Again Captain Ekong denies Play Terrace, says it is a tenant in Least Pay - Explains rationale behind company

Despite the fact that Play Terrace night club is located on the premises of Least Pay group of companies and whereas captain Iniobong Ekong, rtd Special Adviser to the Governor of the state on security matters has always been linked to the ownership of the club, the Nigerian Defence Academy Graduate last Friday denied ownership of the club located along Aka road in Uyo claiming the lounge is a tenant to Least Pay. 

Speaking while addressing a section of media executives in Uyo, the Nsit Ubium born ex-military man who is retired but not tired and presides over the affairs of Least Pay Group of Companies as the Chairman said he had to host the media chiefs that date because heneeded to consolidate on his relationship with members of the fourth estate of the realm.

Iniobong Ekong said “my desire to host you today was not entirely because we neededpress coverage, no. it is part of my relationship with quite a number of you here that at the end of every year, we always meet. Why today’s own is different is that a lot of you here did not have the intuition including my brother here (apparently referring to Joe Effiong, the immediate past NUJ chairman, AKS)to suspect that in the month of December, I will go to my village to play masquerade, you felt I was out of the country, you didn’t bother to check on me as friends and brothers. And because of that failure, there was a debt I had to pay. I posited that the Christmas goat cannot just go without my brothers in the press; at least they should have a bite of either the bone or the skin. 

And also congratulate ourselves for coming across the border between 2013 and 2014.
Speaking on Least Pay group, Ekong who holds a masters degree in Business administration and management said the idea behind the company is about total quality service delivery to the people of the state. He maintained that he was opportune to have and feel first hand health challenges of Akwa Ibom people when he was appointed to serve in the capacity of the Chairman Caretaker committee for Nsit Ubium Local Government Area. While thanking the state Chief Executive Chief Godswill Akpabio for his benevolence by the appointment, he admitted that what he saw, the quality of life at the rural communities challenged him to go into least pay pharmaceuticals so that the people of the state can get quality health care treatments at the cheapest rate. He cited an instance where someone in the rural community will have just two hundred naira and falls ill then decide to use part of the money to go buy medics which such feels would treat the illness mostly malaria only to be disappointed at the end. 

“In 2007, I was appointed the caretaker committee chairman of Nsit Ubium Local Government Area, a position I held till May 2008, in my life history that has turned out to be a watershed, because not only did it turn out to give me a platform to where I am today, it actually married me to the reality of life of the people at the rural areas. I cannot fail to mention to you that right from the villages that we come from; the people are as broke as not having up to two hundred naira in their entire life. These people are susceptible to the same problems a man with two hundred million naira has. 

That a minor issue like malaria, a man takes fifty naira out of the two hundred naira just to hold on to the fabrics of life. Goes to a local chemist buys what he thinks is a common analgesics like paracetamol just to keep him alive, at the end of the day, he has spent his money and has not been healed. These were the things we saw at the rural communities. We had situations where people build money for two years, three years to buy a transistor radio and they will go and buy junks just because that was the ones their money could afford and a whole lot of things our people were going through. These things became a challenge because when you know these things and you don’t do anything to change them and for people like us with the kind of character that was instill in us when we were growing up, it becomes a burden. And so quite unfortunately, I did not know the processes of setting up the pharmacy, I did not know the requirement but I made up my mind that if God gives me a little capacity, I will go into large scale drug purchase to satisfy the people at the rural areas and go into commercials just to keep a minimal profit level to ensure that good drugs are available to our people. That was what brought about Least Pay pharmaceuticals.”

Speaking further, Captain Ekong said, we moved a step further and decided to establish links with credible electronics companies likes Hitachi, like Swansea and of late with Super Generals. The entire aim is to ensure that good quality household electronics with warranty of one, two and many years are made available to our people. We have done that successfully since 2008 and Least Pay Merchandise which actually takes care of electronics has come to bear. 

He informed that the idea of Least Pay dry cleaning and laundry was to serve the people of the state and avoid the rush were citizens take their clothes to Lagos for Dry cleaning. He added that Least Pay dry cleaning had gone to understudy the difference between those laundering clothes in Lagos and Akwa Ibom and had discovered that the difference is in the equipment. With this understanding, the company went to purchase these equipments and trained personnel in the use of them and as I speak to you today, Least Pay Cleans which is the laundering unit of Least Pay Company is the only place that has a suit washing equipment which brings out tour suit in the best possible way even neater than how you bought it without affecting the quality.

The former state ALGON boss maintained that for the past five years that these has been done, he derives joy that he has been able to contribute massively to the people of the state and the economy. He added that this has also at least placed food on the tables of over sixty families in Akwa Ibom state and if this is the only thing he has succeeded in doing to his people of Akwa Ibom state, and his generation heis grateful to God.

Speaking on the wellness centre and the gym, Ekong admonished Akwa Ibomites to make use of the place which he said its registration fee is affordable. He stressed that all food and no exercise makes one dull and heavy person and may lead one to so many health centres. He said the cost of registering in the gym is cheaper than a bottle of brandy and added that the place is very accessible to the people. He maintained that the character behind Least Pay is that of total service delivery.

 He spoke on the challenges which he said range from finance, actions of people and awareness. He also added it to include people thinking they have arrived and thinking they can’t afford services there. While conducting newsmen round the subsets of Least Pay, captain Ekong who is the Chairman of Least Pay group stressed that the cheapest and best quality products are found in Least Pay and urged the people to patronize the company as according to him it offers customers satisfaction.

Furthermore, captain Ekong stressed that since he is presently serving the Akpabio administration, he is having oversight function over the activities of Least Pay group. He maintained that when the Akpabio administration must have come to an end by 2015, he would gladly retire to serve in Least Pay since according to him, he may be too old to serve in the next administration. The Nsit Ubium born politician and ex -Army man however solicited for continuous support for the state Governor whom he described with kind words and promised to always contribute his own quota towards the growth of journalism profession and Akwa Ibom state at large.