Opinion: Speaker Onofiok Luke and the days to come

BY N.TA. EFO

I join millions of Akwa Ibom people to say finally – yes, finally – the people’s choice for the Speakership of the State House of Assembly has – again, finally – emerged. Grammarians will call the use of finally in the above text a tautology, repetition and so on. I agree. But you do not celebrate the emergence of Speaker Onofiok Luke without using the word finally. Finally – yes, finally – because prior to the inauguration of the 6th session of the State House of Assembly, Luke was the song on every lips of the people – the real owners of the mandate which members of the House of Assembly hold in trust. If a referendum had been done on the Speakership, Luke would have scored over 90 per cent of the votes. Never in the history of the legislature in the state has the leadership been a subject of controversy, divided interests and political brinkmanship as that of the 6th Assembly.

Pilgrim’s Board of Fraud

* AKHA stops sales of forms
* summons Board Secretary for interrogation
* citizens commend Lawmaker

BY EMMANUEL AKPAN

The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly last Thursday directed Pilgrim Welfare Board to put on hold the ongoing selling of 2015 Pilgrim forms due to the alleged fraud that has marred the activities of the board.
This was brought to the notice of the House of Assembly through a Matter of Urgent Public Importance by the member representing Esit Eket/Ibeno State Constituency, Hon. Usoro Akpanusoh during plenary.
Hon. Usoro Akpanusoh in his motion had informed the House that he has received a lot of petitions against the Pilgrim Welfare Board from his constituents as well as the general public over what they described as fraudulent activities in the board, citing a situation where thousands of people would buy the pilgrim forms and at the end of the exercise, names of selected few would be published for the trip.

Illegal sales of Govt. properties: Usoro Akpanusoh takes case to AKHA

Usoro Akpanusoh

BY EMMANUEL AKPAN

Following verbal complaints and series of petitions received by the member representing Esit Eket/Ibeno State Constituency, Hon. (Dr) Usoro Akpanusoh on the illegal selling of State Government Properties in Uyo capital city, the lawmaker through a motion of Urgent Public Importance during last Thursday’s plenary called on the House of Assembly to revoke all the sales of government properties without due process within Uyo Capital City and its environs. Usoro Akpanusoh in a motion titled ‘Revocation of sales of government properties in Uyo capital city and its environs’, said there has been consistent out-burst recently by concerned citizens of Akwa Ibom State on flagrant abuse of constitutional functions by operators of some government agencies, collaborating with unpatriotic individuals and cohorts to dispose of government properties within Uyo Capital City and its environs without due process.

Udom moves to loan N10 billion

*AKHA approves request 

*We will monitor Governor- Chairman, House Committee on Finance

BY EMMANUEL AKPAN

The debt profile of  Akwa Ibom State Government is rising every day. While the State Governor, Deacon Udom Emmanuel is busy flagging off new projects in the State, facts have emerged that the State Government is broke and that the State has no money to mobilize contractors to commence work.
Governor Udom in order to kick start his projects and make a mark for himself, on Monday sent a letter to the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly seeking for approval to enable the State collect a loan of #10 billion Naira from the Excess Crude Account. Udom, THE INK gathered is seeking for the loan in order to fulfill some of his campaign promises as well as kick start infrastructural development projects such as roads, flood control and drainage projects in State.
The letter with Ref. Number GHU/AKS/S/104/V.4/702 dated 15th September, 2015 was to seek for the approval for Akwa Ibom State to partake in the Federal Government Excess Crude Account (ECA) backed loan. Governor Udom in the introduction of the letter said, at the Nigeria Economic Council (NEC) meeting of June, 2015, it was resolved that the money in the Excess Crude Account (ECA), which could have been shared among States in July, 2015 should rather be kept for States that have needs to access as loan, and that other States in the Federation have taken advantage of the offer, saying Akwa Ibom State should not be left out.
Governor Udom in his letter considered the offer by the Federal Government as part of measures to cushion the effect of the dwindling oil prices and resultant reduction in State’s revenue. The letter reads in parts “Other States in the Federation have applied for into the Excess Crude Account Backed Loan and Akwa Ibom State should not be left out. The Excess Crude Account Backed Loan offer a single digit interest rate of 9% per annum lower than any other loan and repayment period of 20 (twenty) years long enough for long term capital investment. This low interest loan enable the State Government invest in infrastructural development projects such as roads, flood control and drainage projects in State.”
Udom further prayed that the House of Assembly should approved the participation of Akwa Ibom State in the Excess Crude Account (ECA) backed Loan offered by the Federal Government in the total sum of Ten Billion Naira (#10b).       
The letter which was sent to the Speaker of the House Assembly, Hon. Aniekan Uko some days ago, had to rattled the speaker to an extend of convening an emergency plenary last Monday.
THE INK reporter, who monitored the emergency sitting, observed that members arrived as about 10.am to attend the executive session at the speaker’s office and the meeting lasted for over five hours. Our reporter also spotted the State commissioner for Finance, Mr. Akan Uko who later came to the House and moved straight to the speaker’s office to explain some points to the lawmakers as well as give reasons why the governor’s letter should be approved.
It was gathered that the plenary started by 3.pm. The governor’s letter was read on the floor of the House by the House clerk, Mrs. Mandu Umoren. The house after deliberations approved the governor’s request. Speaker, Aniekan Uko directed the clerk to communicate the approval to the governor.
Speaking with THE INK reporter in his office shortly after the plenary, the Chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriations, Hon. Usoro Akpanusoh said his committee had to approve the governor’s request considering of the urgency of the letter. He explained why the House of Assembly approved the request, adding that it is an opportunity for Akwa Ibom State Government to benefit from the Excess Crude Account Backed Loan provided by the Federal Government.
According to him “The governor is flagging off projects across the State, so he need to loan so that he can kick start the projects. The governor has specified what he wants to use the loan for, which to enable the State Government invest in infrastructural development projects such as roads, flood control and drainage projects in State.”
 He further said the House will ensure that they monitor how the money would be used. “We are entitled to know what the State Government is using money for in terms of projects. So we will monitor how the loan would be used. The constitution of the Federal Government empowers the House of Assembly to monitor the executive and how the State budget is implemented.” 

