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Tag: Akwa Ibom

  • Fire station: Fed Govt partners Akwa Ibom

    The Akwa Ibom State government has signed a deal with the Federal Government to site a metropolitan fire station for the Southsouth in Uyo, the state capital.

    Governor Udom Emmanuel spoke yesterday when he granted  audience to the Comptroller General of Fire Service, EngineerAnebi Joseph Garba who led a delegation of Fire Officials to the Government House, Uyo on a courtesy call to the State Chief Executive.

    Emmanuel said the state government has provided land for the construction of the metropolitan fire station, adding the facility will be easily accessible without traffic congestion and suitable for the discharge of their responsibility.

    He expressed appreciation to the Federal Fire Service for the decision to set up a zonal office in the state noting that it will compliment government’s efforts at setting up an emergency centre in conjunction with the state Ministry of Health, and other related services.

    The governor made a case for the employment of indigenes of the state by the Federal Fire Service and promised to assist in certain aspects of logistics and other things.

    He stated that the state was not taking their coming to Akwa Ibom for granted as shown in the calibre of stakeholders invited to be part of the courtesy call by the State Government and assured the officials of a successful stay in the course of work in Akwa Ibom.

    The Comptroller General, Federal Fire Service,  Anebi Joseph Garba , said the purpose of the visit was to request for a suitable land for the construction of a metropolitan-type fire station for the Southsouth in Uyo.

    According to  Anebi, the decision to site the office in Akwa Ibom is sequel to approval by the Federal Government for the construction of such station in the six geopolitical zones in the country.

    He said the service would soon commence the strengthening of its presence in Akwa Ibom with the deployment of multi-million naira fire fighting assets and personnel.

    ice, Njoku Chika, The South East Commander of the Fire Service, Akpan Anthony among others in attendance.

     

     

     

  • Ekere gets boost for Akwa Ibom governorship race

    The five local governments that make up the old Abak Division organised a grand reception to honour the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in Akwa Ibom State, Dr. Nsima Ekere. At the occasion, the people invited Ekere to throw his hat in the ring and contest the 2019 governorship election. Deputy Political Editor RAYMOND MORDI reports.

    IF current developments in Akwa Ibom State are anything to go by, the next governorship election in the state promises to be a stiff contest between the two major parties, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state and the All Progressives Congress (APC). The above indication came to the fore recently at the occasion was a grand reception organised by the Abak 5 Redemption Movement to honour the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in Akwa Ibom State, Dr. Nsima Ekere.

    It was a day the people of the five local government areas that make up the former Abak Division invited Ekere to throw his hat in the ring and contest the 2019 governorship election in Akwa Ibom State. It was a call to service; the people of Abak, Etim Ekpo, Ika, Oruk Anam and Ukanafun local government areas, popularly known has Abak 5, left no one in doubt that they had endorsed Ekere as their standard bearer for the 2019 governorship race.

    This was confirmed by the Akwa Ibom State APC Caucus Chairman, Atuekong Don Etiebet, who chaired the occasion. He added that the people of Abak 5 had resolved to purchase the party’s governorship nomination form for Ekere, because he has done well for them. Etiebet said: “He is not yet governor, but he has already intervened in the problems of Abak people. As you know, performance does not hide.”

    Former Minister of Women Affairs, Obong Rita Akpan said she was overwhelmed by the unprecedented gathering of the young and old people that that converged at the Government Technical College, Abak, Akwa Ibom State, to witness the event. She said: “People usually talk about sea of heads, but this is an ocean of heads. I have never seen this kind of crowd before. This must emanate from a wave of the burning desire of the people to bring change to their political and economic situation. These are people who say they can no longer continue to endure the pains and deprivations of living under tattered umbrellas that hardly shield them from the vicissitudes of life.

    “Looking at the faces of the crowd, one could easily discern that they were yearning for change and they already had their eyes set on a political beacon to chart the way forward. The diverse groups, some in colourful uniforms, were ceaselessly singing and dancing to all kinds of music, brass bands, local drums and blasting loud speakers.”

