Ukanafun Youth Get N5m Business Support

…Bursaries to be paid in two weeks’ time

Priscilla Akpanettot

The youth population across the 13 Wards of Ukanafun Local Government Area were awash with excitement on Thursday, September 14, 2023, as 65 of them were empowered with cash business support worth over Five Million Naira by the Chairman of the Local Government Area, Pst. Godwin Inyieng.

Fifty Thousand Naira (N50,000) each was given to five members of each Ward, while 260 others received Five Thousand Naira, respectively.

The youth who were gathered in their numbers at the Council Secretariat at Ikot Akpa Nkuk were led by leaders of their respective Units, Wards and Clans in solidarity to the State Governor, Pst. Umo Eno, Council Chairman and his cabinet members.

In his address, Hon. Godwin Inyieng described the youth as the building blocks of society. He commended them for staying faithful and true to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the government of the day and his administration, and for staying on the path of peace.

Acknowledging their steadfastness, the Council Chairman recalled that a lot of them had been enticed by other political parties over the years but remained committed in their stand with the PDP. This, he said, was one of the reasons for calling them together.

Again, he joined them in appreciating the State Governor for his impact in the Local Government within 100 days of his administration.

“We have come to thank His Excellency, Governor Umo Eno for making us feel his impact within 100 days of his administration. The secondary health facility that was supposed to be, had been in a state of limbo for fifteen years but the Governor went there and in a few weeks, work will recommence there that will lead to the construction of the cottage hospital in Ukanafun”.

“Alongside, he has made a pronouncement to intervene in road construction within the medical facility of about 5KM. That is why we’ve come to make this commendation to energize him to do more. Do not forget that two illustrious sons of Ukanafun – Dr. Frank Ekpenyong and Ndiana-Abasi Nana Udom – were among the first set of Senior Special Assistants to be appointed by the Governor. And I can assure you on good authority that more are coming. We came to tell him thank you for what he has done so far”, he said.

“Luckily for us, he is bringing an agricultural program that will employ 2,000 of our youth. It is a program of the state government, being one of the critical components of the ARISE agenda, so we’re at the final stage of donating the land to the state government. And Ukanafun is coming under the first phase of that program. We are thankful to His Excellency.

The Council Chairman who also attributed some of his administration’s success to Pst. Umo Eno’s support seized the opportunity to present his scorecard.  

“We have graded roads in 10 out of 13 Wards. We’ve massively intervened in the Primary Health facility at Ikot Akpa Nkuk which was in a sorry state when we came; we’ve brought a skill acquisition centre to Adat Ifang and a big community water scheme. At the other side of the River, we have a Police station that will soon be commissioned and a school block at Afaha Ikot Akpan”.

"Importantly, 50 indigent students of Ukanafun have been awarded scholarships for two years, worth 10 million naira in various tertiary institutions. Recently, we awarded constituency projects to each of the 13 Councilors in Ukanafun and we have paid 50% of the sum for the projects. We’ve constructed two markets; one in Afaha and one in Ukanafun. These projects will be commissioned in a few weeks from now”, he informed.

Meanwhile, the Council Chairman announced the payment of bursaries to students in the area in less than two weeks from the time of the meeting with the youth. He noted that the payment would be done within the same period his wife would be meeting to appreciate women of the area, in fulfilment of what they had promised to the people.

As he presented the packages, Pst. Inyieng charged the recipients to make judicious use of it in expanding their businesses and ventures. He also advised them to refrain from vices and actions that would put the law against them, spark conflict and jeopardise the peace currently enjoyed in the area.

On receiving the package, some of the recipients shared their excitement with this Reporter. One of them was Owoidighe Isonguyo Udom, a petty trader and indigene of Ward 3 who described the financial support as just what her business needs to keep thriving. She thanked the giver and prayed for divine increase upon him.

Another recipient, Ediong Sunday Inwang of Ward 13 is a commercial driver. He lamented the impact of the fuel subsidy removal and narrated his woes with the vehicle he drives on hire purchase terms. He therefore thanked Hon. Godwin Inyieng for coming through for him at a time of desperate need.

Consequently, the youth conglomerate passed a vote of confidence on the Chairman, his cabinet members and Governor Umo Eno, respectively. The motion for the Vote Confidence were moved by Hon. Emmanuel Eventus Koka, Hon. Umakiso Victor Umoh and Iboro Ubom.

