Rural Development Commissioner Promises Integrated Development for Rural Communities

• set to launch Rural Development Master-plan
BY UBONG SAMPSON

 The newly sworn-in commissioner for Rural Development, Rt Hon (Barr) Ekong Sampson has promised to advance the development of rural communities from the usual expectations of the rural dwellers.

Barr Sampson made the promise yesterday while addressing staff of the Rural Development Ministry now under his watch. He hinted that the Rural Development Ministry under him will facilitate an accelerated pace of development in the rural communities through what he termed “Rural Development Masterplan (RDM)”.

Barr Ekong Sampson who until June, 2015, was representative of Mkpat Enin State Constituency in Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, disclosed that the idea was birthed during his first assignment to the rural development sector of the state while he chaired the House Committee on Rural Development, adding that his posting to the ministry is an opportunity to make the idea a reality.




"We need a rural development master plan to drive government programmes in our villages. All we have been hearing of is the urban masterplan but I am here to introduce and make known the possibility of a rural masterplan which is what this ministry under my stewardship will use to enforce development in rural communities. We all come from a village so we intend to recreate the village and open it up for more opportunities. It will create direction for us to develop our rural communities”, Barr Ekong said.

He also stressed that the vision is expected to accelerate the pace of development in the rural communities. He added that the ministry will seize the vision to key into the policies of the present state government in order to unlock opportunities that will drive development in rural communities.

He noted that his posting to the Ministry was more of a home coming, as he is only returning to a familiar terrain, and commended the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Arit Okpo for having held forthwith satisfactorily until his resumption, as well as other staff of the ministry for their commitment, while soliciting for their endless support to ensure the success of the ministry and the present administration at large.

Earlier, the permanent secretary, Mrs Okpo, who led the new commissioner around the ministry on a familiarization exercise, assured the commissioner that the staff are fully ready to work with him towards guaranteeing the ministry’s perfect achievement of its goals.