The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Eket

  • Former INEC REC wants number of political parties reduced

    A former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Edo State, Mr Aniedi Ikoiwak, has called for a reduction of the number of political parties in the country.

    Ikoiwak made the call in Eket, Akwa Ibom on Monday while reviewing the just concluded general elections across the country.

    He said that there should be a legislative amendment of the Electoral Act pruning the number of political parties to two or five.

    He said a situation where over 100 political parties were registered for an election when only two or three of such parties had massive followers was cumbersome and a waste of resources.

    “The ballot papers in the just concluded general elections were littered with names of parties that could best be described as village associations with no national coverage as stipulated by law,” he said.

    Ikoiwak said that some voters found it difficult to locate the logos of their preferred parties during the elections.

    According to him, there was a remarkable improvement in the just concluded polls which he described as credible.

    The former REC said that in few years from now, INEC would be the toast of Africa in election matters.

    He added that the problems faced by INEC in the 2019 general elections were caused by desperate politicians.

    “The way INEC is improving with each passing election, I foresee a situation where it will be difficult for a non performing governor or representative to have a second term.

    Read Also: Blame politicians, not INEC, for inconclusive elections

    “This is because the people’s votes will not only count but will be seen as having counted,” he said.

    Ikoiwak further said that the country was politically and technologically ripe for electronic voting and called on politicians not to drag INEC and the Nigeria’s democratic journey backwards.

    “Politicians in the country want to drag our democratic journey backwards by trying to set the rules at variance with the ethical standards of INEC, “Ikoiwak said.

    NAN

  • NiMet predicts thunderstorms, rains, cloudy weather for Monday

    The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted morning thunderstorms over cities in the Central States of the country such as Ilorin, Minna, Abuja, Jos, Lafia and Bauchi on Monday morning.

    NiMet’s Weather Outlook by its Central Forecast Office in Abuja on Sunday also predicted day and night temperatures in the range of 25 to 33 and 18 to 23 degrees Celsius respectively.

    It added that there were chances of thunderstorms over Gombe, Lafia, Jos, Kaduna, Abuja, Makurdi and Lokoja axis later in the day.

    The agency predicted that southern states would experience prospect of cloudy morning with chances of rains over places like Awka, Ikom, Abakaliki, Obudu, Ogoja, Port Harcourt, Eket, Warri, Calabar, Ijebu-Ode and Lagos.

    It also predicted chances of thunderstorms and rains over most parts of the region with day and night temperatures of 27 to 31 and 21 to 24 degrees Celsius respectively.

    According to NiMet, Northern States will experience cloudy condition over the Inland of the south west with possibility of light rains over the remaining parts of the region in the morning.

    It also predicted thunderstorms and rains over the entire region with day and night temperatures in the range of 27 to 32 and 20 to 25 degrees Celsius respectively.

    “Cloudy conditions with prospects of thunderstorms and rain in varying intensities are anticipated over the country within the next 24 hours” NiMet predicts.

  • Certificate without knowledge is useless, freshers told

    Students have been advised to be focused and study hard to acquire knowledge rather than obtaining only certificates. Founder and chairman of Governing Council of Heritage Polytechnic in Eket, Akwa Ibom State, Dr Emmanuel Ekott, gave the admonition during the ninth matriculation of the polytechnic.

    Ekott said the school will not condone misconduct and vices, urging cultists not apply for admission to polytechnic.

    He lamented that tertiary institutions in the country were turning to certificate centres, noting that some admission seekers apply only to get certificates rather that acquiring knowledge.

    He warned the freshers against indolence, stressing that management would not tolerate examination malpractice and cultism. He urged parents to advise their children to stay clear from acts that could terminate their academic journey.

    Hie said: “Students should study hard for knowledge and not for certificate. Students should not be looking for certificates, but knowledge which will take them to wherever they want. People go to school nowadays for certificates and they just need the paper because they have godfathers somewhere, who will give them jobs after graduation. All they need to do is to present their unmerited certificate.”

    Ekott said the polytechnic has not experienced any incidence of violence on its campus, charging the freshers not to be involved in vices. Any student found engaging in vices, he warned, will be expelled from the school.