    Galvanised by the overwhelming acceptance of Ekere, Obongunwana Emmanuel Ukoete, a member representing Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, moved a motion for the endorsement of the former deputy governor to contest the 2019 governorship election. The motion was seconded by the former member representing Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika Federal Constituency, Obongemem Ekperikpe Ekpo. At the end of the day, it was unanimously endorsed.

    An APC chieftain and Managing Director of Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority, Mr. Umana Umana, said long before the Abak 5 people took the plunge, the entire Akwa Ibom Northeast Senatorial District had resolved to purchase the APC governorship nomination form for Ekere because of his outstanding performance at the NDDC.

    Umana added: “We have come here to support and show solidarity with the people of Abak 5, who have taken the right decision to honour Obong Nsima Ekere for his outstanding performance as the Managing Director of the NDDC. We have come here to say that this honour is well-deserved.

    “I know his ideas about Akwa Ibom State. His programmes for Akwa Ibom State will not be about promises and ground breaking. There is nothing as traumatic as somebody will come and break your grounds and after two years the site will be overgrown with weeds. We are here to align with the people of Abak 5 that things cannot continue like this in Abak 5. And we have a capable hand that will make our party proud. Has he not made our party proud? We thank the President who found him worthy. Our brother, you have done well and the reward for hard work is more hard work. We are very happy with you.”

    Umana dismissed media reports of a rift between him and Ekere, saying, “Those who continue to write in newspapers that Nsima and Umana are fighting, tell them that there is no fight. We are one. Our party is one and united.”

    A former Special Assistant to Governor Udom Emmanuel on Electoral Matters, Chris Okorie, who chaired the event planning committee, explained that the reception was organised to appreciate Ekere for “standing by us to rebuild the bridge that has brought change to Abak 5 and indeed the entire state”.

    He enumerated NDDC projects facilitated by Ekere in the five local government areas to include construction of Hospital Road, Abak, and adjourning Obot Street, construction of Spring Road, Abak, and Mercantile Bank Road in Ekparakwa, Oruk Anam and renovation of school buildings in 20 schools, expressing delight that all the projects were executed by indigenous contractors.

    Okorie added: “Ekere epitomizes the saying that a good friend is better than a bad brother, son or son-in-law.”

    A former Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr. Uwem Udoma, described Ekere as the real deal for Abak 5, assuring him of the support of the people of the area. He attributed the clement weather that characterised the day to divine intervention.

    Others who delivered goodwill messages at the event were a former State Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Otu Ita-Toyo; a former PDP State Women Leader, Lady Victoria Mel-Udoh; a former Deputy Majority Whip of the State House of Assembly, Obonganwan Mabel Udongwo; a former Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Dr. Emem Wills; a representative of the APC in Diaspora, Dr. Abasiubong Udofia; and a computer mogul, Mr. Inibehe Otoho.

    At the occasion, Ekere was presented with a symbolic sword of authority and a native cow by the people of Abak 5. The NDDC boss expressed appreciation to the people for what he called their show of love and confidence and promised to react to their call at the appropriate time.

    Ekere said Akwa Ibom State deserved better governance. He said: “I want to respond by saying that this call by Abak 5 has been taken note of, and I will consider it very seriously. For, today, I am still the Managing Director of the NDDC. I have a job to do for the Niger Delta people. I have a job to do for Akwa Ibom people.

    “Mr. President showed confidence in our capabilities and gave us this appointment. We are committed to delivering on our mandate with everything that is in our fabric. We shall do it. When the time for politics comes, when the time for election comes, I will come back here and I will remind you of this resolution that you passed today.”

    The NDDC chief executive officer seized the opportunity to move a motion for the endorsement of President Muhammadu Buhari for a second term, stressing that the President had demonstrated uncommon love for Akwa Ibom State, particularly in terms of appointments.

