AUTOMOBILE ASSEMBLING PLANT: MY SECOND INVESTIGATIVE REPORT
By RadarPapers

By Franklyn Isong

“We stand ready and committed to provide jobs for people of Akwa Ibom State. The site will represent first chapter in the book of industrialization we have opened today. Already, we have acquired 20 hectares of land for the Automobile Assembling Plant; which is one of the fruits of the Foreign Direct Investment, is an Israeli company name MIMSHAC Merkavim Transportation Technologies Plant,” Governor Udom Emmanuel said during the groundbreaking ceremony of the Automobile Assembling Plant on July 13, 2015.

On November 12, 2018, I did an investigation into the Akwa Ibom State Government proposed Automobile Manufacturing and Assembling Plant with a visit to the project site located in Ikot Ukap, Itam, Itu local government area of the State.

During the visit, I reported that the site was overgrown by weeds. Nothing was happening at the site 3 years after groundbreaking. Farmers in the host communities were seen planting and cultivating crops on the site amongst other findings.

The details of my findings were published on Radar Newspaper online see link:
http://radarpapers.ng/2018/11/12/akwa-ibom-govt-where-is-the-automobile-assembling-plant-by-franklyn-isong/

Today, Monday, June 22, 2020, (2 years after my first report) I did another investigative visit to the project site. During the visit which was unscheduled, I noticed that construction works have started on the project site. Currently, more than 60 workers are engaged for the civil construction works on the site. 60 percent of the workers are the indigenes from the host communities.

The project is on a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement. The State government provided land and other agreed facilities to facilitate the project.

I had interactions with some of the workers who pleaded anonymity since they do not have the company’s mandate to speak on the project, who expressed believe that with the rate at which they are going, the construction works will be completed before the end of the year.

The workers said that more than 7 containers of materials meant for the project have arrived the country and would soon be transported to the project site.

The workers blamed the slow pace of work to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.

In spite of the delay in commencement and execution of the project, yours truly is extremely excited that, at last, the project has kicked off in earnest. Buildings like the administrative block and the site clinic have been constructed and put to use. The entrance to the site have been completed. Part of the perimeter fence had been done.

The lighting system have been done while, the landscaping covering car park, office area and the site clinic area have been done. The construction of the Factory was ongoing and at the foundation level during my investigative visit.

As a journalist, I will continue to hold government accountable to the people. Government officials should live up to their responsibilities of delivering dividends of democracy and good governance to the people.

Akwa Ibom Ayaya

This man is the only working governor at the moment. He keeps breaking new grounds and transforming akwaibom...
May Godbless and reward him

hurryup123:
Cool

Yes bro

hurryup123:
This man is the only working governor at the moment. He keeps breaking new grounds and transforming akwaibom...
May Godbless and reward him

The guy surprise us here in the state , some good critics of him don dey shelved thier sword.

Lalastclala, seun , mynd44 abeg carry am go front page

i hope he complete this one if not,the next governor will not remember it

JAOS:
i hope he complete this one if not,the next governor will not remember it

Yes boss , though is PPP sir

Hunchogee:

The guy surprise us here in the state , some good critics of him don dey shelved thier sword.

Lalastclala, seun , mynd44 abeg carry am go front page

‘Sheath’

This governor is the best in the whole Southern region, Man have gat VISION and he's implementing it without much fuss..

Good development!

IGBOSON1:


‘Sheath’

Ok sir

If they give it to Nigerians to manage within 5yrs they'll wreck the whole place with tribalism and corrupt practices.

Nna17:
This governor is the best in the whole Southern region, Man have gat VISION and he's implementing it without much fuss..

Good development!

Spot on the guy is visionary

thesicilian:
If they give it to Nigerians to manage within 5yrs they'll wreck the whole place with tribalism and corrupt practices.

That's why is PPP and will be manage by an Israeli company name MIMSHAC Merkavim Transportation

Hunchogee:

The guy surprise us here in the state , some good critics of him don dey shelved thier sword.

Lalastclala, seun , mynd44 abeg carry am go front page

Wow this is lovely for the country.
Seun this news deserve front page

Good development....

