Intervenes in Oil spill protest:

* How Eket Senator persuaded aggrieved youths

The Senator representing Akwa Ibom South at the upper chambers of the National Assembly, Chief Helen Esuene has intervened in the protest against Exxon Mobil by the youths of the Area.

The Senator’s intervention led to the putting off of the over three day protest where the youths had accused Exxon Mobil of insincerity and high handedness towards the host communities. A situation that led to the crumbling of Exxon Mobil activities until the Distinguished Senator arrived from Abuja last Friday.

Upon her arrival from Abuja, Esuene who is also the Senate Committee Chairman on Youth and Women Affairs held a meeting with the youth leaders and Chiefs of the communities.  The meeting lasted well over an hour and twenty minutes at the Villa Marina residence of the Distinguished Senator.

Esuene promises employment for youths, women in A’ Ibom

Sen. Helen Esuene, Senator representing Eket Senatorial District has promised to provide compulsory employment to all employable persons in Akwa Ibom state if voted to become Governor Godswill Akpabio’s successor in 2015.

She made the assertion while addressing her teaming supporters who thronged to confirm their support and solidarity visit in Villa Marina Hotel in Eket.

Esuene who is the Chairman of Senate Committee on Women Affairs and Youths Development, said she has the way withal to provide employment that would raise the standard of living of the people.

24 AK-NYCN Chapters set to endorse OBA

All is set for the grand endorsement of former Commissioner for Finance, Obong Bassey Albert, who has been given the coinage: OBA, by no less a group than the constitutionally recognized youth group, the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Akwa Ibom State Chapter.

It was gathered that 24 out of 31 Local Government Chapter Executives of NYCN met with OBA in his Uyo residence shortly after the funeral service in honour of the mother of State Secretary of Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Mrs. Atim Ime Akpabio, at the weekend to finalize arrangements for what they said would be a massive political breakthrough.

At the meeting which featured some prominent chapter chairmen like Tony (Ibiono Ibom), Ifiok (Uyo), Ekom (Ini), and David (Eket), each Local Government Chapter was given initial logistics funds with a promise of mobility vehicle to each Local Government Chapter.

Foundation honours A’Ibom Ex-Rural Devp. Commissioner, wife

The result-oriented and purposeful leadership style, patriotic commitment to quality service delivery, selfless service to humanity, humility, integrity and exceptional performance in government business exhibited by the immediate Past Commissioner for Rural Development, Barr. Effiong Abia, has continued to earn him the goodwill of Akwa Ibom people at home and in the Diaspora.

The Gideon’s Global Empowerment Foundation and Akwa Ibom people in Rivers State are not left out in the avalanche of groups, organizations and eminent Nigerians who fall over themselves to celebrate a loyal and detribalized Politician with varied experiences in the management of human and material resources.

The Gideon’s Global Empowerment Foundation, Rivers State, a foundation committed to the empowerment of the less privileged, widows and the needy, whose membership cuts across the country, last weekend honoured Barr. Effiong Abia and wife, Barr Mrs. Iquo Abia with Grand Patron and Matron Awards.

Ak Dep Gov charges NEMA on quality of relief materials

Akwa Ibom State Deputy Governor, Lady Valerie Ebe, has called on National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to improve on the quality of relief materials sent to the state.

Lady Ebe, who is the Chairman of State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), stated this when members South-South Zone of NEMA, led by its Coordinator, Dr Onimode Bandele, who in state on inspection of disaster intervention programmes, called on her at Government House, Uyo.

The Deputy Governor said NEMA, as a proactive emergency agency, has risen to the challenges posed by disaster nationwide.

THE INK gives back to the poor BY KENNETH JUDE

As part of her social corporate responsibility to the society, one of the fastest rising newspapers in the state, The INK, took a giant step towards bringing succour and relief to the less privileged as they feted such fellows with tones of love and gifts items penultimate Thursday.

The Ink family, led by her Editor-in-Chief, Mr. Nsibiet John toured the three senatorial districts of Eket, Ikot Ekpene and Uyo in Akwa Ibom State with numerous food items and toiletries meant for the down trodden as part of programs marking her One Year Anniversary.

The first port of call was the motherless babies’ home, Idung Iniang in Eket, where the team was warmly welcomed by the caregivers led by the matron, Mrs. Mercy Umoh.  She conducted the Ink family round the various wards in the Home, explaining the conditions of the 21(twenty one) inmates in their custody and expressing happiness at the presents offered by the team.

Governor Akpabio moves to resolve oil spill face-off

The State Governor, Chief Dr Godswill Obot Akpabio has assured the restive communities in Ibeno and Esit Eket affected by the oil spill that the contentious issues will be resolved as soon as possible.