    He commended Buhari for the enormous support to the NDDC, especially his approval for the harmonisation of outstanding remittances from the Federal Ministry of Finance and release of outstanding funds due the commission for the development of the Niger Delta region.

    On a sad note, however, Ekere decried the disruption of NDDC projects by agents of the Akwa Ibom State Government, reasoning that it was counter-productive because “the money NDDC is using to develop Akwa Ibom State is our own share of money for the development of the Niger Delta”.

    Ekere said the commission was not competing with the Akwa Ibom State Government or any other state in the oil-rich Niger Delta region in the execution of its mandate. He said that the state government was antagonising the commission as evident in the disruption of its activities in the state by agents of the state government. The state Commissioner for Works, Akparawa Ephraim Inyang-Eyen, had told reporters that the state government chased out NDDC contractors because of poor execution of work.

    But Ekere said: “In the last several months, the NDDC had witnessed disruption in its project sites in Akwa Ibom while trying to intervene to make life more useful. NDDC is not in competition with Akwa Ibom or any other state. NDDC is here to make life meaningful.

    “The money NDDC is using to develop our state is our own share and if you stop us, that means you don’t love the people. The state should support development partners, rather than disrupting the work of the partners. We will engage all the state governments so that we can bring development to our people.”

    The NDDC boss promised that the commission will continue to seek ways of constructive engagement with all governments in the region “so that we can bring development to all nooks and crannies of the Niger Delta”.

    Ekere urged the people of Akwa Ibom State to vote for the APC to end “bad governance” in the state. He added: “President Muhammadu Buhari has shown uncommon love for the people of Nigeria. Never in the history of Nigeria has Akwa Ibom benefitted so much.”

     

  • Five suspected rice smugglers held in Akwa Ibom

    The Navy’s Forward Operating Base at Ibaka in Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State has arrested five suspected rice smugglers.

    Navy officials also seized 444 bags of smuggled rice, besides a 52-foot canoe, two 40 BP Yamaha outboard engines, water pumping machine, fire extinguisher and 80 empty drums.

    The Commanding Officer of the base, Navy Captain Yusuf Idris gave the names of the suspects as: Victor Esin, 30; Uchenna Lozoigbo, 34; Emmanuel Bassey, 25; Godwin Ating, 34 and Charles James.

    Idris said the suspects were arrested during their mid-journey into the Nigerian territorial waters.

    The naval officer said the suspects and the seized items had been handed over to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for further investigation and prosecution.

    He warned smugglers to desist, saying the navy would not relent in apprehending and hand over suspects to appropriate agency for prosecution.

    Idris said: “In line with the harmonised standard procedures, the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base at Ibaka is here with our sister agency from the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to hand over 444 bags of rice, which are believed to have been smuggled into the country from Cameroon, with five crew members on board the vessel.

    “The existing synergy between the navy and the NCS is very cordial; both sides are willing, undeterred and ever ready to collaborate in our efforts to rid the Nigerian maritime environment of illegalities and criminal activities.

    “It is in that spirit today that I will also be handing over these items and suspects to the Chief Superintendent of the NCS, Mr. John Olutola, who is representing the Comptroller, Eastern Marine Command, Mr. Elton Edorhe.”

    Edorhe confirmed taking over the suspects as well as the other items.

    He said: “I can assure you that as we have taken over those suspects and the exhibits, we will do proper documentation, investigate and prosecute.

    “The smugglers were just adamant; otherwise, I believe by now they would have desisted from the illicit trade.”

     

  • Prof. Fola Lasisi emerges academy of engineering 10th president

    Prof. Fola Lasisi of the University of Washington, Seattle, U.S., on Thursday emerged the 10th President of the Nigeria Academy of Engineering (NAE).

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Lasisi took over from Prof. Oluseun Maduka, who served from January 2016.

    Lasisi, a civil engineer, emerged the president at the academy’s 2018 Lecture and Investiture, in Lagos.

