AKHA gets principal officers

BY EMMANUEL AKPAN

The speaker of the  6th Akwa Ibom   State House of Assembly, Hon. Aniekan Uko on Tuesday appointed key principal officers that will join hands with him in piloting the affairs of the Assembly.

Those appointed are: Hon. Udo Kierian Akpan, member representing Oruk Anam State Constituency as House Leader, Barr. Aniefiok Dennis, member representing Etinan State Constituency as Deputy Leader, While Hon. Emmanuel Ekpenyong, member representing Ini State Constituency as Chief Whip and Hon. Nse Essien, member representing Onna is the House Deputy Chief Whip.

Announcing the principal officers, the Speaker, Hon Aniekan Uko charged them to discharge their duties effectively. He urged them to live up to expectations and also see themselves as representatives of the people. Speaker Uko noted that those appointed as key principal officers were nominated as by the party Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). 

… moves against indiscriminate adverts on public schools fence

The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly  has passed a resolution against some of the Multi-National Companies who are distorting as well as defacing the beauty of public schools in the name of advertising their products on the walls of public schools in the State.  

This was brought through a motion on the floor of the House “on the indiscriminate advertising on the walls of public schools” by the member representing Nsit Ubium State Constituency, Hon. Barr. Onofiok Luke.

The House, after a long deliberation by the Honourable members passed a resolution that the State Executive should direct the removal of all forms of adverts that is not connected with education on all the walls of public schools. The House urged companies to instead embark on building school libraries, class room blocks as part of their Cooperate Social Responsibilities rather than advertising their products on the walls of public schools in the guard of painting the schools fence.       

Speaking separately during deliberation, the sponsor of the bill Barr. Onofiok Luke said the House is not against the any Multi-National Companies operating in the State, but the Assembly is trying to bring sanity to the street, public schools as well as the State in general. “We are talking about the manner and approach some of the companies like Indomie, Cowbell etc are operating in the State. The House of Assembly has the right to make laws that would regulate advertising in the State.” He said.

Another member who spoke in support of the bill was the member representing Esit Eket/Ibeno State Constituency, Hon. Usoro Akpanusoh. He said all companies defacing walls of public schools should immediately return the beauty of schools by removing all forms of adverts at the fence, saying guilty companies should be penalized. The speaker of the House of Assembly directed the clerk of the Assembly Mrs. Mandu Umoren to communicate the message to the Executive Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel for further actions. The governor’s letter with serial number GHU/AKS/S/104/11 to the House of Assembly was dated16th June, 2015. The House was adjoined to next week Tuesday 23rd June, 2015 for next plenary.