Helen Esuene did not boycott town hall meeting

Contrary to speculations and reports in a certain section of the media that Senator Helen Esuene of Eket Senatorial District boycotted the Town Hall meeting that was held for Eket federal constituency at the Eket Local Government council hall last week because of her disagreement with the state Governor Godswill Akpabio, information monitored through investigations revealed that the former first lady was in full support of the initiative and was only unavoidably absent due to very pressing and very serious legislative engagements at the red Chambers of the National Assembly.

The senator had since however sent her apologies to the Government and the people of the state especially of the senatorial district which she represents. Information from the office of the Senator indicates that apart from the tight engagement of the Senator in Abuja, Helen Esuene was also meant to be a part of the first lady Dame Patience Jonathan’s youth summit and as an integral part of the planning, she had so much responsibilities that made her to be unavoidably absent at the event.

Esit Eket Adoption Denial: Farce and Parody?

The Popular saying in  our Local parlance that dogs don’t eat dogs is fast giving way to an even appalling precedence that in our clime today; dogs now are at home eating other dogs. Just recently, to be precise on February 15, 2014, at Ikpa Town – the very village of Engineer Effiong Assam Ntekim, the 2015 governorship aspirant on the (PDP), whom many expect will assume responsibilities as the next big thing in the state when the incumbent Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio quits on May 29, 2015, the gamut of the PDP in Esit Eket converged in the home of the aspirant, to formerly welcome him into the PDP fold. 

However, the gathering took a swift turn and the PDP big wigs decided he was the right fitted material eternally prepared for the job as they took to the podium to eulogize the sterling leadership qualities inherent in Dr. Ntekim, qualifying him as their only hope to hoist their flag come 2015 in the Hilltop Mansion.

Those who made remarkable statements at the event included the PDP chapter chairman, Hon. Godwin Abia, Esit Eket Local Government Area Vice Chairman, Hon. Prince Enobong Asubob, who by far the biggest fish of the day at the event. He was said to represent the council Chairman who was unavoidably absent in what many observers say was a strategic, tactical retreat “to pave the way for the unknown” Elder A. U. Abia, who spoke on behalf of Zone A, Former Special Adviser to the Governor on political Matters and then Commissioner for Culture and Tourism Rt. Hon. Imo Udobia, Dr. E. D. Umoh – Principal Emeritus, and Imo Jonah Legislative Leaders - Esit Eket Legislative Assembly Others were Prince Imoh John Eduo, S/A to Chairman Esit Eket on educational matters, Dr. Monday Akpanabiatu, Senior Lecturer Uniuyo, CAN Chairman Esit Eket, Apostle Inua Eshiet, Youth Leader, Comrade Anietie Elijah and the Esit Eket students Leader worldwide – Comrade Godwin Etinwang.

2015: Groups throw weight behind Oton’s parliamentary ambition

The ambition of the Law maker representing Onna State Constituency in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Hon. Godwin oton Charlie, to represent the people of Eket Federal constituency at the House of representatives in 2015, received a major boost last week when no fewer than three groups threw their weight  behind his aspiration, with a strong resolve to drum up support for emergence of the lawmaker.

 The groups, Akwa Ibom Rainbow Coalition for good governance, Reliable Women Initiative and Eket Senatorial District Youths Assembly made their stand known during a courtesy call on the Hon. Member in his office in Uyo.

 In one of the calls, the State President of Akwa Ibom Rainbow Coalition for good governance, Mr. Paul S. Offot on behalf of entourage thanked the Lawmaker, saying it an honour done to the group and wish the Lawmaker to continue in his open door policies. Mr. Paul Offot said that, the visit to the Hon. Member was to show the group’s solidarity as well as declaring that in 2015, Hon. Godwin Oton Charlie would be in the Federal Parliament to represent the people of Eket Federal Constituency in Abuja. 