    The lecture had the theme: ”Current Development in Nigeria’s Water Resources Sector”.

    Lasisi was the pioneer Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom, and chairman, Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian universities (1996 – 1997).

    He was a Senior Consultant, ENPLAN Group and Director, Pilot Finance Ltd.

    He is a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (FNSE), Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers(FNIAE), and Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Management (FNIM).

    NAN reports that NAE was incorporated as a private company limited by guarantee in September 1997, for the purpose of promoting excellence in technological and engineering training and practice to ensure technological growth and economic development of Nigeria.

    in his investiture speech, Lasisi said that he would continue with programmes put in place by his predecessor.

    “We will take off with a retreat by the new council to plan how to expand for more effectiveness.

    “The immediate past president put up a programme for the development of a technology village, through a committee I chaired, and for continuity, this will take off in my term.

    “There will be cooperation with all stakeholders in engineering, such as the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), Association of Consulting Engineers of Nigeria(ACEN),” he said.

    He said that without technology and engineering the country would not move forward.

    Lasisi called for cooperation with international and national academies to focus on three challenges which he listed as energy, infrastructure and food security.

    According to him, quality engineering education is at the centre of these.

    He said that a strategic plan would be used to determine short, medium and long term programmes of the academy.

    Lasisi congratulated NAE fellows inducted at the event, and encouraged them to serve the academy selflessly.

    “It it true selfless service that the academy can make a difference.

    “The academy is ready to continue the pursuit of the great dreams of our founding fathers,” he said.

  • A’Ibom caring for 800 orphans, vulnerable children

    The Akwa Ibom state government is currently taking care of over 800 orphans and vulnerable children in 5 homes belong to it, the state commissioner for women affairs and social welfare, Dr. (Mrs.) Glory Edit has said.

    Edet, who made the disclosure on Wednesday in Uyo at an event to commemorate the 2018 International Day of the African Child, also disclosed that the state government is supporting women to take care of their children through the provision of loans and grants.

    “The state government through the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare is caring for over eight hundred orphans and vulnerable children in the five government homes.

    “It is also giving loans and grants to our women to help them take care of their children”.

    She explained that the essence of the event was to remember the protestation of the South African apartheid educational system in 1976, which culminated in the death of several children.

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    The commissioner also emphasized that the day provided an opportunity for the African continent to reflect on the agony and sufferings of the children with a view to consolidating efforts towards addressing the challenges.

    She pointed out that the Child Right’s Law that was domesticated in 2008 is to principally protect children from anything that may militate against their safety, survival and right to maximize their God given potentials.

    Edet commended the state governor, Mr. Emmanuel Udom for sustaining the free and compulsory basic education in public schools and for putting in place policies and programmes that impact on the lives of children in the state in different dimensions.

    While commending Mr. Emmanuel for providing free health care services to children below five years old, she also showered encomiums on the Governor’s wife, Mrs. Martha Udom Emmanuel for her unrelenting efforts in caring and providing for children in the state.

    In her address, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Mrs. Margaret Edem thanked the children who attended the event and charged them to be involved in the fight against child abuse by reporting cases of abuse, stressing that their involvement will go a long way in reducing the scourge.

    The theme of this year’s International Day of the African Child is ‘Leave no child behind for Africa’s development,.

  • Akwa Ibom govt to commuters: avoid unregistered vehicles

    The Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Transport and Petroleum Resources has urged commuters to avoid boarding unregistered vehicles.

    The ministry’s Head of Compliance and Monitoring Unit, Mr. Maurice Edet, gave the warning, following rising cases of crime allegedly perpetrated by drivers of unregistered vehicles.

    Addressing reporters yesterday in Uyo, the state capital, Edet said the ministry had been receiving complaints about hoodlums who often pretended to be drivers of such vehicles, only to rob their passengers, abduct or rape their female victims at gunpoint.

