States in the country have been asked to optimise their lean resources to fit into the National and Niger Delta Plans for maximum result.
 
Senator Mohammed Sanusi Daggash, Minister of National Planning who made the call at the 1st Akwa Ibom State Infrastructure Summit that opened yesterday at Le Meridien Ibom Hotel and Golf Resort, Nwaniba stressed the need for states to inform Nigerians how they employ the machinery of government and resources at their disposal in line with National Plan to improve the welfare of the citizenry.
 
Senator Daggash lauded Akwa Ibom government for being the first after the Federal Government’s Infrastructure Summit in Abuja to have hosted the summit, describing it as an important step by any sub-national government to do in order to meet development challenges facing Nigerians.

He particularly congratulated the governor for having the courage to move faster than the Federal Government in organising the summit meant to be held at the six geo-political zones, observing that it would help the people to express their views, offer suggestions and proffer solutions to assist government in achieving its set goals and objectives.
 
“For Akwa Ibom State to seek partners, mobilise fund and deploy technology to mount this summit shows the readiness of the government to adopt effective mechanisms to provide lasting infrastructure that would benefit many people,” the minister remarked.
 
He explained that since government could not maintain its infrastructure there is need for public-private partnership in this regard, and hoped that at the end of the summit people would appreciate government’s line of thinking  and vision to enhance its policy direction and streamline projects and programmes to achieve accountability, openness and transparency.
 
He described the state as being strategic in the country and to international community due to availability of gas and oil resources exploited off-shore at the Gulf of Guinea.
 
Senator Daggash expressed the hope that proper exploitation of the resources would help to generate employment, development of human resources and deployment of technology to the overall development of the state and the country.
 
Governor Godswill Akpabio who presented a lead paper on the theme“Positioning Akwa Ibom State Infrastructure for Sustainability and Competitiveness in the Gulf of Guinea” said his administration is desirous to change the situation, noting “In this endeavour, we have dreamt big and we intend to actualise the dream in our generation”.
 
Governor Akpabio unfolded the abundant oil and gas deposits in the state which has necessitated the government signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) wth Statoil, Centrica and other oil companies for the establishment of a $12 billion Liquefied Natural Gas Plant in Mbo and the plant is to create 25,000 jobs.
 
On tourism, he remunerated the hidden tourism potentials and called for public- private partnership in this sector.
 
Speaking on rural and urban water supply, the governor said the state has facilities for 196,000 cubic metres of water a day from the 27 head works.
 
“This government is committed to partnership with the private sector to reap the benefit of commercial dynamism, innovation, and efficiency as well as private sector capital, skills and experience,” Chief Akpabio stated.