Saturday, March 29, 2014

‘LOVE FOR ALL, THE KEY TO PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE’ – GOV AKPABIO



Governor Godswill Akpabio has charged the people of the state not to relent in their show of love to one another for peaceful coexistence.
Represented by his deputy, Lady Valerie Ebe, during a joint stakeholders’ meeting for a peaceful resolution and adoption of a common position on the communal conflict between Eyo Abasi and Idua communities in Oron Local Government Area, on Tuesday, March 18, 2014, the Governor said the step for peace initiated by the two communities was highly commendable.
Governor Akpabio said the people of the area were civilized people as such should thrive to remain civilize by keeping to the terms reached at the meeting, emphasizing that defaulters will not only attract the wrath of government but that of God.
Speaking earlier, the Chief Whip and member representing Mbo State Constituency, Mrs. Alice Ekpenyong, said the ‘Eyo Abasi-Idua’ crisis has led to loss of lives and properties worth millions of naira.
She expressed appreciation to the State Government for its speed in bringing lasting solution to the crisis, calling on the people of the area to have
one mind for the envisaged peace to be real.
Her Oron/Udung Uko counterpart, Chief Jerome Isangedighi, expressed happiness that lasting peace was coming to the area, saying “Today is one of the happiest day of my life seeing all those who were at war with themselves coming together to seek lasting peace.”
He urged the people of the area to shun anti-social vices, love and embrace each other for development to thrive.
In his remarks, the Chairman of Oron Local Government Council, Mr. Orman Esin, expressed delight to see peace return to the area in his tenure and thanked the State Governor for responding to the yearnings of the people of the area.
Also speaking, the Paramount Ruler of Oron, Owong Odiong Akan, appealed to the Governor to promote activities that will engage youths of the area and also ensure the implementation of the decisions of the tribunal set up.
Others who also spoke for the peaceful coexistence of the people of the area included the Clan Head of Idua, Owong I. O. Ekeng; that of Eyo Abasi, Owong Francis Eyo; youth leaders of communities, victor Okon, Ini Eyonkere, and Chief Okon Asuquo.

Monday, March 24, 2014

IMPROVE YOUR PROJECT QUALITY- Akpabio charges NDDC


Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State has once again challenged the leadership of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) on the need to provide quality projects to the people of the Region.

Akpabio who gave the charge weekend at a dinner organised by the State Government for the Management and Board Members of NDDC who were in Uyo for a retreat noted,

“The first thing I like to advise is the quality of your projects. Let NDDC also do quality projects for the Niger Delta so that we don’t have to repeat and keep spending so much money on maintenance. Take it as your personal house, if you want to give your children something, you would give them the best. Do the same and that is when you would have a final thank you”.

He advised NDDC to borrow a leaf from the quality of projects done in Akwa Ibom State, and advised them to assess the performance  of the Commission since inception in order to know if it has lived to the expectation for which it was formed.

“I cannot criticise NDDC. I believe you have done well within the beginning of your structure. May be if the structures were different, you would have also performed differently. But this board should take stock of NDDC’s performance since formation and see whether NDDC has fared well. If you are satisfied then that is it, if you are not satisfied, then change gear”. He said

Akpabio however expressed confidence that with the current Managing Director of NDDC, Mr. Bassey Dan-Abia, the Commission would assume new status and solicited cooperation and support for him.

“I have no doubt that the Managing Director will manage well because he was a commissioner in my cabinet before coming there. I remember I put him there twice to represent Akwa Ibom people. So, he knows the problem of NDDC very well and I want to urge for support to him.

“Most often, the problem of NDDC in the past has been in-fighting among the top managing members of the board. You all know how you were appointed and your tenure is in your hands. If you decide to do the complete four years good but if you decide that we nominate new people before 2015, we will do that. One of the things that can help you is humility and the fear of God."

"I advise you to cooperate with one another, keep an open mind; don’t look for somebody’s downfall. If you see somebody making mistake, correct that person,” the Governor advised.

He called for restructuring of NDDC project sharing formula, saying “In NDDC, you are not to suppose to share projects according to the size of representatives, you share things according to oil production. It is meant to alleviate the sufferings of the oil-producing communities and your job is to enhance the living standard despite the ecological damage caused by oil exploration and exploitation. So, you must obtain the indices from revenue mobilization and from DPI and use that as the basis for sharing your projects”.

The NDDC Board Chairman, Mr. Ewa Henshaw described the new structure of NDDC as a divine call, noting “From the time we were inaugurated, we have bonded effectively. What I want to assure His Excellency is that this board will serve for four years”.

The choice of Uyo for the retreat, According to Henshaw was neither his decision nor that of the MD but that of the NDDC staff, stating “Uyo has provided us with a platform for what we have christened this evening 'Uyo declaration'. I can tell you that all the staff and board have keyed into that declaration; and we have told ourselves that all the things that used to happen in the NDDC in the past have died.

