Teachers who don't stay in their stations risk losing their jobs - SUBEB

Rt. Hon. Anietie Etuk, flanked by members of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB)

 …Disciplinary Team to ensure compliance upon School resumption

Priscilla Akpanettot

The Akwa Ibom State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) has warned Primary School teachers in the State to stay and live in their stations or risk losing their jobs.

The Chairman and members of the board gave the warning on Monday, September 4, 2023, during an interaction with Head Teachers of Primary Schools in Eket Senatorial District.

Chairman of the Board, Rt. Hon. Anietie Etuk (Ph.D) explained that the Board settled for this disciplinary measure following observations that many of the teachers resume for work very late, due to the distance from their places of residence to the School they teach.

Members of the Head Table

This he said, was the reason many Pupils loiter and play around their School’s premises for the most part of the productive hours of the day; and that Schools without the presence of a resident teacher are prone to being vandalized or used for the practice of vices.    

“One of the regular challenge we have is that Government will provide infrastructure and the Community will vandalize them or struggle for the land. Although we are making provision for security in our schools, your presence in that Community will curtail some of these things”. 

“This is not to say that Communities should not take responsibility for their Schools. All Communities which have Schools should begin to take charge and protect whatever is sent to their Schools; forward cases of vandalism to the Board”, he charged. 

A section of the Head Teachers

Frowning at the activities of some Head Teachers, the Board Chairman exposed that they were in the habit of permitting absenteeism and lateness to work; giving excuses for other teachers, engaging in mindless chats during school hours while making the Pupils labour in their farms; leaving School before the close of work and so on.

“Some of you are the problems in the system. You do not report erring teachers but cover them up and allow these kids to suffer neglect and abandonment. Yet, you get your full pay and allowances when due”. 

“All of these will be over as the new academic session resumes because we have set-up a disciplinary team involving the Local Government Commission, Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) and other relevant stakeholders to reinforce monitoring and sanction.

Another section of the Head Teachers

If a team comes to your School and meets your absence or you don’t report your teachers, you will be queried and subsequently dismissed from work”.

“We came to tell you that distant teaching will no longer be tolerated, stay in your station. Pay a house and stay in that community. Stay within the time-frame of School hours. Live to your responsibilities as teachers; stop laboring the children, they are not farmers.  Complement Government’s efforts to revamp the system”, he appealed with passion.

Meanwhile, Dr. Etuk applauded some of the Head teachers who were doing their best to uphold the standard of education in the State. He described them as relevant stakeholders in state-building and related Governor Umo Eno’s commendation to them.

“The Governor recognizes teachers as serious stakeholders and drivers of his plans so, one can joke with you”, he said.

Recalling that the Governor had declared a State-of-emergency on basic education as soon as he came on board, the Chairman explained that this meant a total overhaul of the Primary School system where infrastructure and a suitable learning atmosphere will be provided for Pupils, while teachers will be provided with a comfortable quarters.

At the meeting, held at Government Primary School, Usung Inyang in Eket Local Government Area, a Head Teacher in the district (name withheld) was called out for being the worst in the area and recommended for dismissal. 

The meeting had in attendance, members of the Board who took turns to corroborate the Chairman’s remarks and spelt-out stiff sanctions for defaulters; Education Secretaries in each of the Local Government comprising Eket Senatorial District as well as representative of AUPCTRE in the area.  

The meeting which was the last lap of interaction with teachers in the State before the resumption of the2023/2024 academic session was previously held in Uyo and Ikot Ekpene Senatorial Districts.

Press Release

NOTICE OF CONDUCT OF COOPA 2023 ELECTION

Sequel to the approval and directive of the Executive Committee of COOPA for the conduct of its 2023 Election which was issued on Saturday, August 26, 2023, the Electoral Committee hereby wishes to notify members of COOPA and the general public of its schedule/timetable as follows:

Election Time Table

Activity 1: Purchase of Forms

Date: Monday 4th - Friday 8th of September, 2023

Time: 10:am to 4:00pm 

Activity 2: Submission of forms/Screening of candidates

Date: Monday, September 11, 2023

Time: 10:00am to 4:00pm 

 