Abia fetes Constituents

 

Member representing Eket/Onna/Esit Eket/Ibeno federal constituency Barr Bassey Dan Abia, Jnr over the weekend presented mouth-watering items to the people of his federal constituency with a charge on them to continue to support government as government is ready to do so much for them. Abia while speaking informed the people that he had to come home to empower the people because he has taken it upon himself to ensure that he gives back to the society what the society invested in him. He informed the people of the bills he had passed and stressed that he will continue to do more for the people of the federal constituency.

Abia who was accompanied to the event which was held at the Eket Council Hall called on the people to see themselves as agent of Government and do all they can to protect government properties and also project government in a good light. He maintained that he has contributed meaningfully to debates on the floor of the House of Representatives and promised to even do more. Abia listed some of the bills he has sponsored on the floor of the House and informed the people that they will not regret voting for him. he said his ultimate goal in the National Assembly is to ensure that he delivers upon the mandate that was given to him and also ensure that the people of Eket federal constituency is given a pride of place in the comity of federal constituencies in the National Assembly.

What makes All Weather Schools thick - Chairman

 All Weather group of Schools is an institution that has lived the test of time. It has produced graduates and people who are making that state and nation proud. Founded a long time ago by Mrs. Essien today, it has continued to remain one of the most reliable and dependable Educational institution. On the first of March, next week Saturday, the institution will be holding her 2014 Inter House Sports competition, it promises to be explosive, all inclusive and an event that will stand the test of what it is meant to be. In this interview with THE INK reporter in Eket, the Chairman All Weather Group of Schools Chief Uduak Essien and the Principal of the School Deaconess Esther Essien shed lights on why the Institution has remained the toast of this generational Education. Enjoy Excerpts

 

Please can you tell our readers who you are in a nutshell?
Thank you, I am Chief Uduak U Essien, the group chairman of All Weather International Schools, I happen to be an Eket man. All Weather has a branch in Onna and also in Idua. All Weather was established in 1973 by the late Chief Edna U. Essien of blessed memory. It was founded as a school and it has remained as a school till today. 

 

It is not for commercial activities, it is an educational based Institution and our products speak for us. From 1973 to about 2005 All Weather had been operating with a nursery and primary until about 2005 we had secondary section although the approval for the establishment of a secondary school was given by the government in 1995 during the days of the founder but due to one reason or the other it could not take off but it is in this dispensation that we took off. We have written WAEC and NECO twice and the results are very impressive. All Weather Schools is blessed with thorough bred professionals as teachers and management staff.

Tell us your background

It is a one stop Institution for educational development - Principal

Who is the principal of all weather group of schools?

My humble self-Deaconess Esther Essien, I am from Eket the school is a second generation school owned by our late mother Chief Mrs. Edna U Essien, we the children are now up on our feet to take up that responsibility and the vision the leader had and we have vowed never to allow the initiative, (All Weather). The three children Chief Uduak Essien, Stella Essien and Esther Essien, we have all come together to take up that responsibility, the school is more than what you have seen, we have a branch of this school in Onna, here is the main campus, we have the Nursery, Primary and Secondary sections.

What is the driving force behind your acceptance of piloting the affairs of this school?
The driving force that urged me to take up the responsibility of piloting the affairs of this school is my awareness, my understanding of what leadership at an Educational institution means. I am never a novice in this noble profession, I am a professional teacher, and I read Education at the NCE level before proceeding for a higher degree. I want to believe that the late founder of All Weather International Schools Chief Edna Essien knew that we will key into her vision and thereby encouraging us to step into that field as well because without that, we wouldn’t have been able to sustain this legacy upon her demise. I believe to be a teacher is a calling because you could be forced into reading a particular course and you find it difficult to flow but when once you are called into that ministry you flow easily, so I enjoy doing this job even more than what my mother was doing.

Tell us about the time you have spent as the principal of the school, how has it been, the challenges and the lessons?
It’s been ups and downs both from the children side, the parents and the teachers’ side and even the side of the government. It’s been all ups and downs but by the grace of God we have been able to scale through the challenges. Like when we were about starting the secondary school section some years back I was heavy with my first child when I came in and we had about 25 students but to the glory of God because of the performances of the children we are close to five hundred in the space of six years in the secondary section.

