VZCZCXRO1105
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHOS #0399/01 2820956
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 080956Z OCT 08
FM AMCONSUL LAGOS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0218
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH AFB UK
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RHMCSUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEWMFD/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LAGOS 000399 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS USTR FOR USTR AGAMA 
STATE PASS USAID FOR GWEYNAND AND SLAWAETZ 
DOE FOR GPERSON,CHAYLOCK 
TREASURY FOR DFIELDS, AIERONIMO, RHALL 
DOC FOR 3317/ITA/OA/KBURRESS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: SURREAL SUMMIT ON INFRASTRUCTURE IN AKWA 
IBOM STATE 
 
REF: LAGOS 208 
 
 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: In an "Infrastucture Summit" held 
September 18 and 19 the government of Akwa Ibom State laid 
out its development strategy and attempted to interest the 
private sector in public private partnerships for 
infrastructure development in the state.  Representatives of 
Akwa Ibom's civil society lamented the emphasis on flashy 
projects pointing out the near absolute lack of primary 
education, primary health care and water treatment in the 
State, and  Poloffs experienced the bad roads and unreliable 
electric power even at the 5-star Le Meridian resort, where 
the summit was staged.  The contrast between the government's 
extravagant plans and the actual level of development in the 
state, coupled with the state government's lack of progress 
on passing fiscal responsibility and government procurement 
legislation, made the entire summit seem surreal.  End 
Summary. 
 
2 (SBU) Poloffs attended the Akwa Ibom "Infrastructure 
Summit" held September 18 and 19 at Le Meridian resort 
outside of Uyo.  The development plans of Akwa Ibom state as 
outlined in Governor Godswill Akpabio's opening remarks and 
subsequent papers are very ambitious. Akpabio promised to 
bring an electric power plant on line this year with a 
capacity of 191 MW.  He promised to construct or reconstruct 
230 kilometers of road.  He expressed the intention to 
develop Ibaka into a deep water port for both naval and 
commercial purposes.  He stated that the airport currently 
under construction will be completed in 2009 and will meet 
international standards for receiving wide-bodied jets for 
both passenger and cargo operations.  (Note: The airport 
project was initially contracted to DynCorp, a U.S. company. 
After a lengthy dispute over USD 12 million in arrears, 
DynCorp terminated the contract with Akwa Ibom State.  End 
Note.) He reported proudly that a dialysis clinic was now 
operating in the state.  He announced plans for the 
construction of a Science and Technology Park to foster 
high-tech industries, particularly communications companies, 
in the state.  He outlined plans for a convention 
center/stadium capable of seating 10,000 people, which he 
claimed would attract the ruling People's Democratic Party's 
Convention in 2011.  Last but not least, Akpabio described 
plans for an entertainment center to include a five-star 
hotel, shopping center and theme park to attract tourists to 
the state.  (Note: The conference took place at the 5-star Le 
Meridian hotel, a plush resort and golf course constructed 
with state money by the former governor, Victor Attah.  End 
note.) 
 
¶3. (SBU) Members of the audience drew a very different 
picture of the state of development in Akwa Ibom State during 
discussions following presentations and in private 
discussions with Poloffs.  One participant lamented the focus 
on five-star hotels and conference centers when the primary 
schools in her Local Government Area did not have chairs much 
less books for the pupils.  A doctor pointed out that because 
there is no ambulance service patients needing emergency care 
were often brought to hospitals on motorbikes, clinging to 
the driver while a relative or friend rode behind to keep the 
patient from falling off.  A nurse described patients lying 
on concrete floors for lack of sufficient beds. The managing 
director of the Akwa Ibom Water Company admitted that 40% of 
the state's population does not have access to potable water. 
 The lack of security in the state was highlighted by several 
participants, who challenged the repeated assertions of 
government representatives that Akwa Ibom was a "peaceful" 
state. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Comment: The political speeches, particularly those 
praising the governor, were long and fulsome, but Poloffs 
personally experienced the deplorable state of the roads and 
the unreliable power as well as heard from reliable sources 
about the inadequacies in fundamental health care, primary 
education, and water treatment.  The state government 
consistently tried to disassociate itself from its 
 
LAGOS 00000399  002 OF 002 
 
 
predecessor's administration, despite the fact that both 
governors are from the ruling PDP party, and not withstanding 
Akpabio's reported connections with Vice President Goodluck 
Jonathan.  Predictably, there was no mention of the problems 
that plagued the U.S. company Dyncorp's airport project 
outside Uyo, the state capital (Lagos 208). To date, Akwa 
Ibom has not yet taken steps to adopt fiscal responsibility 
and government procurement legislation. As a result, we fear 
that many of the infrastructure projects touted at the 
conference will become, as have all too many throughout 
Nigeria, "bridges to nowhere."  End Comment. 
 
¶5. This cable was cleared by Abuja. 
BLAIR