Speaking through the Honourable Commissioner for Environment and Mineral Resources, Prince Enobong Uwah, who visited the area to interface with the youths of the community, Governor Akpabio appealed for calm, noting that all complains by the communities against Exxon Mobil has been noted and will be addressed in a meeting slated for Wednesday, July 10, 2014 so that amicable and lasting solutions will be proffered for the problems.

Prince Enobong Uwah who commended the angry youths for their show of restraint and co-operation, with him and vacating the Mobil Air strip and other facilities which they had occupied and blockaded. Commissioner Uwah observed that, their grievances can only be addressed in an atmosphere of peace and security and not when there is strife and lawlessness which he said will earn nothing.

2015 Guber: My Chances are High - Umoette

 Mr. Robert Umoette is a businessman and a veteran in Real Estate Development and Hospitality. He is the actualizer of “Ukara Nnyin 2015”. In this interview with journalists in Uyo, he speaks of his plans to alleviate unemployment, engage in capacity building and other issues if elected Governor. Excerpts:

 How would you describe the victory of PDP in Ekiti and what do you think are the prospects of PDP in the South West?
 I had said it long before now that PDP is more grassroots than APC as such, PDP has the capacity to take over the entire South West and the outcome of the Ekiti governorship elections only goes to buttress the obvious. Osun is next and afterwards, the others in 2015. PDP is a party for the people and this is and would be demonstrated in subsequent elections.

How would you describe the current level of political awareness in Akwa Ibom in the build-up to the 2015 governorship election?
 The fact is that political awareness is very high as the people want to know the person’s interest in the affairs of the state come 2015 before they can make a decision. The consciousness level of the people is such that they want to know what each aspirant is offering, as you cannot seek to govern just for the sake of it. They also want to know about the character and personality of the aspirants.

The sincerity of parenting

Just a few months ago, I had a moment of awakening. “If your vision doesn’t make you a better person, nothing else will”. That was the sentence that rang on my mind. I just couldn’t shake it off. Then as I pondered and meditated, so much became even clearer to me.

Let’s look at that sentence again; “If your vision doesn’t make you a better person, nothing else will”. Let’s try  to interchange the word “vision” with the following words; “responsibility”, “passion”. “If your responsibility doesn’t make you a better person, nothing else will”. “if your passion doesn’t make you a better person will”.

These sentences appear to be a bit extreme, right? Especially, from the perspective of grace.  The knowing that God’s love abounds inspite of who we are, makes it a bit challenging for the above sentences to sit in our consciousness. By the end of this blog, you should at least understand my perspective.

Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron spits fire over report

The Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron has described the news report on a state based tabloid, not THE INK as the rantings of frustrated individuals whose stock in trade is to whip up public sentiments in matters they are ignorant of.

The institution also viewed the opening paragraph of the contemptuous and sponsored article that the academy was enmeshed in fraud and frustration from the Management and the Federal Government as laughable, baseless, misleading and wondered how a disgruntled individual or group of persons have become investigating agencies that could have found an administration, which is rapidly transforming the school into an international best standards for a Maritime University status, rather than misdeeds.

Look around, look within BY SAMUEL UFOT EKEKERE

While driving on the road of life, we often get to across road. This happens to everyone. You are frustrated out of ideas and query the inadequacies of your capabilities. You might have painted the future picture you are driving at and you seem very certain to reach there at your current pace but alas, it just happens that you find yourself lost at the center of nowhere. 

If you have felt this way, know you are never alone. Every person had to go through the same trying time as you. If they came through theirs, you can and will.

Imagine a child who has lost his way. He knows where he is heading to but he is unsure which road leads there. Sure, tears may drop from his eyes and he may fret or worry. That’s what happens when we lose sight of where we intend to be. The great news is, you have a picture or a place you are desirous to reach. The bad news is, you are lost.

2015: Understanding Udom Emmanuel’s perceptions of governance BY JOSEPH OKON

Generally, Governance is the concrete activity that reproduces a formal or informal organization. If the organization is a formal one, governance is primarily about what the relevant “governing body” does. If the organization is an informal, governance is primarily about the rules and norms that guide the relevant activity. Basically, governance is the way the rules and actions are produced, sustained, and regulated. It is very clear that governance does not only apply to the running of government alone but where every there is leadership.

Every leadership comes with it approach to governance which explains the person’s perceptions about governance. Though governance means different things to different people base on their perceptions, it is important to really understand individual perceptions of leadership in a particular capacity.

For the Secretary to AkwaIbom State Government, Mr Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, governance is all about people since it has a lot to do with government and leadership. His unique approach of putting the people first especially the poor and less privileged ones in the society stands him out from the crowed power seekers.