Your school is one of the first private schools in Eket and some of the schools that came in with you are no more now, what is the secret of the success of All Weather Schools?

2015: Esit Eket youth groups root for Dr Ntekim

Dr. Effiong Assam Ntekim

Against the backdrop of a purported but politically masterminded rejection of the candidacy of an American trained super mechanical engineer, Dr. Effiong Assam Ntekim by the generality of Esit Eket people over his political ambition to bring needed changes to Akwa Ibom State and revolutionize the economy by way of industrializing it, five youth groups and other professionals have risen in absolute solidarity of his ambition.

The five groups are the Esit Eket Technicians Forum, Esit Eket Traders Association, Prestigious Ladies of Esit Eket and Esit Eket Youth Congress as well as the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), each represented by their chairmen and secretaries, reaffirmed that Dr. Ntekim, a bonafide son of Ikpa town in Esit Eket local government area, had on Saturday, February 15, 2014, hosted the gamut of the Esit Eket PDP chapter and that he was formerly received into the party’s fold by the Vice Chairman of Esit Eket Local Government Area, Hon. EnobongAsuboh, who led others in the exercise. He was the council’s chairman’s representative at the occasion, the groups said.

Youth Group supports power shift Eket Senatorial District

As the clamour for the governorship of the State to shift to Eket Senatorial District is intensified, the Akwa Ibom Amalgamated Youth Movement, a pressure group in the state has pledged its total support to the course.

The group informed our Correspondent through its Director of Media and Strategy, Mr. Dickson Akpan that “the  is not only timely, but very reasonable in view of the fact that both Uyo and Eket Senatorial Districts have already produced two notable governors for the state. The move for the shift shows that Akwa Ibom people are thinking more of unity, and a strong desire to avoid any step that will put undue tension on the thin fabrics of the state.”
People of the state have been polarized as to where the governorship of the state should go to in 2015. While some persons believe that it should go to Eket Senatorial District, some think differently.

Governor Godswill Akpabio has on different occasions advised that there should be equity in the rotation of positions in the state, and has always insisted that this is the position of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), noting often that, the PDP will support any move that will unite the people.
It is on the basis of this that more people in the state have increased their agitation for power shift to this senatorial district that have not produced a governor since this new dispensation started in 1999. 

2015 ambition tears Sam Ikon, Akpabio apart

 

*Betrayal looms
* Don’t contest House of Reps seat, leave it for Anietie Etuk, Governor tells Speaker

Following the recent call on the speaker of the State House of Assembly, Elder Sam Ikon by the State Governor Chief Godswill Akpabio to drop his Federal House of Representatives ambition to represent Etinan Federal Constituency and support the immediate past speaker of the Assembly Mr. Anietie Etuk, Ikon has declared a war of vengeance with the Governor and is silently fighting the state Chief Executive. 

An informed source told our reporter that when Akpabio handed that information to Sam Ikon, the speaker was terribly shocked as he least expected such political missile from the state Chief Executive whom he felt had gotten so much protection from the Assembly ever since he took over from Anietie Etuk. 

Our source agreed that the speaker who earlier supported the former SSG Obong Umana Okon Umana left Umana’s camp when he noticed that the Governor was no longer comfortable with the Umana Umana gubernatorial ambition. Ikon is said to have shifted base and avoided Umana Umana like a plague. Our source said, didn’t you noticed how the speaker interacted with the ex SSG when the later stormed Nsit Ubium during the constituency briefing and empowerment by Onofiok Luke last year? 

Akpabio urges traditional rulers to be firm in the discharge of their duties

The State Deputy Governor, Lady Valerie Ebe, has called on Traditional Rulers in border communities to provide useful inputs to aid the National Boundary Commission (NBC) officials who on a Trace-Exercise around the borders of Akwa Ibom and Abia States.

