AKS GOVT CANCELS CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYMENT

The employment of qualified applicants into the Akwa Ibom State civil service has been suspended till further notice. This was contained in a letter signed by the Chairman of the State’s Civil Service commission, Mr. J. J. Obot.

The letter we learnt instructed that the issuance of appointed letter, as was earlier announced should be stopped with immediate effect, the said letter also advised the public to discountenance the earlier published list.

Investigations revealed that the decision to shelve the exercise is that the recruitment exercise was marred by irregularities. It was even said that some people were made to pay as much as two hundred thousand naira for their names to be shortlisted and that some persons who were recommended by highly placed persons were not shortlisted.

Our civil service source also revealed that the powerful and highly placed politicians who were irked by the exclusion of their candidates pulled the strings that led to “order from above” to suspend the exercise indefinitely, adding that the said list may be altered if and when it will eventually be released.

Efforts to reach the chairman of the Civil Service Commission of the Information Officer was unsuccessful as at press time.

RED ALERT: BOKO HARAM INVADE AKS *UNIUYO TARGETED *STUDENTS SEND SOS

Reports reaching our newsroom has it that the dreaded terrorist group, boko haram may have perfected plans to attack some locations within Akwa Ibom State, the expected targets include the University of Uyo, which has led to the beefing up of security within the campuses of the University of Uyo.

A security alert dated 6 May, 2014, with reference number; UU/SEC/20/11/271, signed and issued by the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of the University; Lt. Col. NUV Efik (Rtd) stated that intelligence gathered “indicates that the university of Uyo has been earmarked as one of the major targets in the event of an attack in Akwa Ibom State.”

 

Apart from posting on notice boards in all the school’s campuses, the following persons were copied; the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Comfort Ekpo and all principal officers of the institution including Deputy Vice Chancellors, Bursar, Registrar, Deans, Heads of Departments, Directors, Librarians, Provost of College of Health Science and the Students Union President,

Efik called on the university community to raise their security consciousness and report any suspicious activities to the appropriate authority, maintaining that there is need to take preemptive actions in a bid to safeguard their campuses from such attacks.

Some of the precautions adopted by the school’s security department include; locking of the pedestrian gates leading into the annex and town campuses, between 12.00 noon and 3.00pm every Friday, he also said any other measures that may be adopted in future will be communicated accordingly.

It should be noted recently a combined team of Army and Policemen were seen escorting some Hausa men to the Uyo Sports stadium after information had filtered into the state that some of them had come into the state with some parcels of bomb heaped in between some yam tubers heading to the prestigious Akpanandem market.

Reacting to the incident, the Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO) Akwa Ibom State Police Command, Etim Dickson to have said that there was no bomb and that the military and the Police acted on a tip off that some illegal immigrants from outside the country had invaded the state, arguing that they needed to act fast by ensuring that they round up the persons involved and then took them to the Uyo Sports stadium for screening. Etim Dickson said those that came into the state without due process and those whose papers had expired were immediately taken to the immigrations office in Uyo were they will be returned to their country.

He noted that those who were not with resident papers were sent packing, they were sent to the immigrations for them to be repatriated, adding that they were screened at the stadium.

A visit to the institution revealed that students and other members of the institution observed the security measures while routine internal security checks on vehicles have been stepped up.

  

A 300 level, Communication Arts, female student who spoke in confidence said she has been scared of going back to the hostel, since reading the alert. She called on the Akwa Ibom State Government to assist mobilize soldiers to protect them. Another who said she will not go back to the hostel until adequate security is provided appealed to the security agencies to work tirelessly and ensure the school is not attacked.

In the last couple of weeks, security has been beefed up in Akwa Ibom State, especially around some strategic roads and institutions in the State, following widespread suspicion that the dreaded Islamic sect, Boko Haram has threatened to attack the South-South State.

There has been an unusual military presence on some major roads, especially the IBB Way and some Hausa-Fulani locations including the Nasarawa Livestock Markets along the Uyo Village Road, Itam and other settlements.

Unconfirmed report linked the unusual military surveillance on the capital to the alleged seizure recently of large consignment of arms brought into the State in a truck loaded with cows.

Although attempts to establish the truth of the matter failed, security sources said “the suspects were apprehended by the military suicide squad and taken to the Ibagwa Military Barrack in Abak Local Government Area of the State”.

Following this development, tension has been high in the State, forcing security officials to take some pre-emptive measures in some institutions said to have been listed for attack by the Islamists.

In a chat with the Director of Information, University of Uyo; Mr. Godwin Antai disclosed that the measure is a preemptive and proactive one taken by the school, he added that it is a known fact that the boko haram sect always go for crowded target, thus their decision to re-strategize.

When contacted on the matter yesterday, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Etim Dickson (DSP), denied seeing such letter and refrained from making comments.

‘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.

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.