Boki Council Launches Investment Website to Drive E-Governance, Economic Growth

By Bassey BASSEY

The Chairman of Boki Local Government Area, Mrs. Beatrice Etta Nyiam, has unveiled a dedicated investment website aimed at promoting e-governance, boosting local business transactions, and showcasing the area’s rich cultural and economic potential to the world.

The website was launched at UG Wills Hotels in Calabar penultimate week, with government officials, community leaders, and stakeholders in attendance.

Mrs. Nyiam described the project as a major step in positioning Boki for global visibility. She explained that the platform will market the area’s natural resources, promote its economy, and connect the Boki diaspora.

“The eagle on our logo represents the bird in our folklore that carried a child, while the banana symbolises the organic nature of our cocoa and bananas,” she said. She recounted a recent visit by Canadian buyers who confirmed the organic quality of Boki cocoa, leading to the creation of a trademark for cocoa from Asuabang farms.

Representing Deputy Governor Hon. Peter Odey, the Chairman of the occasion, Dr. Hilary Bisong, commended the initiative as “thoughtful and visionary,” pledging the state government’s support. “The world is digital, and we must compete globally. This is an opportunity to market our identity and culture,” he noted.

Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Dr. Erasmus Ekpang, lauded the launch as a shift from negative headlines to economic development, describing it as “an economic summit” for Boki.

Similarly, Commissioner for Social Welfare, Prof. Margaret Ene Ita, said the project would “expose Boki’s mineral resources to the world” at a time when global migration is restricted, while former Secretary to the State Government, Barr. Tina Banku Agbor, called the website “a digital gateway that will globalise Boki’s human and material resources.”

Former lawmaker, Hon. Cletus Obun, highlighted Boki’s cultural unity as a strength in going digital, while international businessman Chief Ray Nnandi praised the platform as “better than sharing money” for its potential to open global business opportunities.

Former Chairman of the Electricity Regulatory Commission, Chief John Owan, urged the council to complement the initiative with access roads to facilitate trade.

The event also featured the introduction of an upcoming film project, Bush Project, which will depict Boki’s cultural heritage and way of life.