Earlier, the chairman on the occasion and Commissioner One, Local Government Service Commission in the area, Obong Saturday Akpan lauded the youth for coming together and passing a vote of confidence on the Governor, the State Party Chairman, Elder Aniekan Akpan, the entire political leadership in Ukanafun and above all, the Local Government Chairman.

Akpan said the political leadership of the area has taken special notice of the youth's resolve to be together and shun tendencies that would impact negatively on their wellbeing.

He then commended the Council Chaiman for warming himself into the hearts of the youth and for empowering them.

In his remarks, the PDP Chapter Chairman, Elder Godwin Ekpe said the Party was happy to identify with the Council Chairman on the empowerment scheme, and urged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the money.

The youth gathering was attended by the Council’s Vice Chairman, Mrs. Inemesit Akpan; Party Youth Leader, Akanimo Etim; present and former council staff, Councilors and Supervisors; former House members, youth and women groups in Ukanafun.

Projecting Akwa Ibom is everybody's business - Ralph Edem

 

Priscilla Akpanettot

The business of marketing and projecting Akwa Ibom State has been described as a task for every citizen of the State by the Senior Special Adviser to Governor Umo Eno on Brand Management and Marketing.

The Brand strategist said this when the Conference of Online Publishers in Akwa Ibom (COOPA) engaged him in their annual Media Chat on Wednesday, September 15, 2023, at his Office.

The Governor's aide who was responding to questions on how he intends to market the State, vis-a-vis the ARISE Agenda argued that every member of the State community had a responsibility of making the brand known.

"Projecting the Akwa Ibom Brand is all of our responsibility. We're using whatever channels that are available to tell the Akwa Ibom story and present her in positive light to the rest of the world, because there is really no society that is developed on its own. Development has always been a function of different components, including people coming in from different parts of the world, so there can be cross-fertilization of ideas and opportunities to learn from others", he stated.

"As Akwa Ibomites, we need to talk about the positives. We need to talk about the things that make us unique and not being the ones who deride our state. The truth is, Akwa Ibom State is the only state that we have". 

"Akwa Ibom is a place that money can afford to go to. Even when we can say that there is no place on the face of the earth that is completely crime free, those of us who live here know that comparatively, Akwa Ibom is a place a lot of people would rather be, from a security point of view", he submitted.

Speaking on the present administration's steps toward economic development, Edem averred that the Governor was on track the ARISE Agenda.

"We've seen a steady trajectory of government. We've seen the style that Pastor Umo Eno has brought into government, how he has demystified government and brought it closer to the people".

"We have seen a very responsible and responsive leader in Pastor Umo Eno. We are hopeful that with God on our side and with the cooperation of all of our partners and the people, we'll be able to see the light at the end of this very long tunnel", he assured.

On the Governor's intervention to reduce the effect of subsidy removal on citizens, he noted that Governor Umo Eno has been both proactive and reactive, in his response to the people's plight; evidenced in the recent flag-off of the distribution of palliatives at Government Warehouse in Ikot Ekpene Udo, Nsit Ubium. 

"We are hopeful that with the proper governance that we know Pastor Umo Eno is ready to run, in not too long a time, the challenges imposed by fuel subsidy removal will be a thing of the past".

"There is a Leadership and Entrepreneurship Centre which is... going to be bring about different hubs that will give people an opportunity to practice what they learnt in the Leadership and Entrepreneurship Centre, and build a business from there. The government intends to encourage them by also patronising them".

"The Governor himself is an entrepreneur. He has spoken about the fact that those who will benefit from his government are those who are ready to work, not people who beg for a living or wait for handouts", he stressed. 

Meanwhile, the Senior Special Adviser expressed gratitude to the State Governor for finding him fit to be at the fore of marketing the State.

"We are already hoping that we'll be able to do enough to justify the confidence of he who appointed us and more importantly, to meet the expectations of Akwa Ibom people who voted this government into power".

"Mine is not an office that works in isolation. We have a relationship with other MDAs of government because all of us basically, we are working for the people and we want to leave a positive impression on the minds of the people. So my office has that task of ensuring that whatever it is that constitutes the Akwa Ibom brand is projected and marketed", he said.

