The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Akwa Ibom

  • CAN raises alarm over missing N100 million donation

    The new leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Akwa Ibom state chapter said it is yet to reclaim a piece of land and take custody of the N100 donated to it by former Governor Godswill Akpabio now Senate Minority leader.

    The chairman of the association in the state, Dr. Ndueso Ekere (JP), who raised the alarm at a briefing on Tuesday, said he had raised a committee to work out the necessary modalities for the reclamation of the land

    Ekwere said even though the Governor had promised the association a befitting office at the proposed International Worship Centre, the land could be used for investment purposes to yield returns for the association.

    “We are yet to see the see the N100 million donated to us by former Governor Godswill Akpabio, three years since we came into power, we have set up a committee to review the land and take proper ownership, even if we will have offices at the at the International worship centre as promised by the state governor we still need the land for investment purposes”.

    The chairman who used the occasion to review his leadership expressed disappointment at the orgies of violence and killings of Christians all over the country, and called on churches not to fold their arms and watch while Christians are being murdered every day.

    He condemned the herdsmen killings stressing that never in the history of this country have Christians being so marginalized and relegated to the background in terms of appointment and contracts.

    “The church must move on to do what it supposed to do to curtail the killing of Christians that is going in the country, never on the history of this nation have Christians being so marginalized and relegated to the background,” he said.

    The CAN boss called on Christians to do something to ensure that any government does not have the interests of Christian at heart is voted out of office.

    He therefore charged the church to go out and ensure that they get members voters card saying it is the only weapon the church has to vote out unrighteous people from office.

    He commended Governor Udom Gabriel Emmanuel for the peace and stability so far enjoyed in the state and urged him to maintain the tempo in the state.

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  • ‘We’ll restore power to Akwa Ibom community’

    The Managing Director of Ibom Power Company Limited, Meyen Etukudo, has restated that Ibom Power will provide steady and quality electricity to Ikot Abasi.

    He spoke at a meeting with Ikot Abasi Power Technical Committee, led by Sir O. D. Etukafia.

    Also present are Akpan Micah Umoh, ex-House of Representatives member for Ikot Abasi/Mkpat Enim/Eastern Obolo; Ufok Frank; and Idongesit James, Ikot Abasi Youth Council president.

    Ikot Abasi, host to Ibom Power, has been without supply for about three months. The community was disconnected by Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) for non-payment of its accumulated bills.

    Ibom Power initially connected Ikot Abasi to the power grid through PHEDC, but disagreement over bills stalled the project.

    Etukudo, who is special assistant on Power to Governor Udom Emmanuel said the governor had directed that power should be restored to Ikot Abasi.

    The managing director assured Ikot Abasi people that power will be available to Ikot Abasi this year.

  • Akwa Ibom community demands better road

    The Ikot Ambon community in Ibesikpo local government area of Akwa Ibom State has urged the state government to extend its trademark of quality road construction to the Ikot Ambon-Nung Ette=Ikot Abasi Idem road.

    While acknowledging the ongoing roads construction and rehabilitation works by the state government in Uyo, the state capital, and other major towns and communities across the state, natives and residents of Ikot Ambon believe that “what is good for the goose is also good for the gander”.

    According to them, the ongoing road construction work in their community which links Nung Ette and Ikot Abasi Idem villages falls short of the expected standards for which the Governor Udom Emmanuel administration is reputed for.

    For instance, the road, awarded between May and June last year by government to to Akpafem Construction Company Ltd, is being done without drainages, a situation which has caused them great loses and pains.

    They lamented that the lack of drainage alleging that the inferior materials used by local construction firm are responsible for the frequent incidents of flooding which have their damaged houses and farmlands.

    Besides the large-scale destruction, the inhabitants of Ikot Ambom said the unfortunate incidents have also fractured their socio-economic well-being, lamenting that so many of them have had to vacate their homes to take refuge in other communities because their houses have been overtaken by water especially after heavy downpours.

    Angered and frustrated by the development, natives and residents of Ikot Ambon staged a peaceful protest on Wednesday, alleging that the road contract is being a substandard company.

    Numbering over one thousand, the protesters carried placards with several inscriptions some of which read “Give Ikot Ambon gutter, you gave Nung Ette and Ikot Abasi Idem”, “Stop poor work at IkotAmbon-Ikot Ette-Ikot Abasi Idem road”, “One Road, Two Designs”, “IkotAmbon-Nung Ette-Ikot Abasi Idem road construction is a disappointment” and “Poor Road, Poor Votes”, among others.

    Mr. Michael Okon, a lawyer, who spoke on behalf of the Ikot Ambon community expressed anger and bitterness over the shoddy job done by the contractor handling the road construction, saying his people deserve a better deal from government.