Activity 3: Consultations/Campaign

Date: Wednesday 13th - Monday 25th, September, 2023

Activity 4: Declaration of Interest/Manifesto Presentation

Date: Wednesday, September 27, 2023

Time: 10:00am to 4:00pm

Activity 5: Election

Date: Saturday, September 30, 2023

Time: 2:00pm to 3:00pm

Signed:

Priscilla Akpanettot 

Secretary, Electoral Committee 

04.09.2023 

Ikot Oku Ikono Flyover: Afia Nsit Community Bleeds

Priscilla Akpanettot

All is not well with Afia Nsit, a quiet settlement in Nsit Ibom Local Government Area where the drainage collecting flood water from Ikot Oku Ikono Flyover is situated. The community which has become a victim of the Flyover project has counted more than a thousand losses ranging from lives to properties since the construction of the drainage.

Anyone passing or driving through the recently constructed Flyover of the Governor Udom Emmanuel’s administration will simply appreciate the aesthetics of its construction and applaud the initiative to ease vehicular traffic around the area, without knowing what turbulent troubles the host communities are going through.

Endpoint of the drainage

From the East of the Flyover to the West, North and South; sad tales abound of how the much-talked-about Flyover has become a nightmare to the host communities, particularly Afia Nsit which houses the drainage conveying the flood water gathered by the Flyover.

The drainage which is a mega wide opening on the right side of the untarred access road leading to the community from the Flyover is not only wide but deep and stretches into the depth of the village. Moreso, it is open and unguarded, without any form of illumination to forestall accidents at night.

A sight of the flood effect

When it rains, the flood waters from Abak, Idoro, Etinan and Ikot Oku Ikono road which all gather under the Flyover, are poured into the drainage, to meet the flood water from Arc. Nyaetok’s Novone Estate, Godswill Obot Akpabio International Stadium and its environs before invading the community. So heavy is the force and volume of the water that it overfills the drainage within minutes and pours out on the community, making the untarred muddy road slippery and impassable.  At the point of being filled, the uncovered drainage becomes invisible and a threat to members of the community who must cross the flood-covered drainage to get to and out of their homes.

Consequently, a number of valuables including two people have been drowned in the killer water. The situation is even more terrible for Pupils of St. Stephen African Church School, a government-managed School with its entrance at the wide-mouthed drainage.

Also, the surrounding farmlands have been in ruins since the Flyover was constructed as all the residues of the flood including plastics, rubber, carcasses of animals and all sort of wastes are emptied on the entire land mass of the community, making it a permanent dump site.

As a result, the stench of the decomposing wastes have made life in the hitherto ecofriendly community unbearable, coupled with its accompanying health hazards of being a breeding ground for well-fed mosquitoes.   

A decomposing body was found here a year ago

Upon enquiry, the Village Head of Afia Nsit, Obong E. E. Akpan bitterly lamented the ugly significance of the Flyover and its attendant effect on members of the community. His responses to questions asked further blew the mind of this reporter.

“If it rains now, you can’t enter this place. Nobody comes around here when it rains to avoid being carried away and it will take up to four days for the waters to recede”.

The dead River which once served the domestic needs of the community

“The only edible water (river) we used to have has been filled up by the sand accompanying the flood so we neither have water to drink nor road to our houses. We buy water from the only borehole around and enter our homes from Mbak Nsit, the next community”.

“This was where they were meant to stop this drainage (pointing towards Usak River). The drainage was meant to be a 2.5 Kilometer construction, leading to Usak River which will take the flood water to Mbiokporo River but they stopped at 1.7 Kilometer because they saw this swamp (Ekaiso).

The other part of the community geographically divided by the flood is now accessed by this 'bridge'

“This is not a normal swamp because we used to drink from it and use it for other domestic purposes. It was very neat and clean. We asked them to channel the water here so that the flood can move straight to Mbiokporo River but they saw this swamp and the river down there (Idim Mbed) and decided to channel the flood there.

“This whole place has become ravineous and our community has been geographically divided by the flood”, he said.