Govt not quiet about missing Corps Members – Ini Ememobong

Priscilla Akpanettot

Against widely held insinuations that the Akwa Ibom State Government is playing dumb about the missing Prospective Corps Members who left the State for the Sokoto State Orientation Camp, the Commissioner for Information, Comrade Ini Ememobong has stated the reverse.

The Commissioner who spoke with members of the Conference of Online Publishers in Akwa Ibom State (COOPA) on Wednesday, September 14, 2023 stressed that there was no way a government would not be responsive to the plight of her citizens; moreso, those who were apprehended on their quest for a lawful cause.

He however explained that such information is best kept secret for the sake of security.

Ememobong who was being hosted by the foremost online community in the state was speaking on the state of the State and Nation, following the fuel subsidy removal.

He submitted that the State Government was on it's part putting modalities in place to help cushion the effect of the economic inconvenience.

"what the Governor is doing is to ensure that he strategically positions himself so that, if there are negative aspects of the economic programmes of the Federal Government, he can cushion the effects on Akwa Ibom".

"What the Governor seeks to do is keep very close relationship with the government at the centre, irrespective of political party difference, to ensure that if good must come out of that government, Akwa Ibom must benefit and if an unintended wrong happens by what the Federal Government does, that he can cushion the effects here in Akwa Ibom', he said.

"Pastor Umo Eno is not just sharing palliatives but also ensuring that even at the village level, not one man sitting to share. He says the palliative is not political because multidimensional poverty knows no political party. So it's an idea of making things get to the village and creating a forum for even the Village Head to know that he's accountable to the people".

"The Village Heads know that their Certificate of Recognition is at stake. Any village where we record that a Village head on his own or in connivance with people, had allowed the palliatives not to get to the poorest of the poor", he said.

Speaking about the ARISE Agenda, the State Information Boss dismissed claims that the Agenda was interpreted from vernacular.

 "For us, ARISE is not a word. It is an acronym which stands for Agricultural Revolution, Rural Development, Infrastructural Development, Security and Education Management. The economic blueprint of Pastor Umo Eno is guided by the ARISE Agenda."

"The ARISE Agenda has five cardinal points and 18 sub-units under these cardinal points which the current administration lays its foundation. What Pastor Umo Eno has done is to transit the ARISE Agenda from being his document, to being a political party's document and now, to becoming a state document and the compass with which the ship of his administration would be navigating through the seas of development".

"Governor Umo Eno wants to undertake the ruralisation of governance and he is not hiding his passion. He doesn't hate urbanisation, but he says there is an inequitable distribution of infrastructure between the urban and the rural areas. So, development will be rural community-centric. It is now time to connect the rural areas to the urban areas", he noted.

In the build up to the State's 36 Anniversary, the Commissioner congratulated Akwa Ibom on having towered higher than her contemporaries very quickly and competing with advanced State economies such as Lagos. 

He wished the State more giant strides in the days to come and informed that the activity schedule for the Anniversary would be out by next week.

NSSEC Advocates Adoption of Minimum Standards For Senior Secondary Education

By Victor Essang

UYO

As part of measures to enhance quality education in the country, the National Senior Secondary Education Commission  (NSSEC) has advocated the adoption of minimum Standards for Senior Secondary Education.

The Executive Secretary, NSSEC, Dr Iyela Ajayi made the advocacy Wednesday during the Critique workshop on the draft document on the minimum standards for senior secondary education which took place on Uyo.

Ajayi said the national minimum standards when approved and implemented would set bench-marks for all aspects of senior secondary education in the country.

Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, being represented by his Deputy, Mrs. Akon Eyakenyi

"Also, the national minimum standards would play an important and critical role in the repositioning of senior education in Nigeria", he added.

He noted that the document "is aimed at ensuring that there is uniformity in the operation of senior secondary education by all operators, to put Nigeria on the same pedestrian with other nations that are ahead of her"

While calling on the critical stakeholders to put in their best in the exercise of critiquing the document, Ajayi expressed confidence that when released and implemented, the minimum standards would revolutionize senior secondary education in Nigeria.

The Headtable

Ajayi urged the state government to key into the initiative with the establishment of Secondary School Education Board to domesticate the commission act as well as follow guidelines for assessing and utilizing funds from the commission.