    “One of the constitutional responsibilities of government is to provide good and durable roads for the people but as you can see this particular road is constructed without drainages.

    Commissioner for Works Akparawa Ephraim Inyang-eyen debunked the insinuation that the road was awarded to substandard company, maintaining that the Akwa Ibom state government does not compromise quality on roads construction.

    Inyang-eyen said it was not true that the road would be constructed with drainages, insisting that the design of Ikot Ambon-Nung Ette-Ikot Abasi road has provision for gutters.

    He appealed for calm and patience from the Ikot Ambon village, adding the construction firm would eventually construct the drainages in due time.

  • Akwa Ibom PDP gives automatic ticket to Emmanuel

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State may have shut out other intended aspirants in the party from contesting the 2019 governorship election.

    The development followed the automatic ticket by the party to Governor Udom Emmanuel.

    State publicity secretary of the party, Comrade Iniobong Ememobong, disclosed this at the weekend while fielding questions from members of the Correspondents’ Chapel, NUJ, Akwa Ibom State Council.

    “Apart from the governor, whom we have already given automatic ticket, every aspirant from the House of Assembly to the National Assembly must follow the due process,” the party’s spokesman said.

    Ememobong also debunked the allegation that the State PDP Chairman, Obong Paul Ekpo, was bribed with N2 million to endorse former Commissioner for Information Aniekan Umanah for the Abak Federal Constituency seat at a public forum in Abak.

    Angry youths under the aegis of the Abak Federal Constituency Assembly (AFCA), led by Comrade Emayak Williams, worried by the allegation had impressed it on the party Chairman “to clear his name of the allegation”, pointing out that “so far, we have about five persons who have indicated interest for the post including Umanah”.

    But the party scribe dismissed the allegation, explaining that “Aniekan Umanah was the Chairman of the Planning Committee of the event held at Abak to honour the governor and the wife”, explaining that Ekop only lifted his hand after organising a successful ceremony”.

    Emmanuel, he stressed, remains the only person with automatic ticket to again fly the party’s flag in 2019, adding that the party arrived at such decision in view of the governor’s achievements in the last three years.

    According to him,  Emmanuel has acquitted himself creditably well with the mandate entrusted in his care since 2015, noting that he has substantially delivered on the five-point agenda of his administration.

    He added that the foundation of industrialisation laid by the administration would ensure the largely civil service state becomes an industrialised economy soon.

    Besides, Ememobong explained that under the current administration, more jobs have been created for the youths through agricultural interventions, interest-free loans for market unions, free basic education for the young ones, scholarships for higher education students and N600million earmarks every year as WAEC fees for final year secondary schools’ pupils.

     

    He warned against unfounded rumour that has the capacity to overheat the polity ahead of the polls.

     

  • Court remands woman for theft of eight months baby

    A Karmo Grade I Area Court in Abuja on Thursday ordered the remand of one Theresa Obonna, in Prison for alleged theft of eight months baby.

    The judge, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq, gave the order after Obonna of Jabi, Abuja, pleaded not guilty to a count charge of theft.

    Sadiq adjourned the case till May 3 for hearing.

    The Prosecutor, Zannah Dalhatu, told the court that one Godstime David, who resides in Akwa-Ibom, reported the matter at the Life Camp Police Station, Abuja, on March 2.

    Read Also: Bayelsa Magistrate walks reporters out of court

    Dalhatu said the complainant alleged that in January 2017, her lover impregnated and asked her to abort it but she refused and relocated to Abuja.

    She said that she stayed with the defendant and after giving birth, the defendant seizied the baby and moved to an unknown destination.

    Dalhau said that during police investigation the baby was recovered from the defendant. The prosecutor also said the offence contravened Section 288 of the Penal Code.

    NAN

  • Council boss seeks partners to reduce restiveness in Akwa Ibom

    The Chairman of Mkpat Enin Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom, Mr Ekanem Brown, has called on investors to partner with the council to grow the economy and reduce youth restiveness.

    Brown spoke in Uyo yesterday in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    He said  the council had provided some infrastructure such as refurbishing the 40 KVA and 165 KVA transformers, in addition to linking the secretariat with public power supply.

    The chairman said the road network within the local government had been graded to attract investors to the area.

    He said the council had also resuscitated a shoe factory which had been abandoned by two successive governments.

    Brown said the resuscitation of the factory was part of measures to create jobs and reduce youth restiveness.

    The chairman said the shoe factory had started to test run production and was canvassing for prospective buyers to take it to the market.

    According to him, the shoes being produced from the factory are of high quality that meet international standard.