Y'all permit me to give credence to the presence of palmtrees that surround the Construction site.......As a palmy lover, there ought to be a palmwine joint a stone throw away from the site......

Up Up Governor Udom Emma

hurryup123:
This man is the only working governor at the moment. He keeps breaking new grounds and transforming akwaibom...
May Godbless and reward him

When you are the biɠgest oil producing state and at least 13% of the oil sales automatically is yours... genius isn't needed to get some work done.

Nice one from Akwa Ibom

GOFRONT:
Good development....

Y'all permit me to give credence to the presence of palmtrees that surround the Construction site.......As a palmy lover, there ought to be a palmwine joint a stone throw away from the site......

Up Up Governor Udom Emma

Sure and 404 meat joint

BeLookingIDIOT:

When you are the biɠgest oil producing state and at least 13% of the oil sales automatically is yours... genius isn't needed to get some work done.

Delta state is the highest 13% oil earner not Akwa ibom

Ilaumoh:

Wow this is lovely for the country.
Seun this news deserve front page

Da owo abadie?

Ilaumoh:

Delta state is the highest 13% oil earner not Akwa ibom

Sure

JAOS:
i hope he complete this one if not,the next governor will not remember it

meanwhile groundbreaking was done 2015.

JAOS:
i hope he complete this one if not,the next governor will not remember it

meanwhile groundbreaking was done 2015.

phantom24:
meanwhile groundbreaking was done 2015. meanwhile groundbreaking was done 2015.

Again read with comprehension. And have beginning to observe your hatefulness towards Akwa Ibom development thread. Are you this hateful ?

Hunchogee:

Again read with comprehension. And have beginning to observe your hatefulness towards Akwa Ibom development thread. Are you this hateful ?

there's nothing to hate sir, we need to be truthful to ourselves. What does the Op gain with this current trend of deception. Digging out old & new pictures of semi abandoned projects to create a thread on a weekly basis is not patriotism and is never helping the state.

phantom24:
there's nothing to hate sir, we need to be truthful to ourselves. What does the Op gain with this current trend of deception. Digging out old & new pictures of semi abandoned projects to create a thread on a weekly basis is not patriotism and is never helping the state.

You have an history of hate towards Akwa Thread so how will anybody be surprise towards your hateful comments.
My brother just do away with hate if not it might consume you ok

NIGERIA ECONOMY BY STATES GDPs IN 2030
1. Lagos
2. Ogun
3. Akwa Ibom
4. Rivers
5. Kano
6. Oyo
7. Kaduna
8. Ondo
9. Kebbi
10. Delta

Olominira:
Wow

Lovely sir

Hunchogee:

You have an history of hate towards Akwa Thread so how will anybody be surprise towards your hateful comments.
My brother just do away with hate if not it might consume you ok

we've had similar arguements bro. But i notice you always sing praises even when the govt. Is not perfoming well. At a point all the street lights in uyo was down at nite for weeks you never created a thread on that. Constructive Criticism doesn't mean hate.

phantom24:
we've had similar arguements bro. But i notice you always sing praises even when the govt. Is not perfoming well. At a point all the street lights in uyo was down at nite for weeks you never created a thread on that. Constructive Criticism doesn't mean hate.

My brother when you constantly criticize a person or a system it becomes sickling and hateful, especially when the person is doing well.have never seen an akwa ibom thread you criticize constructive before ok.
Again I ask you, where are you from? Atleast be proud to tell me

Olominira:
NIGERIA ECONOMY BY STATES GDPs IN 2030
1. Lagos
2. Ogun
3. Akwa Ibom
4. Rivers
5. Kano
6. Oyo
7. Kaduna
8. Ondo
9. Kebbi
10. Delta

Lovely bro

All reports relating to this project are very out dated. Last search results are dated 2 years ago.

Which of the Udom factories are still functional?

Kabongo1:
All reports relating to this project are very out dated. Last search results are dated 2 years ago.

Which of the Udom factories are still functional?

When you say last search, I will advice you to reread the post again sir