Lady Ebe stated this when she called on the Paramount Ruler of Ini Local Government Area, His Royal Majesty, Edidem Ntoe Udon Effiong Akpan, at his place.

She said as custodian of the traditions and customs of the people of the area, they were in the right position to identify the accurate landmark and give inputs to the Technical Team.

Ayang friendship tournament begins in Eket

Hon Ayang Akanimo Ayang

All is now set for the commencement of Ayang friendship cup billed for teams in Eket State constituency. A release from the central planning committee of the tournament indicates that tournament all matches will be played Eket Sports Stadium and it is part of the intervention programme of Hon Ayang Akanimo Ayang for the people mostly the youths of Eket state constituency. 

The football tournament is to discover talents for the state and nation at large in football and to make the youths to be useful and gainfully employed in sports. The unveiling of the cup and pre-tournament briefing will be held tomorrow Wednesday at the Constituency office of Hon Ayang Akanimo Ayang at number 21 grace Bill road in Eket by 10:00am. 

Esit Eket renews covenant with God

 

The authorities of Esit Eket Council, the political class, youths, women and choral groups converged at Uquo, the council secretariat to renew their vow to commit their activities to God for divine direction.

“My administration had made a covenant with God that on every 30th January, the council will gather to commit her activities, programmes and policies to God for divine direction”, Hon. Ibanga Etang said.

He noted the Solemn Assembly is in line with the social programmes of Governor Godswill Akpabio to build the state on the path of love, truth and unity.
The council boss, paid glowing tributes to Governor Akpabio for his wisdom to enthrone God first in all his dealings, which has resulted in the cordial industrial peace enjoyed in the state.

2015 is for Eket Senatorial District - Idongesit Ituen

The former transition chairman of Itu Local Government Area, Hon. Idongesit Ituen says Eket Senatorial District must produce the next Governor of the State and therefore must be encouraged to achieve the feat.

Ituen stated this last weekend in Uyo when he inaugurated the Itu Chapter Executive of Grand Coalition. The former Itu council boss while commending Akpabio for towing the path of equity, justice and fairplay by proclaiming Eket Senatorial District the owner of the Governorship ticket by 2015 said it is unthinkable for someone to feel that Akpabio should not be interested in who succeeds him.

A thanksgiving of note

 

Awa-Iman in Onna LGAwas little known before January 26, 2014. History submits that it was formerly in Etinan LGA but was excised and added to Onna to beef its landmass and population which were viewed as too meager to constitute a Local Government Area. Onna LGA was created on May 3, 1989 with a substantial part of it carved out of old Eket LGA. 

History further states that the word ONNA is derived from a combination of the first letters of the clans that make up the area namely: Oniong, Nung Ndem and Awa. But Awa despite being part of this peculiarity remained largely unheard and unsung until January 26. It is a common saying that a bad Child is a constant source of shame to the mother while a good one is considered a pride to the father nay the community. On that fateful day, Udom Gabriel Emmanuel proved himself a pride to his family, community and indeed the State given the size and quality of people that thronged Awa-Iman to be part of a special thanksgiving service organized by his family to mark God’s faithfulness upon his life. It was indeed a memorable event. 

Udom Emmanuel goes spiritual BY EMMANUEL AKPAN

   ….Begs Governor for Support
   ….You will continue in 2015 - Akpabio

The Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Udom Emmanuel last Sunday appreciated God for His faithfulness upon his life, family and his recent appointment as the Secretary to the State Government. 

The special thanksgiving service was held at Qua Iboe Church Primary School, Awa-Iman in Onna Local Government Area. 

Udom Emmanuel while thanking God said he was humbled by God’s extravagant grace on his life looking back at the memorial stones of His love and blessings. He thanked the state Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio for finding him fit to be the SSG and the people of the state for the support given him so far.

