JOE EFFIONG, UYO
Akwa Ibom state governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, has challenged African leaders to explore means of generating other kinds of funding other than cash to develop their countries.
Governor Emmanuel is said to have thrown the challenge while delivering a keynote lecture at the 17th Africa Security Watch Conference at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre, Banjul, Gambia at the weekend.
According to a press release by the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Comrade Ini Ememobong, made available to Daily Sun in Uyo at the weekend,  Emmanuel  was quoted to have said; “Cash is limited, but money is limitless and it can be created.”
 “In starting Ibom Air, my state government did not use cash, we used money. We couldn’t have started the airline with cash, because we didn’t have such, but we created money and today, many years running, we are the only sub-national in the continent with a commercial airline, which is doing very well.
“Even the government of The Gambia has approached us to create a route to Banjul. So African leaders must use money, not cash, as the basis of development. Until development is achieved, insecurity cannot be quashed.
“African countries need to stop adapting exogenous constitutions; we need a home grown democratic style that reflects our environment and culture. Until that is done, democracy cannot sustainably thrive here.” The governor  said.
On security isdues, the governor  told challenged African leaders to be tougher and smarter if criminals  become tough said “I believe that when criminals become tough.
“Until leaders outsmart and overpower criminal elements, security will not be achieved .
“Africa  cannot achieve the growth we desire through investment, until we fix the problem of insecurity, because money is a coward.
“Economic security is the best foundation for human security. The best way to stop crime is to beef up the economy, where people can make a decent living from honest means”. Governor Emmanuel said in his paper on the topic: “Sustaining Security in Africa Through Good Governance: A Panacea for Insecurity.”
The release recalled that the President, Chief Executive Officer of Security Watch Africa Initiatives Mr. Patrick Agbambu, had informed participants that the conference invited Governor Emmanuel to share his development strategy which has not only made Akwa Ibom State  peaceful, but has attracted huge Foreign Direct Investments to the state, at a time when investors are divesting from Nigeria.
He said the  organization has been monitoring the steady improvement of the state on all areas of development. He also commended the Nigerian Navy and their counterparts in all the nations along the Gulf of Guinea, for frontally combating piracy and making the waterways safer for economic activities.
According  to the release, the event, which was attended by the military top brass across Africa, diplomats, senior security operatives, ECOWAS representatives, senior civil servants among others, is the one of the continent’s most prized security conferences, where key decision makers converge to X-ray the state of security of the continent. The Conference was declared open by Adama Barrow, President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the republic of The Gambia.
On Governor Udom Emmanuel’s entourage  were  Comrade Ini Ememobong, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Ekerete Udoh, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Duke Fubara, Honourary Special Adviser to the Governor on Security matters and Mr. Aniefiok Thomas, Director of Special Services Department.