    He said the shoe factory would, at the moment, concentrate with the production of Cortina shoes for students and military boots.

    “Even at test run operation, 70 youths are already out of the labour market working in the factory.

    ‘‘We have the best shoe factory in the South-South of the country,” the chairman said.

    Brown said Mkpat Enin soil was fertile for agriculture, adding that he has acquired 150 hectares of land for integrated farming programme.

    He said, aside from the coconut refinery, which had been established by the state government, the council had started growing ginger and cucumber.

    The council boss told NAN that the specie of cucumber planted was capable of beimg harvested within 45 days, with an income of N12 million in a single harvest.

    “In 45 days, the cucumber will mature and the council will make N12 million and will be additional income to the council,” he said.

    Brown said since agriculture was now receiving good attention, the council had secured land and planted about 10, 000 suckers of plantains.

    According to him, the species planted could be harvested within nine months as against the normal species that would not mature until after 12 months.

  • IPOB challenges Court’s jurisdiction in trial of members

    Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has challenged the jurisdiction of the Federal High court, Abuja to continue the trial of four of her members over treasonable felony, saying her counsels have filed a Notice of Preliminary Objection in this regard.

    A statement by comrade Emma Powerful, Media and Publicity Secretary of IPOB said the pro Biafra group instructed her lawyers to challenge the court’s jurisdiction and prayed it to strike out the charge of ‘Treasonable Felony’ against the defendants on the grounds of what a prosecution witness said that “agitating for self-determination or secession is not a crime known to any Nigerian Law.”

    Powerful said the Witness, simply identified as AB to hide his true identity, as directed by the presiding judge, is a DSS officer that claimed that he “investigated” Bright Chimezie, one of the defendants, after he was arrested by the DSS at Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

    He said led in evidence by prosecution counsel, the witness also testified that Mr. Chimezie was an IPOB ‘Welfare Officer in charge of giving money donated by IPOB members to assist widows of IPOB members killed by security agents during their demonstrations on self-determination’, adding that “IPOB was not an illegal group and belonging to it was not illegal when Chimezie was arrested”.

    The IPOB publicity secretary said it was as a result of the testimony of the prosecution witness that the group’s lawyers challenged the jurisdiction of the court and the striking out of the case since what the defendants were arrested for and are being tried is not a crime known to any Nigerian Law.

    “If according to the government witness, IPOB was not an illegal group when Nnamdi Kanu was arrested in October 2015, why then is the trial going ahead?  Or is it because of the irrational fear of the success that Biafra will become or the morbid Hausa/Fulani hatred for IPOB and Nnamdi Kanu. Justice Binta Nyako must as a matter of public decency dismiss the frivolous charges, acquit the defendants and apologise to IPOB on behalf of the Nigerian judiciary.

    We the worldwide family of the Indigenous People of Biafra wishes to draw the attention of the civilized world to what transpired at Justice Binta Nyako’s court in Abuja on Thursday, March 22, 2018 at the commencement of the trial of four innocent Biafrans. The world must know that they are standing trial for offences not known to any law in Nigeria.

    The four IPOB family members standing trial have been in illegal detention for nearly three years, with proper trial only commencing now on March 22, 2018. Thankfully and for the first time in public, the key witness for the Federal Government of Nigeria admitted in court that being a member of IPOB was not a crime when the defendants were arrested”, the statement said.

    It will be recalled that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of IPOB who has been missing since the Nigeria army attacked his home, was also arrested for the same offence as the others who are being presently tried.

  • Amaechi urges states to key into FG’s transport development policies

    The Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, has called on states to key into the programmes and policies of the Federal Government in developing the nation’s transportation sector.

    Amaechi made the call at the ongoing meeting of Nigerian Transportation Commissioners Forum on Friday in Abuja.

    The Minister, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Sabiu Zakari, said that the Forum would offer the transport sector the much required inter-governmental partnership for formulating and executing pro-people policies, programmes and projects.

    He added that the ministry had developed and would continue to develop several projects and programmes that would require collaboration with the States in order to ensure effective implementation.

    Amaechi listed some of the programmes to include development of Road Transport Operators Manual, Road Crime Control System (RCCS), Introduction of Truck Transit Parks (TTPs) and Development of Urban Mass Transit Transportation.

    “There is also the introduction of Green Transportation and Amphibious vehicles.

    “I am hopeful that this will remain a platform for interaction, for generation, integration and harmonization of policies, programmes, and initiatives geared towards moving transportation forward.

    “I want to state that your goals can only be achieved if you sustain the forum as a team.