As government bans ‘Keke’ ticketing in the meantime BY GODWIN SAM

Prince Godwin Ntuk Udeh

There is an adage in Ibibio land which states that “Akpan minama nte aya-ana anwan ete, ete idoho annwan ino enye” literally meaning that “if the first son does not do as if  he wants to sleep with his stepmother, the father will not see the need to marry a wife for him”.  This adage applies directly to the situation that happened last week in Uyo, where tricycle operators in their quest to attract government’s attention to their plights, resorted to street protest, downing their tools for two days and stopping their counterparts from carrying out commercial activities in the state. 

 
The tricycle operators numbering hundreds took to the streets on Monday 20th and Tuesday 21st of January, 2014, to protest the multiple ticketing they are forced to buy daily to be able to operate within the Uyo metropolis. Investigation by THE INK revealed that to operate within the Uyo Metropolis, the tricycle operators have to buy tickets of N250 from each of the four local government areas making up Uyo metropolis, which sometimes amounts to N1000 in a day. 

2015 Guber: IKAFUE preaches equity

A socio-political group known as Ikot Abasi Forum for Unity and Equality (IKAFUE) has called on the people of Ikot Abasi Federal Constituency to continue to rally round the State Governor, Chief Dr. Godwill Obot Akpabio to ensure the emergence of a governorship candidate for the 2015 election from Ikot Abasi Local Government Area. 

The group said that as a performing Governor, Chief Akpabio is justified to choose his successor whom he believes will follow his footsteps in governance and protect the legacy he will leave behind for the benefit of all. 

The forum was reacting to the communiqué issued by Ikot Abasi Federal Constituency after its enlarged meeting held at Ikot Abasi Local Government Council Hall at the weekend.

Consult widely before anointing a successor - Group tells Akpabio

A formidable socio  political group in the state, Akwa Ibom Consolidation Assembly has raised its voice of concern to Governor Godswill Obot Akpabio over his choice of a successor. Rising from its New Year eve congress that witness over six hundred (600) delegates across the state at Uyo, the Akwa Ibom Consolidation Assembly in a press release made available to our news room commended Governor Akpabio for the record breaking 9, 999b Christmas Carol Festival which beamed to worldwide audience complete with national, international and local performance to make the event a historic one.

ACA, however drew the attention of the Governor to the noble objectives of setting up AKPABIOSM, a centre for leadership development which held yet another lecture recently, arguing that the primary objective f the centre is to train leadership quotients of the people, assist in mentoring the youths and set agenda for leadership recruitment.

Esit Eket celebrates Akpabio over Dan Abia’s appointment

The people of ward ten in Esit Eket Local Government have commended the State Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio and the nation’s President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan for the confidence reposed on their son, Sir (Barr) Bassey Dan Abia, KJW by making him the MD/CEO of the Niger Delta Development Commission.

The people made their position known last week when the MD/CEO of NDDC hosted them in his hometown at Afaha Ekpenedi in Esit Eket Local Government Area.

Attracting guests from all over the ward and beyond, the event had personalities from traditional institutions which was led by the secretary of the Esit Eket Traditional Rulers Council, who also doubles as the Village Head of Afaha Ekpenedi, Eteidung A. A. Bassey, the ward chairman, Apostle Victor Joe Usen, Chief Etim Mark Edoho, Prince Edet Inyang Bassey, Assistant secretary, PDP Esit Eket, Mr. Christian Inyang and Eteidung Sunday S. Ekpo – Village Head of Odoro Nkit.

Cyclists’ operators protest in Eket over illegal levy by APCOMA

 

Commercial Motorcyclists’ Operators on Thursday protested over illegal dues levied on them by the Akwa Ibom Professional Commercial Motorcyclists Association (APCOMA), in Eket Local Government Area of the state.

The protesters who were no fewer than 2000 men stormed Eket Local Government Area carrying placards with the inscriptions, “which way should we follow? APCOMA or Committee’’, “Mr. Council Chairman, Please save our soul today’’, “Eket LG is so sensitive or popular for other government to follow’’.“Should we still buy two tickets and emblem? Please come to our help Mr. Chairman’’, “ should we still suffer from the hands of this people called APCOMA’’.