The Chairman and Chief Executive of Falcon Oil and Gas Inc, Dr. Ani Wellington is in the governorship race for Akwa Ibom State. He has revealed his vision for Akwa Ibom State come 2023, which will be hinged on innovation and sustainable development. These are essential factors for rapid transformation of any society.
Dr. Ani Wellington who made this revelation in Uyo recently, explained that his vision will be predicated on the many potentials and capacity of the state’s human and natural resources including Foreign Direct Investment – FDI.
According to the leading industrialist, the resources of the state will be maximised to ensure sustainable development, poverty reduction, wealth creation, and special focus on women and children, especially the girl child. Our vision of innovation and sustainable development for Akwa ibom state come 2023 is built upon the potentials and the capacity of its human and natural resources. We will ensure the restoration of confidence of the people in their government”, he pledged.
The international award winning industrialist said that he has put the necessary arrangements in place to achieve his vision through a five cardinal points agenda which includes; education, healthcare, power, innovation and technology, and the creative economy.
For the Education Sector, Dr. Wellington promises to do more in ensuring that education is made completely free at both the primary and secondary levels, with a scholarship scheme in place to encourage excellence and hard work. Scholarships will be given to students with special talents who are technologically driven. He further stated that, this will be complemented with robust investment in infrastructure and improvement in teachers’ welfare to ensure that the sector is given adequate attention.
“In complementing the efforts of my predecessors, we will go the extra mile to enforce an academic curriculum that will include and strengthen S.T.E.A.M (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics), and Artificial Intelligence (A.I.), which are the bedrock for research and development in the 21st Century”.
While revealing plans for the healthcare sector, Dr Ani Wellington said he will pay more attention to health infrastructure, by building additional state of the arts health facilities that meet international standards, that can compete globally !
He said, more will be done in the area of revitalizing primary and secondary healthcare facilities which he noted are essential, being the closest and the most accessible to the people at the grassroots.
“Accessibility and standardization of quality healthcare services, infrastructure, and facilities will not be compromised. Hence, we will conduct a health facility gap assessment to ascertain the level of intervention required to meet minimum global standards across all healthcare facilities in the State. We will also harmonize the relationship between community/primary health centres and secondary healthcare facilities to ensure an efficient working relationship amongst the tiers, while upgrading them with a view to making the NHIS (National Health Insurance Scheme) accessible and further easing the accessibility of quality healthcare services”.
Unfolding his vision for the power sector, the multiple award winning entrepreneur disclosed that if given the mandate as the governor of Akwa Ibom State, he will encourage more private sector driven initiatives, while government provides the enabling infrastructure and policies.
In his words: “we have plans to create strategic alliances with the relevant national agencies as well as seek ways to encourage private sector investment in power, all aimed at having uninterrupted power supply in the first 12 months in office beginning with the Uyo senatorial district as phase 1 (one) before applying same to the remaining three (3) senatorial districts but done in phases. This way, power interruption will be a thing of the past in my first term in office as Governor of Akwa Ibom state.
We will prioritise the provision of power as part of the strategy to boost manufacturing industries in the state.
“We will also encourage innovation by the private sector and will invest in the exploration of renewable energy sources such as solar and other green energy sources in a bid to expand our energy mix”.
For other sectors such as economic transformation and innovation, technology and the creative economy, the CEO explained that through collaboration with the private sector, a N10billion Venture Capital Fund will be launched to facilitate the birth of new ideas which he said will be sustained through what he called multi-stage funding for start ups and other businesses.
The governorship aspirant further revealed that adequate energy would be ploughed into job creation, service orientation and the use of information technology to bring about the needed renaissance in the all round development of the state.
“Innovation, technology, and the creative economy are now driven by technology and innovative ideas; the importance of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Digital Entrepreneurship, and Vocational and Management training programmes cannot be overstated. We will harness technology towards creating a “New Economy” where opportunities are sought for wealth creation to boost economic activities in the state.
“Through collaboration with the private sector in the state, I will equip 10,000 youths yearly with digital skills through the launch of a state-wide technology-focused training programme.
The Akwa Ibom born citizen said in achieving these cardinal points of all-inclusive development, his administration would rely on the mandates which include; sustainable investment geared towards the empowerment of our people, creating an all-inclusive government where all stakeholders will participate in decision making, innovative development by reactivating and harnessing the natural resources associated with all 31 LGA’s of the state, cultivate and promote the private sector as the engine for economic growth and job creation, with special emphasis on the development of green jobs, aligning with climate change goals, among others.
Dr. Wellington pledged that he will allow free flow of communication between his government and the people, adding that openness, accountability and leadership of inclusivity will be the characteristics of his administration if elected into office as the governor of the state.
Dr. Wellington, an indigene of Uyo Local Government Area, has set a pace in the global oil and gas sector.
He is renowned for his many national and international awards which include; award in philanthrophy for his support to the less privileged: “International MSME Expedition” – Award of Excellence for International Entrepreneurship Development in 2015 in Abuja, Business Professional Leadership Award by Global African Watch, 2009 in Washington DC, Award of Excellence by African Gas Association in Houston, Texas in 2012 for Outstanding Performance in Investment and Trading in the global Oil and Gas Sector. He is also a recipient of the “Face of Hollywood Award” Outstanding Personality of the Year Award, among others.
Dr. Wellington holds a PhD. in Political Science and Public Administration from Washington International University, USA. He has also received an Honorary Doctorate in Public Administration from Commonwealth University, UK.
He is an accomplished administrator of global repute who has contributed enormously to the local and global economies through his investments in oil and gas and other sectors of the economy.
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