Health Commissioner warns against poor attitude to work

BY NSEOBONG DAVID

The Honourable Commissioner for Health, Dr. Dominic Ukpong has cautioned workers in health institutions in the state who are no longer interested in working for government to resign their appointment.

This warning is contained in a Press Release signed by the Information Officer of the Ministry, Mrs. Mayen Atakpa.

Dr. Ukpong gave this warning when he was on unscheduled visit to the General Hospital Amamong, Okobo as part of his monitoring and inspection of health facilities in the State and discovered that the medical superintendent and key staff were not at work and frequently took French leaves.  

Fresh trouble hits Akpabio’s dynasty …Nsentip faces litigation over N52m debt

One of the Akpabios Nsentip Akpabio appears to have bitten off more than he can chew over his alleged conversion and illegal seizure of the sum of fifty two million naira belonging to volt-Amp Ltd, an Electrical Engineering company.

Volt –Amp Ltd which is presided over by Engr. U. T Essien had sometimes ago raised the alarm that Nsentip Akpabio who is one of the Directors in Pyramid Engr. Construction Co. Ltd since February 2011 has withheld funds meant for Volt-Amp illegally.

Volt – Amp according to a letter from Mike Ozekhome’s Chambers leaked from Nsentip Akpabio’s office to our reporter said, it had employed all friendly and Diplomatic Efforts to get Nsentip Akpabio pay to the company the said sum of money but that all treatises has always fallen on deaf ears.

Hon. (Barr) Aniefiok Dennis Akpan ...His benevolent reflections in lawmaking

Benevolence is a matter of gods and the few humans that understand that the unction of receiving in hundred-folds is a function of giving freely. Thus, philanthropy becomes the secret elixir that sustains humanity.

This axiom is no more justified, than in the life, endeavours and aspirations of the Chairman, House Committee on Judiciary,Justice,Human Right & Public Petition of the 6th Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Hon. (Barr.) Aniefiok Dennis Akpan; whose living has continued to impact positively and deposit blessings in the lives of hundreds and thousands that are fortunate to cross his path daily.

The great people of Etinan State Constituency who stand to benefit the more from his kind gestures- as their representative- than others, have never been more hallowed and opportuned than now that this mighty hand stands to serve and represent their interest in the Legislative Chambers of AKHA.

In just last year, through the assertive and rallying voice of Barr. Dennis Akpan more positive impacting projects had been attracted to the constituency than in any other time.

Gov Udom preaches peace, security for Development ...As 11 Clan Heads receive certificates of recognition

BY OFONIME UDOTU

Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has charged the traditional rulers to maintain decorum in their domains to attract development to the people. The governor gave the charge during the presentation of certificates of recognition to clan heads in the state. 

The Governor who was represented by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Udo Ekpenyong advised the newly recognized clan heads to obey the Paramount Rulers who presided over Traditional Rulers Council at the local government level. Stressing that they are certified agents of government at the grassroots and appealed to them not be formant trouble, but to report crimes and criminality to the approved government agencies for the law to take its course.

The governor said that there are over 600 chieftaincy matters in counts which he described as worrisome.  He called on aspirants to traditional stools to opt for meditation by the relevant government departments to resolve the matter amicably, saying that the state government would soon embark on massive 

Agriculture programme which would call for use of land. Governor Emmanuel emphasized that the synergy between the government and the traditional institutions to strengthen and sanitize the grassroots for development. He thanked them for 2015 support.

Planned mass protest by 2 Face is unpatriotic and meaningless ...Fmr Commissioner Law Reforms Paul Udo

The planned mass protest instigated by music icon Mr. Innocent Ujah Idibia popularly known as 2 Face Idibia for today Monday against the administration of President Buhari has been condemned by a former Commissioner in the Akwa Ibom State Law Reform Commission, Hon. Paul Umoh Udo. 

The Eket born Politician who is now a State caucus member of APC described the “sponsored” mass protest as very unpatriotic and meaningless bearing in mind President Buhari’s effort in “revamping an economy that was ravaged by corruption and mismanagement over the years by previous administrations” 

Hon. Udo made the condemnation in Eket on Saturday during a “thank you” meeting he organized for his friends in the diaspora who attended the burial of his late mother penultimate week.  

AKSG hails frontier oil

 Governor Udom Emmanuel in group photograph with Council members of Qua Iboe Church and United Evangelical Church after a reconciliatory meeting in Uyo.

The Akwa Ibom Government has lauded Frontier Oil Limited and Seven Uquo Gas Limited for doling out the sum of N100 million to students of tertiary institutions in the state.

Mr Paul Udofia, the Commissioner for Education, made the commendation at the events of presentation of 2016 FOL-SUGL educational grant in Eket Local Government Area of the state. He noted that the grant would help to sustain the free and compulsory education project of the state government. 

He expressed appreciation to the company for partnering the state government to educate the people of Akwa Ibom, saying that government alone can’t provide the need of all the education in the state.

Udofia, represented by Mrs Helen Amte, Executive Secretary of Akwa Ibom Scholarship Board, commended the company for fulfilling some aspects of the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the authorities.

AKSU Inaugurates New SUG Executive

Akwa Ibom State University has inaugurated its second Students’ Union Government (SUG). The new executives were inaugurated into their respective offices, on 1st Feb. 2017 at the University’s Main Campus, Ikot Akpaden, Mkpat Enin Local Government Area. 