    He said: “The problem we are having in the society is that people join cultism at primary and secondary schools. Coming to tertiary institutions, it would be hard to tell them that they should not join cultism because they have already joined. If you are a cultist, it is better you don’t come to Heritage Polytechnic because you will not be given admission.

    “Let me sound a warning to all matriculating and continuing students that management of the school will not tolerate any act of examination malpractice and cultism. This is a private institution and we shall do everything within the law to deal with cultists. The polytechnic is not a cult centre and cultists must not come near. I urged parents to advise their children to stay clear of these vices as all measures shall be deployed to check cultism in this institution.”

    Ekott added that indecency would not be tolerated in the polytechnic, pointing out that the management would deploy punitive measures to students engaging in seductive and provocative dressing. He also said lecturers of the institution subscribed to the code of professionalism, noting that measures were in place to discourage sex-for-marks activities.

    He said: “We have put in place a central marking mechanism, which means examination scripts can be given to anybody to mark and it can be assessed outside the institutions. There is no handout to be sold to students. We have only textbooks and we have all the copies of textbooks used in the school in our library. Anyone, who can’t afford to buy,  can go to the library and read.”

    Ekott’s wife, Mrs. Helen, stressed that the polytechnic would continue to support decent and proper dressing among female students. She urged students to be diligent, hardworking and dutiful in their studies.

     

  • NiMet predicts cloudy, sunny weather on Saturday

    NiMet predicts cloudy, sunny weather on Saturday

    The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted partly cloudy to cloudy weather conditions over the central states of the country on Saturday.

    NiMet’s Weather Outlook by its Central Forecast Office in Abuja on Friday also predicted day and night temperatures in the range of 33 to 41 and 19 to 29 degrees Celsius respectively.

    The agency predicted that the southern states would experience cloudy morning over the inland and coastal cities with day and night temperatures in the range of 30 to 36 and 22 to 26 degrees Celsius.

    It also predicted localised thunderstorm over Owerri, Akure, Ibadan, Oshogbo, Ikom, Asaba, Ogoja, Calabar, Warri, Eket, Yenegoa and Portharcourt in the afternoon and evening hours.

    According to NiMet, Northern states will experience partly cloudy to sunny conditions throughout the forecast period with day and night temperatures in the ranges of 38 to 42 and 20 to 27 degrees Celsius.

    “Localised thunderstorm over some parts of the southern region of the country are not unlikely and stability over some parts of the northern states in the next 24 hours,” NiMet predicted.

    Read Also: NiMET director says people need weather information to plan activities

  • NiMet predicts sunny, hazy conditions on Wednesday

    NiMet predicts sunny, hazy conditions on Wednesday

    The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted sunny and hazy weather conditions over the central States of the country on Wednesday.

    NiMet’s Weather Outlook by its Central Forecast Office in Abuja on Tuesday also predicted day and night temperatures in the range of 32 to 40 and 15 to 25 degrees Celsius respectively.

    The agency predicted that the southern States would experience partly cloudy to cloudy conditions in the morning with day and night temperatures in the range of 35 to 39 and 22 to 26 degrees Celsius respectively.

    It also predicted localised thunderstorms over Lagos, Ijebu, Yenagoa, Port Harcourt, Calabar, Eket, Oshogbo, Ibadan, Akure, Benin and environs during the afternoon and evening period.

    According to NiMet, Northern States will experience sunny and hazy conditions throughout the forecast period with day and night temperatures in the range of 32 to 40 and 14 to 19 degrees Celsius respectively.

    “It will be dry over the North, while increased cloudiness with chances of rainfall activities are expected over the south within the next 24 hours,” NiMet predicted.

