By Terna Chikpa, Jalingo
A House of Representatives hopeful for Wukari/Ibi Federal Constituency, Hon. Ibrahim Luther Kitchener, has said he will work hard to ensure that the constituency emerges as a major blue economy hub in Nigeria if elected.
Speaking with journalists on Tuesday in Jalingo, Kitchener described the constituency as one of Nigeria’s most underutilised regions, despite its vast natural resources and strategic location.
He argued that the constituency has the capacity to become a major blue economy hub, citing its extensive river networks, fisheries, fertile agricultural land and tourism assets.
“Our rivers can support marine transport, fish processing centres, cold-chain facilities, eco-tourism and export hubs. Both local and foreign investors are interested in places like this. What is missing is leadership that can engage and secure those partnerships,” he said.
Kitchener, who currently serves as Special Adviser to Governor Agbu Kefas on e-Government and Digital Development Services, said his international work experience has exposed him to what global investors seek.
“I have worked with international teams. I understand investor expectations. Wukari/Ibi has the location, the resources and the youthful population. What we lack is strategic representation,” he said.
A former Information Manager and Senior Documents Controller in the United Kingdom, Kitchener also unveiled plans to drive digital empowerment by training at least 10,000 youths in software development, data analysis, digital marketing, artificial intelligence and online freelancing.
“Our people must join the global economy, not remain spectators,” he said.
He added that the years of lost opportunities in the constituency are over, warning that it cannot afford to sink deeper into irrelevance due to poor leadership.
Kitchener pointed to the abandoned Ibi Bridge project as a painful reminder of what he described as “generational stagnation” caused by leadership failure.
“Our forebears envisioned a connected and prosperous Wukari/Ibi. Today, the Ibi Bridge stands as a monument of neglect. Completing it would unlock trade between the North and the South, attract serious investors, and stimulate commerce and tourism,” he said.
On security, he called for stronger community policing, improved federal security presence and sustainable solutions to farmer-herder conflicts as part of a broader peacebuilding framework.
He further pledged targeted support for women traders, farmers and artisans through grants, low-interest loans and access to digital marketplaces.
“No society progresses when its women are economically excluded. Women and youths must be empowered to compete both locally and globally,” he said.
Kitchener stressed that Wukari/Ibi must not continue to lag behind while other constituencies leverage legislation and partnerships to drive development.
“This is a defining moment. If we fail to act now, the world will move on without us. I am determined to change that narrative,” he added.