Julius Berger's marking, indicating the end point of the drainage

Their numbers were written on this tree's trunk

When contacted to confirm the Village Head’s report, the constructing firm, Julius Berger became very hostile and aggressive, and demanded an official letter before obliging any information. They however referred this Reporter to the Ministry of Works.

At the Ministry of Works, the Supervising Engineer refused to respond to questions on the construction without the permission of his Boss, the Commissioner. A staff of the Ministry however insisted that “the length of the flood control project is 2.2km with an access road” and had been duly constructed and delivered to the community.  

The Primary School facing the drainage

After submitting the letter to Julius Berger, the construction firm is yet to respond, despite four visits to their office at Itam Industrial Layout.

The Community wants the drainage area properly channeled to the agreed point; covered and lighted at night to avoid accidents. They also have a need for water and protection from the hazards of the stagnated flood water. They are therefore calling on the government to act responsively to their plights in time to avert further damages to lives and properties.

See videos of interviews with members of the community on:

 https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02yJpAG3tafoG9af2EWeuRsdMPrRLc5VzaMKuEeVPrsFkYBjMDMJvvKCXguUCvJ1bsl&id=100008020651077&mibextid=9R9pXO

Oruk Anam Widow Gets Shelter after 20 Years

Priscilla Akpanettot

See the Widow in Oruk Anam who's lived in the cold for 20 Years

 

Priscilla Akpanettot

You need Grace!

Sometimes, it takes more than hardwork to breakthrough. You could be so engrossed at your venture, taking time to be dedicated and committed yet, get zero results or something close to zero.

You could even go all out for mentorship, skill or certification, thinking it is that one thing you're lacking. So what else could be the missing piece of your upscale?

In all honesty, nothing avails so much as when hardwork and committed efforts combine with Grace.

The place of Grace is infinitesimal. It is Heaven's breathe on you and your doings, or let's say, God's smile on you.

This is demonstrated in the ease experienced in carrying out tasks generally thought to be cumbersome.

It is you excelling inspite of little efforts put into engagements, or your ability to fix the puzzle around life's confusing pieces beautifully.

It is that extra result you produce when others are no where close to producing a half, and that positivism you exude. 

So, while investing in those tutorials and radical boot camps, pursue Grace.

You need Grace

You need God's Grace

Ask for it and it will take you there!

Pathetic Story of Akwa Ibom Community where residents drink from a pond

Priscilla Akpanettot

The Village of Ikot Ntuk in Oruk Anam Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State has been described as the darkest spot of the State by passers-by and indigenes whose living condition, wellbeing and security has remained perpetually deplorable for 228 years.

The Community which is about 45 poles away from the Local Government Headquarters in Ikot Ibritam, and one of the acclaimed 5 urban villages in the area with the second largest vote basket, has no trace of an urban facility; not even an electric pole. Worse is that it has no water source, except a pond which serves the entire community of over 5,000 people and a pipe-borne water of thirty years  which never satisfies the people.

Even more, Ikot Ntuk has no graded road, no Hospital/Health Post/Pharmacy/Chemist and has no market. The only seemingly urban structure in the Village is a desk-less dilapidated Primary School located in front of a forest, without Perimeter fencing, windows and doors, uncemented floors and broken ceilings.

Accessible through Ekparakwa junction to Urua Anwa, the community is a 10 minutes drive from the left of the Urua Anwa junction.

Surprisingly, the Local Government is home to Rt. Hon. (Sir) Udo Keiran Akpan, Leader of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly; Commissioner for Education, Hon. Idongesit Etiebet; Sen. Itak Ekarika; Chairman, Akwa Ibom Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency, Prince Akpan Ikim; Hon. Sampson Idiong, Hon. Paul Udofia, Mr. Okoko, Iboro Udom, Wife of the Chief of Staff to Governor Udom Emmanuel, Mrs. Ime Ephraim Inyang and Her Excellency, Dr. Martha Udom Emmanuel, whose paternal home is just a stone throw from Ikot Ntuk. 

Moving around the community to the site of the pond, reporters met a dry pond another shocking experience was that it had dried off thus, making the villagers struggle hard to fetch from the only surviving pipe-borne water in the community.

Fielding questions from journalists, the Village Chief of Ikot Ntuk, Chief Michael Ukwok affirmed in vernacular that the ugly sights in the community were real.

