Akwa Ibom profes­sionals based outside the state have been enjoined to take a critical look at the banking industry, so that they can assist in establishing state- owned financial institutions.
Governor Godswill Akpa­bio, who made the call when Akwa Ibom Concerned  Pro­fessionals, led by Mr. Udeme Ufot, paid him a courtesy call at Government House, Uyo, stated that the Cooperative De­velopment Bank earlier owned by the state government was acquired due to the banking reforms.
Akpabio also urged the professionals to assist gov­ernment in the industrialisa­tion of the state, pledging that “professionals would be given responsibility irrespective of their political affiliations.”
Other areas he wants the group to venture into are the establishment of a newspaper, where they can tell their sto­ries and have a voice in the country. He said the best thing the state government had done in the last seven years, was to move the state forward by pro­viding infrastructural founda­tion.
The governor, who de­scribed the visit of the group to the state as a glorious re­turn, said the avalanche of criticisms of government from the professionals some years ago, had gingered the admin­istration to complete numer­ous projects adjudged today as world class.
Earlier, the leader of the group, Mr. Ufot, who com­mended Governor Akpabio for the quality of infrastructure provided in the state, explained that for the sustenance of the uncommon transformation of the state, only those with the right credentials should be encouraged to succeed the governor.

Akpabio tasks Akwa Ibom professionals