    NAN

     

  • DPR seals eight petrol stations for selling at N220 per litre

    DPR seals eight petrol stations for selling at N220 per litre

    The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Eket field office has sealed 8 petrol filling stations for their refusal to revert to the government approved pump price of N145 per litre.
    The DPR Operations Controller in Eket, Mr Tamunoiminabo Kingsley-Sundaye disclosed this to newsmen after while leading the surveillance team of the department to petrol stations across the state yesterday.
    He said the eight filling stations were also sealed for various offences including diversion, and hoarding of the product.
    Kingsley-Sundaye said that the filling stations sealed were located in Eket and Uyo, Local Government Areas of the state.
    “The DPR surveillance team visited 25 filling stations in Eket, it was disheartening that one outlet who got product from NNPC station in Calabar, diverted the product.
    “We have sanctioned those who violated government regulations and they are few who later comply and ready to reverse to government approved pump price.
    “And others were selling above pump price of N220 per litre, it is unacceptable, those stations have been penalised and sealed.
    Kingsley-Sundaye said that the department had begun surveillance to ensure sanity until normalcy return to the country.
    He said that those filling stations sealed would be sanctioned and pay penalty to the Federal Government purse.
    The Operations Controller observed that major marketers in Uyo are trying while most Independent marketers were selling above government approved pump price of N145 per litre.

    Also read:  Petrol pump price hits N250 per litre

    He said that those stations who agreed to reverse to N145 per litre were supervised to sell their product to large extent in the areas.
    Kingsley-Sundaye described the attitude of some of the marketers who refused to reverse their pump price as “impunity”.
    “Surprisingly some of them show the attitude of impunity and therefore those once were been shutdown and appropriate sanction will be prescribed by DPR regulation,” Kingsley-Sundaye said.
    He warned private depot owners and Independent marketers to sell their products at government regulated price, saying that there are rule and regulations guiding petroleum sector.
    “Any depot who flaunt the government laws would be dealt with, everybody must respect the laws of the land,” he said.
    Kingsley-Sundaye appealed to the public who buy fuel at the mega station to be orderly and behave themselves within the ambit of the law.
    He called on marketers to bring evidence of buying fuel above ex- depot price from the depots so that the department would dealt with private depot owners who flaunt government laws.
  • DPR seals 16 filling stations in Akwa Ibom

    DPR seals 16 filling stations in Akwa Ibom

    The Department of Petroleum Resources ( DPR ) said it had sealed 16 filling stations for selling petrol above N145 per litre pump price.

    The Operations Controller of DPR in Akwa Ibom, Mr Tamunoiminabo Sundaye, disclosed this in Eket on Monday.

    Sundaye, however, said that some of the affected stations had paid the penalty and had signed undertaking with the department “to be of good behaviour’’.

    He said that the department had begun close monitoring of the filling stations to ensure that they reversed their pumps to dispense petrol at N145 per litre.

    He also said the agency had engaged private depot owners to ensure that they sold the product at ex-depot price to marketers.

    The controller deplored the conduct of independent marketers, who accused of taking advantage of recent “upset in the oil market’’ to exploit the public by selling petrol above regulated rate.

    He alleged that the marketers were creating artificial scarcity of the product in the state.

    “I will not really say that there is much scarcity in Akwa Ibom because there is no queue.

    Read also: Motorists lament as fuel scarcity bites hard in Kano

    “What happened is that our brothers and sisters took opportunity of what happened in Lagos and Abuja, which of course is normal now.

    “Our people and their normal way of doing things, started selling above government approved pump price and we have sealed a number of filling stations over it,’’ Sundaye said.

    He appealed to marketers to do the business in accordance with rules and regulations of the petroleum sector, saying that the present administration would not tolerate sharp practises in the industry.

    According to him, any marketer caught would face the wrath of the law.

    Sundaye warned marketers not to indulge in under-dispensing of the products in the state, saying that they were would face penalty.

    Most filling stations in Akwa Ibom are selling petrol between N160 per litre and N170 per litre.

    NAN

  • Akwa Ibom govt approves 10,000 capacity stadium for Eket

    Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel has approved the construction of a 10,000 capacity stadium for Eket town.

    The Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Monday Uko, made the disclosure while inspecting the old Eket Stadium on Wednesday.

    Uko said the action of the governor was a renewed move to develop and expand sports infrastructure in the state.

    He said the construction of the new facility would be completed before May 2018.

    He said the stadium would have tartan tracks for athletics, practicing pitch and a main bowl.

    The commissioner said the facility when completed would decongest state-sponsored football competitions from Uyo and offer the residents of the city opportunity to watch top flight football.