“Without the missionaries, we would be dead for lack of water by now; we go to Ikot Ibritam to fetch water when our sources run dry completely and that is about an hour distance from here”.

The Village Chief explained that Missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints had given them 3 pipe-borne water in 1992, two of which had gone bad overtime.

“The one you see the villagers struggling to fetch from is the last one and we spend up to N80,000 yearly to repair it because as people press the lever everyday, the chain gets weak and eventually breaks. While we wait to have the N80,000 by taxing ourselves, we fetch from that dry pond you saw and pray for the rainy season to come quickly; otherwise, we go to the stream at Ikot Ibritam to fetch water ”, he narrated.

Speaking on the unhygienic water from the pond, the Chief expressed that they had gotten accustomed to the dirty water.

“When we fall sick, we travel down to Ikot Ibritam to buy drugs or Ikot Okoro for medical checkup but in many cases, a lot of people die before getting to the Hospital due to the distance and the deplorable condition of the road. Three people died on this road last year on their way to the hospital”, he recalled. 

While lamenting the long years of neglect and deprivation of basic amenities, a former Youth President of the community, Nsese Michael Ukwok informed that Ikot Ntuk is the second largest vote basket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oruk Anam.

“This Village is ward 2 in Oruk Anam. Since independence, till 1999, this village has never done something less in terms of vote. We are more than 5,000 in number. Our population is vast such that another Unit will soon be created from us, only that it has not been approved. If you go to the voters’ register in the state you will see the number of votes this village produces during election. We have always supported the government even to the point of our people dying during election but they abandon us afterwards. The water from the pond you saw has caused so many deaths due to the long trip one has to embark on to access health facilities in Ikot Ibritam and other distant communities deplorable”, he decried.

Describing Ikot Ntuk as the darkest spot in the scrambled continent of the world, a citizen journalist, Udimekong Joshua observed that no infant, adult or aged person has ever set eyes on electricity in the Village. 

“We don’t even have poles to start with. We don’t have water yet, we contribute a lot to the development of the State in terms of voting. It is sad that the huge amount of vote which we produce, does not equate with the dividends of democracy here. We deserve even more than 5 water projects in this community because we are more than 5,000. Our urgent need in this community is Water, Electricity, Roads and a Pharmacy at least. Hospitals would be a secondary need”, he maintained. 

When asked if the Village has made any attempt to reach out to the government for help, the Village Chief recalled that they had sought the assistance of a former Councilor in the area who told them to stop pestering him.

“The Present Councilor is Mr. Idongesit Udoketor. The former Councilor told us not to bother him again, that we were not the ones who sat him as Councilor”, the Chief said in vernacular. 

“I had also written to the SA on Power, Engr. Imeyen and he told me that the letter has been received by the Governor. He also sent his men to come and do an electrical survey of the area but that was the last we heard of it”, he added.

Also mentioning conscious efforts made to reach for help, Joshua recalled that they had succeeded in reaching out to persons and organizations with little or no response.   

“Severally, we have approached organizations and individuals for help on borehole drilling but only Hon. Bernard Sampson Idiong heeded the call by giving us a borehole which we cannot maintain due to the malfunctioned generator. Since the ongoing road construction in Ikot Ibritam to this place is taking a snail-pace, we need a hospital. If government in the space of 33 years cannot give us a hospital, let them give us a standard pharmacy, at least”, he pleaded.

“We need rehabilitation of our Primary school. We need the government to come to our aid; Sir. Udo Keiran constructed a classroom block for us, without which our children would have been sitting under the mango tree. The grownups trek long distances to go to Secondary School at Ikot Ibritam, Ikot Afanga or Ukanafun because we have none”. 

“We don’t even have a market. The distance from here to Urua Anwa and Urua Ufok Ibok in Ikot Ibritam is not something one can talk about. What we have is just an evening market without stalls where people sit on the ground to sell their wares, we need help”, he cried.

“Come 2023, we will not be fooled anymore. We won’t listen to their lies and we won’t bend backward for any Party or Politician”, the former youth leader maintained.

This report was done in March, 2021