He thanked the governor, Pastor Umo Eno for accepting to host the workshop and for his giant strides in the education sector.

Declaring the workshop open, the Akwa Ibom state governor, Pastor Umo Eno stressed the need to improve the quality of facility and personnel in education sector for national development.

Represented by his deputy, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, the governor who described education as the heart of socio-economic development, observed, "We can't grow beyond the quality of our school system"

"If we sincerely want to fix Nigeria, we must re-visit our school system with a view to establishing certain irreducible minimum standards in the quality of personnel, infrastructures and curriculum".

While describing Senior Secondary School as a critical segment of the education chain, Eno, who said the minimum standards will benefit the state, stressed the need for proper follow up for the implementation of the document.

Participants at the event

He said his administration prioritizes skills-driven education under the ARISE Agenda and expressed readiness to invest much in the sector.

The governor disclosed that his administration was remodeling schools across the state and providing other educational materials to Akwa Ibom children.

He made case for professionalizing  teaching, set minimum standards for school infrastructures and environment update curriculum and define procedure for school licensing.

Eno lauded the Commission for the steps taken to  regulate the senior secondary school sector and for creating a platform for stakeholders to interface and critique the document.

The Director, Quality Assurance, NSSEC Alhaji Ibrahim  Abdulkareem, while welcoming the delegates from the 17 southern zone applauded Akwa Ibom state for the improvement in the education sector.

The  Commissioner for Education, Mrs Idongesit Etiebet, said the governor places education as key priority sector in his blueprint.

Etiebet said, His Excellency is usually enthusiastic and supportive of activities directed to the development of the education sector for the betterment of our children"

She pledged the partnership of the state government to the commission by paying the counterpart funding to ensure quality minimum standards of secondary education in the state.

She called on all stakeholders in the education sector to be diligent in appraising the regulatory framework to enable them arrive at positive outcomes that would guarantee quality assurance in education across the country, emphasizing that it would help children enjoy qualitative and quantitative learning anywhere in Nigeria.

The three days workshop featured, technical session and syndicate group presentation among others.

Ukpom Road Construction to begin soon - Uyo LG Chair Assures

Ukpom Road Construction to begin soon - Uyo LG Chair Assures 

Priscilla Akpanettot

Measures have been put in place by the State Government to construct the Ukpom/Ediene Ikot Obio Imo Road, after it was long neglected.

The Chairman of Uyo Local Government Area, Dr. Uwemedimo Udo gave the hint during an interaction with the foremost Akwa Ibom online community, COOPA, in his office on Tuesday, September 12, 2023.

The Conference of Online Publishers in Akwa Ibom State (COOPA) had met with the Chairman as part of their annual engagements with relevant stakeholders todiscuss matters pertaining to economic development and progression.

According to Dr. Udo, the Ukpom Road, from Pepsi junction (by Idoro Road) has been awarded to a contractor and side drains have been constructed on it, awaiting the end of the rainy season. 

"The contractors are on site. We hope that the rains will give the contractors a chance to continue the work. It is just a matter of time and it will be completed", he assured.

Speaking on the survival of the local economy in the post subsidy removal era, the Chairman remarked that subsidy removal would have taken a gradual process, instead of happening the way it did.

"Perhaps, the government would have fashioned out ways to ameliorate the unexpected suffering of the people before subsidy removal. What we have now is that the high cost of transportation is not even commensurate with wages and other spendings. The suffering is overbearing, because we didn't have certain things on ground to take care of the removal", he said.

On his part, the Chairman informed that his administration has been consciously committed to bettering the lots of the people by putting in place modalities to ease the effect of the harsh economy on them.

"We have graded rural roads around Ikono Ibom and Etoi Clans. We have fixed power in some communities. For instance, if you go to Winners Chapel at Ikot Ebido, we upgraded the transformer at that axis from 300KVA to 500KVA and it is working for that community."

"We have done a lot in the Education Sector. Recently, we paid bursary to 392 students across 13 institutions. We needed to show that we recognise the students' community. We have reactivated the Students' Worldwide body in Uyo and paid Union dues to allow the students go home with their bursary in block. We also give regular assistance to our students."

"We have done medical outreach in collaboration with Vision Africa and the focus was on eye challenges. Medicated glasses and drugs were given free and beneficiaries didn't pay a dime", he said.

