director to do that for us. It is not a political appointment.

“We need someone who is capable. If we cannot find that capable person who is a son or daughter or Akwa Ibom, we will have to go outside to find the right person. Akwa Ibom should have a marginal field then we can now look for experts to come and help us develop it.”

He said if a state like Lagos could talk of owning Eko Oil towards going into owning oil fields, Akwa Ibom with much comparative advantage of having the marginal fields across her soil should be more concerned about directly investing in owning oil fields.