The Akwa Ibom State Government has concluded plans for the take-off of the Coconut Refinery Project with the signing of a Partnership Agreement with a South African firm, H.O. Oil Food Consulting Limited.

Governor Udom Emmanuel, who played host to the South African investors Monday at the Government House, Uyo, said that the signing of the agreement is the turn key to the industrialisation drive of the State Government and a first step for the birth of an oil processing plant in the state.

The refinery, according to the Governor, would produce both palm kernel and coconut oil. This, he said, is in line with his administration’s policy of wealth creation, employment generation and sustainable development.

He said the event marks a significant step in the utilisation of abundant natural resources in the state and that the product would be exported into the international market to attract more revenue and boost the economy of the state.

Governor Emmanuel announced that 15,000 special breed coconut seedlings is to be air-freighted into the country within two weeks and that the technical team is expected to commence the management of the nursery and planting of the seedlings which he said, yields within three years.

The Akwa Ibom Chief Executive thanked the South African firm for partnering with the state in its industrial revolution assuring that the site for the plantation and construction of the refinery have been cleared for a groundbreaking scheduled for this month.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Investment, Industry and Commerce, Barrister Emmanuel Enoidem, had described as significant, the benefit derived from the state’s investment in the coconut refinery project. He noted that the project would showcase the state in the global map as the producer of coconut oil. He expressed appreciation to Governor Emmanuel for his sincerity and decision to rewrite the economic history of Akwa Ibom.

In his remarks, the Director of H.O Oil Food Consulting Limited, Mr. Johan Hendrick Swart, said that the project would put the country in the map of coconut oil production and pledged to work for the actualisation of the project.

Highpoint of the event was the signing of the agreement by Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Uwemedimoh Nwoko, and Barrister Emmanuel Enoidem, both of whom signed for the state, while Mr. Johan Swart signed on behalf of the company.

•Photo shows Governor Emmanuel.