When asked of the secret behind his smooth management of the Council vis-a-vis his success, Dr. Udo gave the answer to be effective collaboration between the three arms of his government.

"I run a collaborative administration. That is why I haven't had issues with my Councillors and Supervisors. We get them involved and cross-fertilize ideas. It is not just during budget proposals. Regularly, I sit with my Councillors and it's exciting. It is not a one-man show, so you allow the Councillors have a feel of government too."

"I don't implement policies without consulting with my people. I dialogue with my Exco and Councillors, while they go back, interact with the people and get to know their needs, then we put them down in a document and get things working."

"I don't neglect the Civil Service structure. We also invest in staff welfare. We have a deep relationship with our stakeholders and accord them all the recognition they deserve. So there is a balanced equation", he stated. He noted.

"The local government level is where you learn leadership. I have the integrity that I came into government with. I don't want to hear that I deprived anyone of anything. That is why I make sure that things are sorted out well."

While speaking on the impact of his administration on the people, he reeled out his achievements within and outside the Council, adding that his last days will be focused on completing what needed to be finished, as well as the provision of a functional Law Library for the Council.

"When we got into Council, our first duty was to restore public power supply to the Council. We fixed the power substation in the Council and also acquired a 100KVA generator".

"Today, we have a Primary Health Centre at Uruan Street set up by the Council and it is up and running. 

Much more, the Council boss told the online publishers of his plans to extend the electricity in the Council to the health center next door, to help them arrest their protracted lighting challenge.

He further announced his administration's plan for a tax cut for Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in Uyo, to help them survive the economic downturn; while informing that a register had been opened for entrepreneurs in the Local Government Area to be documented and supported in due course. 

Highlights of the interaction was an assessment of the lighting project from the Council to the Health Centre.

The 2023 COOPA CHAT series is themed: "NIGERIA IN POST SUBSIDY REMOVAL ERA: GOVERNANCE AND CITIZENS ENGAGEMENT"

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#COOPANigeria

COOPA Chat Returns with Uyo LG Council Boss

 

The Conference of Online Publishers, Akwa Ibom State (COOPA) is set for another series of discussions with key players and policy makers in the society. 

The COOPA CHAT series commences on Tuesday, September 12 with the Chairman of Uyo Local Government Area, Dr Uwemedimo Udo as the guest. 

The council boss of the state’s capital will disect issues relating to the topic;"NIGERIA IN POST SUBSIDY REMOVAL ERA: GOVERNANCE & CITIZENS ENGAGEMENT" as he briefs new media publishers on achievements during his tenure.

Join the chat online from 10 am on the COOPA Facebook page. Click link to like page and get notifications

 https://www.facebook.com/COOPANigeria?mibextid=ZbWKwL

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NUJ Announces 2023 Press Week Award Entries

Priscilla Akpanettot

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Akwa Ibom State Council has made known award entries for the 2023 Press Week coming up in December.

The entries include: Aviation Reporter of the Year, Feature Writer of the Year, Columnist of the Year, Sports Writer of the Year, Legislative Reporter of the Year, Judiciary Reporter of the Year, Broadcast Reporter of the Year (Television and Radio), Education Reporter of the Year, Agriculture Reporter of the Year, Environment Reporter of the Year as well as Information Officer of the Year.

Special Awards include: Umo Eno Award for Development Journalist, Ray Ekpu Award for Best Investigative Reporter (Sponsored by Inoyo Toro Foundation); U&K Awards for Female Journalists, Nelson Etukudo Awards for Print Journalist of the Year and Ibanga Isine Award for Impactful Journalism.

Meanwhile, media organizations will be awarded under: Newspaper of the Year and Broadcast Station of the Year (Television and Radio).

According to the Chairman, Planning Committee of the 2023 Press Week, Comrade Helen John, the entries are to be submitted between 1st - 30th September, 2023 at the Press Centre, Off IBB Avenue in Uyo.

The entries must be works published between 1st December, 2022 and 31st August, 2023.  

The Press Week is an annual event where Journalists sit back to  celebrate, reminisce and relax from the hassles of their job. 

The recognition and award of outstanding Journalists is a tradition of this event and is often attended by key stakeholders in the society. 

The theme for this year's Press Week is "Development Journalism: Setting the Agenda on Climate Change".