Abak main park committee pledges support for Imoh Williams

The Chairman, Abak Main Motor Park Committee, Mr. Anietie Simeon has said that members of the committee will work together with the Executive Chairman of Abak local government area, Hon. Barr. Imoh Williams to enable him succeed in the task of taking Abak local government area to the next level of development.

Mr. Simeon who spoke with our reporter yesterday at Abak, expressed gratitude to God for making it possible for him to be appointed as the Chairman of Abak Main Park and thanked the Executive Chairman, Barr. Imoh Williams for finding him fit to occupy the office.

The Park Chairman promised to emulate Barr Imoh Williams who he said has good plans and vision for Abak local government area. “The Executive Chairman, Hon. Barr. Imoh Williams has good plans for Abak. 

Paul Bassey has taken Akwa United to greater heights - Coach Umoh

A football tactician in the state, Coach Aniekan Umoh has said that the appointment of a seasoned sports administrator, Elder Paul Bassey as the Chairman of Akwa United Football Club about two years ago was the best thing to happen to the State-owned Premier League Side.

Coach Umoh who is the Assistant Coach of Ibom Angels Footbal Club of Uyo, noted that Elder Paul Bassey has used his wealth of experience to transform Akwa United and has taken the team to greater height.

He said during the tenure of Elder Paul Bassey as the Chairman, Akwa United last season finished 4th on the Premier League table, the best in their history and has also won the AITEO Cup, thereby becoming the first team in the Country to win the competition which was formerly known as “Federation Cup”

The Ibom Angels Assistant Coach saluted Elder Paul Bassey for new innovations being introduced into the team. He described the handing over of the team into the hands of God before the commencement of the league season as highly commendable. “There is nothing you can do successfully without God.

Black Friday: Fuel Station guts fire, injures many in Mbierebe

BY KINGSLEY UDUAK

It was a black Friday last        weekend in Mberiebe Obio, Uyo where a popular fuel station namely GWT PET LTD, situated opposite Mbierebe Obio Market gutted   by  unsuspected inferno, which led to a stampede leaving many injured.

The inferno which started at about 5:13pm lasted till 11:00pm, according to eyewitness  was  caused by a little spark in a Petrol tanker that was driven to the fuel station so as to deliver petrol for commercial reasons.

THE INK gathered that it took an assiduous effort of the Akwa Ibom State Fire Service Team to put off the inferno after exhausting not less than two tankers of water and the incident had caused traffic jam on Aka Etinan Road and  Ring Road Junction since security agents from the Nigerian Police   Force stopped  motorists from plying Mberiebe Obio Road to Etinan Local Government Area.

According to a trader who sell Onions in the  Makert, Mrs Glory Udo Attah said, “It was around some minutes  past five that a certain tanker just arrived inside the filling station. So we heard shout, later I ran and left my goods when I saw how fire was burning the tanker, driver and the conductor who was trying to jump out of the tanker”.

Hypestation Young Persons/Man of the Year Awards holds Wednesday

The role of the youths in any society that needs to develop cannot be overemphasized and that is why Hypestation Nigeria through its annual award event or Young Persons of the Year Awards, celebrates their effort for creating impact in their immediate communities for sustainable development through leadership, creativity/innovation, community/social development.

Since the inception of this project in 2015, 8 young persons in total have been enlisted as “Hypestation Young Persons of the Year”. From just being an online review and award for young people in Akwa Ibom who have achieved, excelled in their various fields of endeavours and also impacted their immediate environment, it has moved to making its debut outing as an event.

This move is to solidify our commitment to show how much we appreciate hard work and selfless service community development of individuals, especially by the young.

2019: OBA walks tight rope …Akpabio, Nelson Effiong face hurdles

BY KENNETH JUDE

Senator Bassey Albert’s quest for another shot at the Senate may have hit the rocks following the indication by Hon. Kufre Etuk of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to run for the position in next year’s polls.

This more was revealed during a breakfast meeting organised by Hon. Kufre Etuk held in Uyo at the recently for the people of Atai Uyo.

In a gathering that was well attended by political heavyweights from the four local government  areas of Uruan, Uyo, Ibesikpo and Nsit Atai comprising Atai Uyo, Hon. Etuk, noted that there is need to ensure equity and justice in the power sharing formula in Uyo federal constituency. The former member of the 

Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, stressed that it’s time for oppressors to desist from their actions for the peace and growth of the constituency.

According to him, political parties do not change people but it’s the people that bring development. 

“No political party can change anybody. A bad person in APC will never become a good person in PDP and vice versa,” he stated.

“2018 Akwa Ibom State Budget Proposal is over-ambitious” - Civil Society Group

The proposed “2018 Budget of Consolidation on Industrialization” for Akwa Ibom State which stands at N651.5billion has been described as “the most bloated budget in the history of the state”. 

In a statement released today by a leading Civil Society Organization, Policy Alert, and signed by its Acting Executive Director, Tijah Bolton Akpan, the group asked the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly to “cut down on the budget size because the performance of the capital budget in the past few years has been unimpressive”.

The statement noted: “Among the important indices that should inform growth in budget size are improved year on year capital budget performance, population growth and the general growth of the economy. It is clear from any cursory examination that Akwa Ibom State’s capital budget performance has been unimpressive in recent years at between 30 to 40 percent. 

