Companies Collapse: Akwa Ibom State legislators probe ex-governor Udom

Barely two years of leaving office as governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel has come under probe by the State House of Assembly to ascertain the ownership of companies established in the name of the State.

CAPITAL POST learnt that several companies which were established throughout the eight year administration of the former governor, including some high profile projects have collapsed.

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In Mipat Enin Local Government Council of Akwa Ibom State, a council rich in cocoa nut production, the Saint Gabriel Coconut Refinery which the former governor renamed after his late father has not paid salaries for over 7 months thereby causing disaffection by workers.

The many collapses of companies such as Awa Iman community in Onna, including a flour mill, syringe manufacturing plant, plywood factory, and toothpick and pencil production facilities, all went down as Udom Emmanuel was leaving office in 2023 after serving eight years.

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Speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Udeme Otong, worried by the development has inaugurated a joint Committee which comprise members from the House Committees on Agriculture and Natural Resources, and Labour and Productivity, to find out whether to troubling companies belong to Akwa Ibom State government or a private individual.

The Committee was empowered to interact with certain individuals with the aim of discovering their owners and liaise with ministries and agencies of government.

The development followed a motion raised by Hon Uweh Peter Imoh-Ita (Mkpat Enin), who urged the state government to immediately pay outstanding salaries and clarify the employment status of the refinery workers, pointing out that employees were engaged in 2016 through the State Ministry of Agriculture and were enjoying timely salaries before payment suddenly stopped.

The Assembly’s intervention also comes amid unresolved disputes over land acquired for coconut plantations in Mkpat Enin, Eastern Obolo, and Ikot Abasi, where host communities allege they were not compensated.

It can be recalled that Governor Umo Eno, who was backed to victory in the 2023 gubernatorial polls by then-governor Emmanuel recently defected from the PDP to the APC, while his predecessor has remained in the opposition party.

The state governor, Umo Eno, who rode to victory in the 2023 governorship election with Emmanuel’s backing, has since defected from the PDP to the APC, while his predecessor remains in the opposition.

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