    He said: “Compliance and Monitoring is in charge of enforcement, compliance and monitoring activities as they relate to the Ministry of Transport and Petroleum Resources alone.

    “A directive was given not to pursue vehicles or tricycles. A communication network has been put in place. Our compliance officers and some police officers do go to different locations to check cars that are moving in and out to ensure that the cars and tricycles are registered.

    “People should stop standing by the roadsides to take taxis. Let them go to government-approved motor parks to board a taxi because this is one way fraudsters rob unsuspecting passengers. Do not enter a taxi or tricycle that has no registration number.

    “Looking at the arrangement, every tricycle rider has a number. They are registered to the appropriate union because it would be easy to identify any registered tricycle. With this, we are able to reduce the rate of criminality in the state, like armed robbery and kidnapping.”

     

  • Emmanuel inaugurates $45m International market in A/Ibom

    Gov. Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom, on Monday inaugurated the $45 million International market (Urua Nka) in Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom.

    Emmanuel, at the inauguration of the project in Eket, said that the market was one of its campaign promises made in 2015 to the people of the area.

    “These are some of my campaign promises when I came on board in 2015, to build an international market and attract foreign investment to the state.

    Emmanuel, represented by Mr Gabriel Ukpe, Special Adviser to the Governor on Foreign Direct Investment, said the market would be built on Public Private Partnership (PPP), investment.

    The governor promised to create enabling environment for project to thrive in the state.

    “Out of the 52 countries in Africa, they came to Nigeria; out of the 36 state in Nigeria, they came to Akwa Ibom; out of the 31 local governments in Akwa Ibom, they settled in Eket,” Emmanuel said.

    He assured the people that before the expiration of his tenure in 2023, Eket would become the` little London’ in Akwa Ibom.

    “This is just the first investment that will come to Eket, a lot more projects will be done in Eket Senatorial Districts,” he said

    The Governor reassured that he would commission the first phase of the project in the next six months.
    He said that project when completed would benefit the community and provide employment opportunities to the people of Eket.

    Emmanuel thanked Yiwu international Trade City of Nigeria and its partners for having faith in the government and people of the state.

    In his remarks, Mr Miao Jingbao, Managing Director of Yiwu International Trade City of Nigeria, said the project consists of first phase and second phases.

    He explained that the first phase of the project would be completed in the next six months.

    “The project when completed, it will be number one in Akwa Ibom and Nigeria,” Jingbao said.

    He said that the company would continue to collaborate with the state government to bring more projects to the state.

    Jingbao said the investment would gulp 45 million U. S. dollars, adding that the first phase of the project would have 3,000 shops.

    “The building will have ground floor, first floor and second floor.”

    He said that the project when completed would provide employment opportunities for 10,000 youths and women in the area.

    He said the community would benefit from the project and would improve the living standard of the people in the area.

    He explained that the company had already completed two projects in Eket, namely timber and the temporary markets site in the area.

     

  • Three killed in Akwa Ibom rival cult clashes

    Three persons have been reportedly killed in renewed clashes between rival cult groups in Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

    It was gathered that the bloody supremacy battle between members of the Vikings Confraternity and the Black Axe started last Sunday at a motel in the Afaha Uqua axis of the oil-rich city.

    A source, who pleaded not to be named, said the two groups had been at each other’s throat for three months, following squabbles not unconnected with power struggle.

    According to the source, one suspected cultist was killed on Liverpool Road and the second in Uqua village, while the third was killed at a point in Atai Ndon village in Eket Local Government Area.

    “The present clash leading to the death of three started on Sunday when a member of Vikings Confraternity unleashed terror on a member of the Black Axe with machete cuts,” the source said.

    He added that two friends in rival confraternities were at the motel on Afaha Uqua Road when members of the Vikings allegedly attacked them.

    The friends reportedly attacked a member of Black Axe who had attempted to defend his Viking friend.

    He said the Black Axe Confraternity member was macheted to death.

    According to him, the two cult groups have been fighting, which led to the death of the three persons and injury to several others.