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the new President of the Union, Comrade Ikobong Ekette, said, “I will first of all like to congratulate us all for the successes recorded in the just concluded election. Ladies and gentlemen, for the  three months, we have planned, strategized and campaigned vigorously to secure your mandate; we have looked critically and very closely into the problems bedeviling our students especially, those of welfare and security, the availability of the solutions to these problems are at our disposal which prompted our decision to seek for this ultimate challenge, even when some electorate misconducts had propelled for the cancellation of the earlier election, I thank the management for deeming it fit to reschedule the election.

Uku Itu Cultural festival: Celebrating an Ancient Trade route

Tourism enthusiasts will agree that Akwa Ibom State is filled with natural, cultural and historical sites with exciting tourism prospects. Nevertheless, while every community in the state has something remarkable to show, Itu Local Government Area is unarguably an epic.

With its beautiful hilly landscape, undulating vegetation accentuated by cascading waterfalls, thunderous rivers and crystal clear streams and ponds, this magical place paints a picture of biblical Eden.

Its people are, from time immemorial, welcoming, hospitable and innovative. Little wonder early European traders established a large trading post here. 

According to a version of historical records, Itu got its name from large aquatic mammals – manatees that colonized its fresh water creeks.

AKBC test-runs live internet radio, targets 100m listeners

The radio service of Akwa Ibom State Broadcasting Corporation (AKBC) Uyo has successfully test run its internet radio platform, a global app that comes with a 24/7 interactive live cast, a quick scan code that allows users connect within a second and is available on all app stores. The platform will transmit live broadcast and archive audio services to over three billion internet users across worldwide. 

The internet radio platform is powered by the New Media Aide to Governor Udom Emmanuel Mrs. Meflyn Anwana, in collaboration with Prince Afojeare Campbell of Gosporella International. 

Millions of people around the world can get live updates of Akwa Ibom State Government plans and policies, cultures and values as well as the limitless investment opportunities that abound. 

Nigeria’s recession is an outcome of massive corruption—NAS International President

BY ASSAM ABIA

Mr Aurthur Boje, the International President of National Association of Seadogs (NAS), has said the current economic recession facing the country is an outcome of massive corruption over the past years. 

Boje made the assertion during the Association quarterly meeting in Eket Local Government Area of the state on Saturday, saying the economic recession is not natural but manmade. 

He noted that recession was upspringing of mismanagement of public funds and natural resources in the country. 

“I live outside the country, I have experienced recession in Europe and America but recession in Nigeria is different. If you stamp out corruption, there will be no recession. 

The narrow road to common sense

The Narrow Route to Common Sense! By Nimi Princewill

A typical African, gets really defensive and quickly irritated when the vast areas of his or her intellectual shortcomings are highlighted and compared to people of other races, who by the way, have proven to make better decisions at numerous spheres of national life. 

We’re quick to condemn criticism however sincere or polite, classifying it as racist, even if it were from a fellow African! Indeed, common sense isn’t quite common after all... 

From the overwhelming backwardness of the African continent, one can be almost certain to conclude that the bulk of Africans are ‘blessed’ with specially configured minds that rarely THINK! We just empower the brilliant and crafty few amongst us to do the thinking, while we tag along like abducted little children, lured away with sugar candies by their abductors after school.

First ever syringe manufacturing company arrives Akwa Ibom

Mr. Onur Kumral is the Managing Director VKS group of companies, with its subsidiary, Jubilee Syringe Manufacturing Limited, set to establish the first ever syringe manufacturing company in sub-sahara Africa, in Akwa Ibom State.

In this interview with Godwin Akpan of THE LOVE OF NIGERIA recently in Uyo, the Turkish-born spoke on several issues, including the reason behind the coming in of Jubilee syringe in Nigeria.

Excerpts:

QUESTION: VKS Nigeria Construction Limited has been in the country for three years now, undertaking major construction works in Akwa Ibom State. In 2016, your company made some strides in the area of road construction in the state. What are some of those achievements you recorded last year despite the recession experienced in the year under review?

ANSWERS: The year 2016 was a tough year for growth not only in Nigeria but everywhere in the world. There was recession globally. The economy of the world was not in good shape. But for our company VKS, we had to grow. We do not mourn about setbacks, we make steps to correct and prevent setbacks. ‘Yesterday was good, tomorrow will be better’, this is the principle of our company.

We always make conscious efforts to grow and make progress. Every year we have our projections and work assiduously to meet our projections, prospects and benchmark. We are growing as a company in all the countries we have presence and we will never stop growing.

The year 2017 is the year we have chosen to bring industries to Nigeria. These we have started with Akwa Ibom state as our first destination for industrialization. Governor Udom Emmanuel is keen about bringing industries to his people. And like we have been doing, we will achieve our targets before the year runs out. So it is not just growing in construction, we want to go in to other sectors and start taking actions against the recession.

We always choose an enemy to win, and this year our enemy is the recession. And we will win against recession; I am hundred percent sure about that. In VKS, we do not accept any excuse. If my company can grow, then any other company can grow and give employment to the people.

VKS in 2015 employed about 250 Nigerians. In 2016 we raised it up to 650. This year our target is to give employment to over 2000 Nigerians.