We did not reject Udom’s letter - AKHA Finance and Appropriation Chairman

Rt. Hon. Usoro Akpanusoh

BY EMMANUEL AKPAN

The Chairman House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Rt. Hon. Usoro Akpanusoh has said the House of Assembly did not reject the Governor Udom Emmanuel’s letter. It could be recalled that the State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel had sent a letter to the House of Assembly on Tuesday asking the House to give him an approval to restructure commercial banks loan into Federal Government bonds. The Finance and Appropriation Committee Chairman while briefing newsmen last Friday at the House Committee’s Conference room, said the letter was after passing through first reading by the clerk was referred to his committee which he had taken step to invite the State Commissioner of Finance in order to brief the committee on some issues. 

Role conflict among government ministries, commissions and parastatals; the AKHA approach and IPSAS verdict

The dynamism of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly (AKHA) in recent time has been brought to the fore, revealing the real essence for which men and women of proven integrity were selected by the electorates to represent different constituencies in the hallowed chamber of the Assembly. The election of these men allowed the entire people of the state to have a voice through their representatives in the running of the state. Beyond speaking for their various constituencies, as lawmakers with many oversight functions, the representatives of the people must ensure that both individual and cooperate interest in the state are well tweeted as enshrine in the law of the land.

Today, the Rt. Hon Sam Ikon’s led 5th Assembly also known as the People’s Assembly has matched words with action using different approaches to ensure that the much cherished uncommon transformation of the present administration continue to see the light of the day. The legislators unwavering support to the executive could be measured with the number of executive bills passed into law since the inception of the 5th Assembly. As an arm of government, the legislature in Akwa Ibom State plays its role without conflicting with the executive or any other arm of government. This further makes it possible for the executive arm to deliver dividend of democracy to the people as expected.

Former Lawmaker kicks against automatic ticket, lauds Ekong Sampson

A former Lawmaker who represented Ikot Abasi Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Hon. EkongMexUmo has condemned in totality the rumoured automatic ticket surrounding legislators in the National Assembly saying that such is against the internal process of democracy. Hon. EkongMex who made this position in Uyo during an interactive session with newsmen said that such gesture was just like a “foul” in a child’s play adding that there is nothing like automatic ticket when people are suffering setbacks in their constituency due to ineffective representation. He said that those at the National Assembly should not be afraid of the forth coming elections as such is the time the legislators would know whether they have been doing well or not. 

AKHA moves to harmonize Chairmen, Councilors in LGAs BY JOSEPH OKON

Worried by the series of crisis be tween Councilors and Chairmen of Councilors, rocking Local Government councils, the State House of Assembly Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs have initiated a tour to the 31 Local Government councils in the state to harmonize both parties as well as inspect projects initiated by the councils.

The Chairmen of the Committee, Mr. Abo Uduyok Johnson stated this while leading the committee to Esit Eket, Eket, Ibeno and Onna last week.

Desperate days in AKHA

These are not the best of times for the Speaker and the leadership of the State House of Assembly following that stampede that occurred at the legislative quarters where members expressed grievances at the actions of the Speaker, Elder Sam Ikon which they described as inactive and walked away, dumping that day’s sitting and rejecting the One Million Naira bribe issued to each of them by the Speaker. This incidence happened barely one month ago.
A House member in defense of the action taken by himself and his colleagues decried the inability of the Speaker to attract personnel development to them despite their contributions to the Godswill Akpabio led administration even to the point of being labeled an inactive and a rubber stamp Assembly.

Onofiok Luke; the future is brighter

It was last Tuesday; my phone rang at exactly 10:08pm. I had just finished watching Chelsea’s thumping victory over Steaua Bucharest in the Champion’s League. It was not only a sweet victory, it was also a massive for yours truly after the shocking lost to Basel in the opener at Stamford Bridge.

Recently, my mum has renewed her struggle – a struggle to liberate me from the claws of bachelorhood. I have, or rather, my case has become her main prayer point these days. My kinsmen have paid me a courtesy call on the same matter; the elderly women in my village have offered a collection of spinsters for me to choose from without a charge. They say I am the oldest bachelor in the history of the village. My case is that pathetic, hence, they are giving me a waiver on bride price.