    Police spokesman MacDon Achebe, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said the command was on top of the situation.

    He added: “The police will not tolerate any act that will lead to breakdown of law and order in the state.

    “The Akwa Ibom State Police Command is calling all those who are directly or indirectly connected with criminality to desist. Otherwise, the full wrath of the law will be visited on perpetuators.”

    He said the laws proscribing cultism and “gangsterism” was still in place, adding that the command would ensure that nobody takes the law into his or her hands.

     

     

  • Three killed in Akwa Ibom rival cult clashes

    Three persons have been reportedly killed in renewed clashes between rival cult groups in Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

    It was gathered that the bloody supremacy battle between members of the Vikings Confraternity and the Black Axe started last Sunday at a motel in the Afaha Uqua axis of the oil-rich city.

    A source, who pleaded not to be named, said the two groups had been at each other’s throat for three months, following squabbles not unconnected with power struggle.

    According to the source, one suspected cultist was killed on Liverpool Road and the second in Uqua village, while the third was killed at a point in Atai Ndon village in Eket Local Government Area.

    “The present clash leading to the death of three started on Sunday when a member of Vikings Confraternity unleashed terror on a member of the Black Axe with machete cuts,” the source said.

    He added that two friends in rival confraternities were at the motel on Afaha Uqua Road when members of the Vikings allegedly attacked them.

    The friends reportedly attacked a member of Black Axe who had attempted to defend his Viking friend.

    He said the Black Axe Confraternity member was macheted to death.

    According to him, the two cult groups have been fighting, which led to the death of the three persons and injury to several others.

    Police spokesman MacDon Achebe, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said the command was on top of the situation.

    He added: “The police will not tolerate any act that will lead to breakdown of law and order in the state.

    “The Akwa Ibom State Police Command is calling all those who are directly or indirectly connected with criminality to desist. Otherwise, the full wrath of the law will be visited on perpetuators.”

    He said the laws proscribing cultism and “gangsterism” was still in place, adding that the command would ensure that nobody takes the law into his or her hands.

  • Psychiatric hospital reunites 120 inmates with families

    The psychiatric hospital in Eket local government area of Akwa Ibom state has treated and discharged no fewer than 120 inmates and reunited them with their families.

    The official, a medical doctor, who did not want to be named, disclosed to journalists during an interaction that the rehabilitation and re-integration exercise took place on June 7.

    He said the patients were delivered to their various families within and outside the state by the State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare.

    “Thursday was a day to discharge and integrate these former lunatics with their families; this year, government embarked on a mop up exercise and brought the lunatics to psychiatric hospital for two months.

    “They were under intensive psychotic care in the hospital for two months before they were discharged to their families.

    ” During the two months they were in the psychiatric hospital, the rate of lunatics on the streets of Eket, Ikot Ekpene and Uyo reduced because the exercise was targeted at the three LGAs.

    “The government has done well to take them away from the streets to reduce the nuisance they constituted to the public.

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    “These people will be with their families, take their medications and come back after one month for their medical check-up,” he said.

    “These inmates who have received treatment did not go to their relatives on their own; the ministry of women affairs and social welfare took them to their relatives.

    “They were taken to their families in Lagos, Enugu, Abia, Imo, Uyo and Cross River.

    “Money was given to them for support and upkeep before their coming back for medical check-up in a month’s time”.

    The official said that during the period that they were at the hospital, a major challenge was insufficient bed spaces.

    ”They were sleeping on the floor due to lack of beds space in the hospital”.

    The medical doctor commended the generosity of Gov. Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom and appealed to the relatives and parents of the discharged inmates to complement the efforts of the state government by providing care and love to the people.

    When contacted, Dr. Dominic Ukpong, the Commissioner for Health, Akwa Ibom, confirmed the development but told our correspondent that the exercise was not handled by his ministry.

    “The mop up exercise was not carried out under my ministry but the ministry of women affairs and social welfare.