Our vision is to be the best power generation company In Nigeria - Victor Udo

Victor Udo

The managing director of Ibom Power Company, Mr. Victor Udo spoke with newsmen, on the vision of the company and other issues…Excerpts

What is your comment on the improved power supply in Akwa Ibom State?
The magic is the expertise, experience and commitment of the governor, the superior performer. The governor’s expertise has been able to leverage on what his successor, Senator Godswill Akpabio did. During the last administration, the building blocks for steady power supply was made. We have gas in Akwa Ibom, an agreement was reached between Seven Energy and Frontier to establish a gas processing plant in Esit Eket and pipe it to Ikot Abasi. We also have a power plant that is functioning, working very well now. We are producing over 100 mega watts. We have also have transmission lines; we have built one from Ikot Abasi to Eket. In addition, the state government has also invested in the distribution significantly, by making sure almost all villages and communities have transformers and are connected to the national grid. The government has also put money into the power distribution when assets of distribution companies were privatised. What we are seeing today did not just start with now, it started when the governor was the Secretary to the State Government. When Governor Udom Emmanuel came in as the SSG, he started by making sure that the right people are put in the right place. He understands the system because he was in charge of the energy and power desk at Zenith Bank.. To me, that is the magic, being able to put things together. He knows whom to call; when he assumed office as governor, he met with the people in the  distribution company and told them what his expectations and that is why we are seeing improvement in the supply of power in Akwa Ibom State. Since the governor came to power, we have not had a day Ibom Power Company is not running; what this means is that there is always power in Akwa Ibom, even when there is no power in the national grid. So, that is something we should be happy about and give the governor the highest credit. And also our personnel who are running the plant, making sure that they do everything possible to maintain the plant.

Aniekan Etiebet joins Senate race * Says no to Akpabio’s ambition

Aniekan Etiebiet, Nephew to the former National Chairman of the All Nigerian Peoples Party, ANPP, may have considered throwing his hat into the ring to vie for the Senate Position for Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, THE INK gathered from impeccable sources. Etiebet’s decision to contest it was learnt is from the pressure on him by his family members and political associates who are the major factors of the senatorial district politics with the belief that the legal expert will deliver democracy dividends to the people of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial district.

The junior Etiebiet is a lawyer, a son to the former Governor of Cross River State. He had once contested the governorship position of the state when Obong Attah was transiting and today he has seriously been linked to the senate ambition, a feat that is undeniable.

Julius Berger commences clearing of NUJ site

Construction giants, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, has commenced site clearing on the proposed Godswill Akpabio International Press Centre, at the current site of the NUJ Press Centre,  Information Drive, Off IBB Way, Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.

The site clearing is in preparation for the full commencement of construction work at the first phase of the Godswill Akpabio International Press Centre which include perimeter fencing/gate house, a 1000 capacity auditorium complex, a-two storey office complex and a club house.

  The architectural design of the Godswill Akpabio International Press Centre was done by a leading architectural firm in the country, Otto Trinity Studios.

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.

Uyo Fed. Const. women declare support for Gov. Akpabio, wife …Extol leadership qualities

Obonganwan Eberefiak and Obonganwan Tommy

The women of Uyo Federal constituency have reiterated their determination to support Governor Godswill Akpabio and his wife, Mrs. Ekaette Unoma Akpabio in recognition of their leadership qualities and selfless service to people of the state.

During a well attended meeting of the women at the Ibom Hall grounds on Thursday 20th February, 2014; the women which were drawn from the four Local Government Areas constituting the Uyo Federal Constituency; Nsit Atai, Uyo, Ibesikpo Asutan and Uruan described the Governor as a gender-friendly fellow who has not discriminated the women of the state. According to them, the empowerment packages of the governor have gone across the entire people of the state especially women, widows, less-privileged and the orphans.

Ikot Ekpene LGA fires Nsikan Abatai over attack on Chairman * Says he is an ingrate, blackmail Agent

 

The authorities of Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area have risen in strong condemnation of a news  item credited to Nsikan  Abatai in a State based tabloid of Monday March, 10,2014 in which Abatai allegedly made grave and unfounded allegations against the Chairman of Ikot Ekpene Local Government Council, Obonganwan Gloria Useh.

In a statement signed by the Head, Media and Publicity Unit,  Ikot Ekpene LGA, Mr. Mansseh Umoette,  Abatai was only acting the script of his pay masters who are disgruntled politicians in Ikot Ekpene Local government area that desperately in search of space in the system.

All the allegation made by Abatai against Useh Umoette added are infantile and baseless as they exist only in the warped minds of Abatai and those he represents.

Aniekan Umanah escapes being lynched * I was not attacked, says info. com.

 

Akwa Ibom State commissioner for Information, Mr. Aniekan Umanah last week Monday escaped a mob action in Abak along Park lane and sources say it took the intervention of his mobile police security team to ferry him away to safety in the ensuing stampede that would have caused serious bodily injury to the state information commissioner.

But Aniekan Umanah in a phone chat with our reporter denied neither being attacked nor attempts to lynch him by a group or any group of people and described himself as a home boy who is always at peace with his people.