    “We are not going to inherit anything from the old stadium. Everything here will give way for a brand new stadium which by the grace of God will be completed before the end of May 2018.

    “We are going to construct a stadium that will take at least 10,000 spectators and going by the enthusiasm and quality that the governor attaches to projects, the stadium should attract international matches.’’

    On the National Youth Games, the commissioner said athletes who excelled at the last state games would represent the Akwa Ibom in the forthcoming competition in Ilorin.

    He said the decision was to assist them develop their talents.

    The Eket Stadium was constructed by the Eket Local Government Area in 1994 and had hosted top flight club, Mobil Pegasus FC.

  • Eket PDP youths prompt Emmanuel for second term

    Eket PDP youths prompt Emmanuel for second term

    Youths of Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District (Eket) Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday urged Governor Udom Emmanuel to seek re-election.

    They said his administration had impacted positively on the social-economic and political lives of the senatorial district.

    The youths held a rally in collaboration with Oro Nation Volunteer Group in Oron.

    They hailed Emmanuel for his prudent financial managerial style, prompt payment of workers’ salaries and maximum utilisation of funds to begin new and viable infrastructural projects across the state.

    Through PDP’s State Youth Leader, Mr. Enobong Harry, the youths expressed appreciation to Emmanuel for repairing streets and roads at Oron, Eket, Ikot Abasi, Onna, Mkpat Enin, Ibeno local government areas and for the Uyo-Oron road alignment, which would terminate at Ibaka.

    Harry said: “It is important to note that most of these streets and roads were impassable for about three decades, hence Mr. Emmanuel can rightly be described as the best governor to impact positively on the social-economic and political lives of Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District’s residents.

    “We came here to announce to the youths and the people of Eket Senatorial District that we stand by PDP to ensure the pregnancy of Emmanuel is safely delivered and the youths won’t fail to ensure this come 2019.

    “It’s obvious to note that the actions and achievements recorded in the middle of recession is a worthy testimony to attest that Mr. Emmanuel is a great leader ordained by God for Akwa Ibom people for an eight-year term.”

    The youth leader condemned the defection of Senator Nelson Effiong from PDP to All Progressives Congress (APC).

    He said the youths of the district were behind the governor.

    Harry said: “We view Senator Effiong’s defection from PDP to APC as a non-issue and as a storm in a tea cup. We, as a people, strongly condemn the act and dissociate ourselves as well as the youths and the people of Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District from this mischievous action.”

  • ExxonMobil chief engineer killed in blast

    A Senior ExxonMobil staff in Eket, has been killed by a blast in the early hours of Tuesday Nov. 24.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the deceased was identified as one Mr G. Okorocha, the Chief Engineer (Aviation Department), who was in charge of servicing of aeroplanes and helicopters in the company.

    An official of the company told NAN that Okorocha was killed by a blast from a burst tyre in the aviation wing of the company along Eket Oron road, in Eket Local Government Area of the state.

    The official said that the deceased was inflating a spare tyre of his car with an apparatus meant for the inflation of helicopter tyres, which is against ExxonMobil safety rules and regulation.

    The official said that the late Okorocha had just finished servicing a helicopter of the company at about 4:15 a.m. before the tragic incident.

    The source revealed that as he was inflating the spare tyre, the pressure from the company’s apparatus caused a blast that detached the rim of the tyre and cut the deceased’s throat.

    “The rim also ripped off some parts of his body, including his finger and he died instantly. The decapitated parts of his remains were packed together and deposited at Immanuel Hospital, Eket,’’ the source said.

    When NAN visited the scene of the accident, the airstrip of ExxonMobil was condoned off while sympathisers were seen discussing the incident.

    Reacting to the development, Mr Ogechukwu Udeagha, Manager, Media and Communications of the company confirmed the incident.

    “On the morning of Tuesday, Nov. 22 there was an accident involving a member of our workforce while inflating his personal vehicle’s tire, resulting in a fatality,” he said.

    Udeagha said that investigation into the tragic incident has commenced and all the appropriate authorities have been notified.

    “Mobil is saddened by this unfortunate incident, and is providing support to the family,’’ he said. (NAN)