    “As you well know, the continuity of this platform would largely depend on the level of cooperation and sacrifice you are willing to make for its success,” he said.

    The minister said that the provision of a seamless transportation system for Nigerians was long overdue, adding that the forum would help to achieve consensus in key areas towards the development of the road transport subsector.

    Read Also: Amaechi: Lagos delaying deadline of speed train

    He said that the road sector was a constitutional responsibility of states, adding that the forum was a veritable institution for peer-review as well as platform for sharing aspirations for the transport sector.

    “For us in the Ministry, it offers a good avenue for exchanging the mandate mission, vision, and focus of the Federal Government in the ongoing reforms in the rail, maritime, Aviation, Mass Transit and Road operations Administration sub-sector of Transportation,” he said.

    The Chairman Senate Committee on Land Transport, Sen. Gbenga Ashafa, commended the State Commissioners for Transport for their initiative to form a formidable team to transform the nation’s transport sector.

    Ashafa, who was represented by Sen. Victor Umeh, Anambra Central, disclosed that the senate had recently passed the National Transport Commission Bill in line with the senate’s resolve to transform the sector.

    He assured that the senate would always be available to offer parliamentary support to the forum in terms of bills and proposals.

    Mr Orman Esin, Chairman of the forum and Commissioner for Transport and Petroleum Resources, Akwa Ibom State, said the forum was set up in response to the recommendations of the National Council on Transportation in 2017.

    Esim said the maiden meeting was meant to brainstorm on issues affecting the transport sector and formally set the forum on strong footing.

    He said the forum was also to ensure that there was uniformity in service delivery by state governments on the roads such as the issue of multiple charges and taxes even within a state.

    NAN

  • UNICEF, others move to check malnutrition

    The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has launched a programme to find permanent solutions to the problems of malnutrition among children and women in the country especially in some states in the Niger Delta region.

    UNICEF in the ongoing four-day Community of Practice Workshop on Nutrition in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, brought a team of nutrition experts to teach government modalities of tackling nutritional challenges in their states.

    The workshop which was organised in collaboration with the Bayelsa State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning had representatives of Akwa Ibom, Rivers  and Delta states in attendance.

    The Communication Officer, UNICEF, Enugu, Onuoha-Ogwe Ijeoma, in her presentation, solicited media assistance to create awareness on importance of nutrition.

    She said the media tools were required to advance a social and public policy for required attitudinal change on nutrition.

    She said such tools would help to identify and proffer solutions to the problems of policy gaps; mobilise community action plans and reach expected target audience.

    Also speaking a Nutrition Expert, Ngozi Onuorah, said the executive and the legislature should leverage their budgeting powers on behalf of children and mothers.

    She said state’s budget from children’s rights perspective should be probed and pressure mounted on the executive to ensure allocation of substantial resources to sectors relevant to children.

    “The legislature has the opportunity to question the executive during the budget debate and make nutrition and food security a budgetary priority”, she said.

    She appealed to stakeholders to advocate for increased budgetary allocation for sectors and institutions providing services for children such as social protection, education and health.

  • Akwa Ibom govt to handover Ibom Specialist Hospital to experts

    The Ibom Specialist Hospital in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, will be handed over to experts in hospital administration, Governor Udom Emmanuel said yesterday.

    Emmanuel spoke after inspecting equipment at the modern quaternary health centre.

    He criticised Cardiocare, former managers, for their inexperience, and blamed it for the downward fortune in the hospital.

    “We cannot put up this kind of facilities and give it to anybody to run. We want to bring people who are experts. These are people who are real hospital administrators. I don’t intend to go and bring a cardiologist and turn him to a hospital administrator overnight,” he said.

    He maintained that he was undaunted by the blackmail peddled by the former consultants in the media.

    Emmanuel said he was expecting some consultants from the United States.

    “They have the experience, they have the technology and they have what it takes. They have the skills. We need to bring them in here and make sure this hospital is fully functional and I want to see that everything is on ground and then we are back to full steam.”

    The governor expressed happiness that the dialysis unit is functioning, and hoped  the oncology section could also perform well.

    He said he heard mixed stories about the dialysis centre, but on arrival, he saw a patient being treated and the machines in good condition.

    “Right now, we have five new machines working so well. Oncology is something that I really really crave to start here because I know how much I spend every month on these facilities outside this country. The machine is not a problem. We’ve actually cost the machines. It’s the consultants now that we are actually trying to recruit.”

    He promised that the new consultants are from Africa and other parts of the world and are interested in working at the hospital.

    Acting Medical Director Dr Iniobong Etukudo said there was no equipment for dialysis until intervention of the governor.

    He commended Emmanuel’s passion to improve health care in the state.