Those who witnessed the scene informed our reporter that on the said Monday, Aniekan Umanah had stopped by at a certain joint owned by BOYO, who is said to be a relative of Mr. Umanah and had ordered that drinks be given to the youths who were already enjoying themselves. The youths are said to hail from Abak/Ika and Etim Ekpo and have outrightly rejected Umanah’s drinks alleging that the information boss is stingy and that he is only giving them drinks because he wants their support for his 2015 House of Representatives ambition which he will not win. The youths are said to thereafter charged at him and went for his jugular.

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.

Prince Effiong Abia: A self effacing gentleman

Pauline Peters may have considered the character tapestry of Prince Effiong Etim Abia when she stated thus: “The greatness of a leader is in his humility before God, not in his eloquence before man”. 

This submission does not devalue the value of the latter but insists that the former holds a place of incontrovertible precedence. It is why the simplicity of the serving Commissioner for Rural Development who is wont to refer in very seductive tone to people he comes across as “my brother” or “my sister” depending on the gender, must form the framework of any discourse that pertains to him. The warmth he radiates during such exchange reinforces the fact contained in Psalm 25:9 that “God guides the humble and teaches them His ways”.  

Humility is a rare commodity amongst people who deemed themselves to be successful or accomplished. We live in a stratified society where wealth and position define relationships with the culture seeping down to offsprings and spouses.

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.

Emmanuel Udosen and the strength of a vision BY SAMUEL AYARA

 

In a society where mediocrity was a legal tender and hooliganism a celebrated culture, little about hardwork and commitment was heralded and no mention was made of intellectual capability. Imminently established was moral decadence, restivesness and other such vices occasioned by the constant fall from acceptable societal values. 

Uncertainty had its hold and not everyone dared a change while the few who did, had so much to contend with the societal cancer of the pull him down syndrome; that had become a courted order. This had in ways more than few impaired growth and progress cos most people had rather appreciated maintaining the status quo instead of daring new heights that may engender a fall in the believe that “ a man who is already on the ground fears no fall”. And forgot all about the joy of attaining new heights.

The low culture of appreciation for excellence from the society had in no small measure added to the decrease in drive to attaining new heights. Since appreciation and acknowledgement are boosters to the culture of ingenuity, honesty, hardwork and land mark successes. It is worthy to note that despite the waning culture of appreciation, people from time immemorial have striven to live up to their dreams in confirmation to the words of Victor Hugo, who said, “nothing in the World is more powerful than an idea whose time has come”.

2015 and the ark of governance in A’Ibom By Joseph Okon

A good look at the leadership of Akwa Ibom State since Nigeria’s return to democracy can be likened to the biblical ark of covenant which was built by Moses. An interesting feature of the ark was its ability to discern and allow only those qualified by God to touch or carry it. Any unauthorized possession of the ark by persons not destined by God usually brought calamity, sorrow and tears to the land.

Just like Akwa Ibom State, God valued the ark so much that when Uzziah who saw the ark falling off was about to stretch his hands to prevent the fall, the anger of the Lord was rose against him and he was killed there by the ark– because he was not destined to have anything to do with it. 

The condition of that Ark of Covenant is very symbolic to the governance of Akwa Ibom State, a State named after the God of heaven and earth (Abasi Ibom).

Coaches Association gets new exco …as first female chairperson emerges BY Emmanuel Akpan

The new executive members of   Akwa Ibom  State Sports Council of Coaches  Association have been sworn in to pilot the affairs of the association for the next four years.

The exco are: Mrs. Esther  Udofia as Chairperson, Ita Ntukidem, Vice chairman, Hanson Udoh, Secretary, Esther Idio, Assistant Secretary, Enefiok  Alexander , Treasurer , Ofonmbuk  Okon, Financial Secretary , Idongesit  Jimmy,  Internal  Auditor, Joseph  Mbakara, Welfare Officer  while  Offiong Offiong   is the P.R.O.

The new executive emerged after a free and fair election which was conducted at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, last week Thursday.

   Swearing in the exco, The out-going chairman, Coach   Ime Uko expressed happiness to all the contestants for   their manner of conduct during campaigns and after election. He called on those who could not make it at the election to join hands as well as support the new executive in order to move the association forward.  He congratulated   them for emerging winners after the election and charged them to work harder in order to uplift the standard of the members as well as the welfare of members which is their primary responsibilities.

Emem Akpabio tackles Udom Emmanuel over money, campaign structure.

 

The godfather of the Akpabio political dynasty has fallen apart with the Secretary to State Government, Udom Gabriel Emmanuel over fund, campaign structure and other sundry issues. An insider informed our reporter during the weekend in Uyo that Udom Emmanuel has suddenly gotten some nerves and is challenging the powers that be even as the SSG is said to have complained bitterly that the expenses incurred on his behalf by Sir Emem Akpabio are rather too much and may crumble the state economy if such expenses are sustained till when the elections are conducted by 2015.

Our source said since meetings for Udom Emmanuel’s ambition has always been hosted in Sir Emem Akpabio’s house, at the end of every of such meetings, a file is always given to Udom Emmanuel’s Personal Assistant, our source said, the file is always a breakdown of all the expenses incurred to host such meetings. This is said to have continued until the SSG one day called for the file and accordingly was given the file by his aide. Udom Emmanuel is said to have been shocked beyond words when he saw the amount of expenditure that is always incurred and documented in the file.