 “Our declarations in Uyo this evening include a number of realities. One of it is that we have determined that NDDC must work differently. We would try and emulate you to produce quality work.  We want to partner you and that partnership will mean that we would begin to produce quality work that will outlive us. One or two of the contractors that you have used, I have already spoken to them. I have given them simple conditions that whatever road we built must stand for 50 years,” he said.

NYSC flag-off skills acquisition for corps members



The National Youth Service Corps on Monday in Akwa Ibom flagged-off a Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) scheme for corps members across the country.
The Director General of NYSC Brig.-Gen. Johnson Olawunmi, who flagged-off the scheme at the state orientation camp said the programme would ensure that corps members become self reliant.
Olawunmi said the Federal Government has directed the NYSC to create a department that would be responsible for sensitising corps members to learn a skill during their national service year.
He said that the sensitisation would help them develop a skill to become job creators instead of job seekers.
He said NYSC was interested in the employment of corps members and therefore the establishment of the scheme to address the issue of unemployment after service.
“It is common knowledge that there is generally a global economic recession. Nigeria as a country is not an exemption of the swift change happening in the world of jobs.
“The reality of dearth of wage employment opportunities by Nigerian youths and graduates calls for great concern.
“The NYSC has been directed by the Federal Government to establish the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) department.
“The department is saddled with the responsibility of sensitising corps members to the practical realities of the Nigerian job market, thereby providing the foundation on entrepreneurship.
“This will make our erstwhile corps members employers of labour and not job seekers,” he said.   
The director general advised the corps members to make best use of the opportunity as the training would help them in future.
In his comment, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Youths Development, Dr Henry Akpan, said the federal government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Bank of Industry to finance the scheme.
Akpan said that government employment and private sectors could not provide enough jobs for the teeming graduates in the country.
He disclosed that a National Youths Development Fund would soon be established to make funds available for youths empowerment.
The State Coordinator of NYSC, Mr Akinkunmi Martins, listed the areas of skills training to include: agro allied product like poultry, fish breeding and feed production.
Others include; bread baking, dress making, ICT training, film and photography production, cosmetology and food and preservatives.
Highpoints of the event was the inspection of a guard of honour by the permanent secretary and the director general mounted by the corps members and flag-off a Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) scheme for corps members across the country.

Police Nab certificates racketeers in Akwa Ibom


Nigeria Police Akwa Ibom Command has arrested two man syndicates in possession of large quantity of university degrees, HND and NYSC exemption certificates in Akwa Ibom.
The State Commissioner of Police Mr Umar Gwadabe, disclosed this in Uyo on Tuesday while briefing newsmen on the activities of the command.
Gwadabe who was represented by the PPRO Etim Dickson (DSP), listed the two suspects as Mr Ubong Joseph of No 2 Sanni Ogun road Ikot Ekpene and Mr Thompson Edet of No 9 Ebukabuka street Calabar in Cros River.
He said that the certificates found with the suspects bear different names other than that of the two suspects.
“On March 11, 2014, at about 1200 hours, the police detectives in Ikot Ekpene arrested Ubong Joseph Udoh male of No. 2 Sanni Ogun road Ikot Ekpene and Thompson Essien Edet male of No. 9 Ebukabuka street Calabar.
“A two man syndicates in possession of a large quantity of University degrees, HND certificates and NYSC certificates, bearing names other that of the suspects.
“The duo specialized in forgery of certificates and other academics documents. Items recovered from them include; one degree certificates of Imo State University, Five HND certificates of Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic Ikot Asurua.
“One NYSC exemption certificates, two official transcripts of academic records from the Akwa Ibom state polytechnic and two Cross River State University of Technology, Calabar transcripts,” he said.
The commissioner also said that the police within the month have uncovered a baby factory at No.19 Nepa Line Ikot Ekpene.
He said that following a tip off, the police also arrested Ms Ima Akpan aged 35 and another woman popularly known as “Mama Nurse” now at large were operating illegal baby factory.
He said that two of the expectant mothers, Ikwo Johnson and Joy Micheal, disclosed to the police that they were enticed to the trade because of the monetary gains as a male child is sold for N400, 000 while a girl child goes N350, 000.
Umar mentioned that seven suspects arrested in the raid were mostly teenagers with pregnancy, while one delivered in the police medical centre.
He further disclosed that the command also arrested a car thieves who drugged food and drinks for taxi driver and dispossessed him of his car and phone.
Speaking to our correspondent  Ubong Joseph who specialized in certificates racketeering said that the certificates belonged to his late father.
He said that his late father Joseph Udoh, brought the certificates to their house.
Ubong said that his late father had worked with the Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic before he died.
He said, “My father brought the certificates to the house. He used to keep them in the house.”
However, he said his father died on Oct. 3, 2013 while NYSC certificates found in his possession were issued on November 2013