Ikot Ekpene Federal seat: Essien Udim Youths blast Emmanuel Akpan picks Nsikak Ekong

BY KINGSLEY UDUAK

In every political setting both in Nigeria and the world at large, there is always a system  of agreement  when power is pursued and executed . This agreement is commonly unconstitutional however, it is a strong method for the prove of  growing polity .

In Nigeria today it is popularly known as zoning system. This system has helped greatly  for the peace of  Nigeria’s nascent politics.

Surprisingly, most political office holders at assuming office maybe because of the common human greed will want to  destroy the zoning system  to the detriment of  aspiring candidates who are eying their offices.

Some of these politicians will want to  be in office  for more than the agreed zoned  tenure, while some will wish to stay in  office forever.

Effiong Bob accusers are on assumption – Anietie Akpan

It is sad that some miscreants would venture to suggest that Senator Effiong Bob, FCIArb, had a hand in the arrest of one Blessing Mbakara for the kidnap of one Mrs. Ekaette Uboh of Ikot Esen - Ubium in Nsit Ubium LGA. That is rather a silly assumption. The truth is, if having carried out their investigations, the police find Blessing Mbakara culpable, shouldn’t the law take its course?

It is funny how Nigerians expect the police to do a good job, but when it affects their interest, they want it to be otherwise. 

Three or four months since the woman got missing, is it not time to expect results from the police? Now some miscreants are tying the police arrest of Blessing Mbakara to her declaration of interest in the House of Assembly seat come 2019. How irresponsible of them! If it is true that she is responsible for the disappearance of the woman, was she wanting to evade justice by her declaration?

Akwa Ibom renaissance declares support for APC * demands slots for FG appointment

The leadership and members of Akwa Ibom Renaissance, a socio political group, comprising of about five thousand members spread across the 329 wards in the state have pledged their unalloyed loyalty and support  to  President Muhammadu Buhari led administration as well as vowed to mobilize and support the political party in forthcoming elections.

In a communique made available to newsmen after an enlarged meeting of the body held in Uyo,  the Chairman, Mr. Anthony Bassey and Secretary, Barr. Udeme Ekott commended the Presidency for revamping the country’s ailing economy, anticorruption fight and other social ills in the polity.

The organisation also thanked the President for the appointment of over 28 sons and daughters of Akwa Ibom into various federal boards and paracatals but pleaded that the youths should be considered in subsequent appointment. 

Transport Stakeholders to Udom: Sack Orman Esin now ...Accuse Commissioner of double standards

BY KENNETH JUDE

Miffed by his meddlesomeness, stakeholders in the transport sector have called for the sack of Commissioner for Transport and Petroleum Resources, Mr. Orman Esin, over what they described as his incompetence to run the ministry.

They made their position known to newsmen in Uyo at the weekend.

The stakeholders decried the fact that Orman Esin has sidelined them in the affairs of the ministry of transportation in the state especially as regards the management of motor parks.

They faulted the recent news making the rounds to the effect that a new tax regime will be in place beginning Monday, 29th January. According to them, they argued that  in as much as they agreed to some changes to be effected in the tariff rate, they never consented to whatever the Commissioner published in the media.

Reeling out the figures, the stakeholders said that for the purposes of registration, they agreed that the sum of N24, 000 should be paid by commercial bus owners, N17, 000 for taxi operators and N3,500 for tricyclists (keke operators). They noted that there was no provision for renewal in the agreement hence condemned in its entirety, the recent publications in the media credited to the Commissioner.

They described the publication as a misrepresentation and distortion of facts that contradicts the agreement reached between the Ministry of Transport and Stakeholders in the transport sector.

Gov. Udom’s administration will sustain Agricultural Development in Akwa Ibom - Ufot Ebong

The Senior Special Assistant to Akwa       Ibom State Governor, Mr. Ufot Ebong has urged Akwa Ibomites who are land owners to come forth and partner with the Akwa Ibom Enterprise and Employment Scheme,(AKEES) in terms of agriculture to develop their lands.

He spoke with our Reporter in Uyo, against the backdrops of doubts in the minds of some persons who felt the program was not real.

Ufot Ebong stated that, there are farms across the states, with Akwa Ibomites bring trained on tomatoe farming, concumber, bitrus, and other crops. 

The SSA stated that, there are some farm soils that are limed, to aid the growth of farm produce. According to him, the water reservoir used for irrigation process, is also used for fish farming, which its manure helps the growth of the vegetables.

Akwa Ibom Information Ministry to spend N1.8Billion in 2018

Activities of the Ministry of Information and Strategy in Akwa Ibom State for the 2018 fiscal year will focus on the propagation of Governor Udom Emmanuel’s achievements based on his Five-point Agenda of Wealth Creation, Infrastructural consolidation and expansion, job creation, economic and political inclusion as well as poverty alleviation.

This achievement according to the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Charles Udoh would only be made possible if the ministry is able to access the required funding for the prosecution of the outlined programmes and projects in the information sector. An estimated sum of N1.8 billion is the amount proposed by the ministry for this purpose.

Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Charles Udoh made the disclosure on Thursday while defending the fiscal estimate of his ministry for 2018 before the House of Assembly Committee on Appropriation and Finance. 

The Information boss explained that of the total estimated budgetary provision, the repositioning of the non functional Government Printing Press is to gulp, N50 million, while the Akwa Ibom Newspaper Corporation would require N50 million for its projects and programmes for the year which includes, the construction of administrative block as well as capacity development for staffers of the newspaper house.