Former President Doctor Goodluck Johnathan will today perform the commissioning of the General Hospital in Ikot Ekpene local government area of Akwa Ibom state.

A release issued by the state commissioner for information and strategy, Comrade Ini Ememobong says the event is billed to hold by 10:00 am at the hospital.

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The release, therefore, invites the Akwa Ibom people to the commissioning ceremony.

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Senate President, Doctor Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan yesterday inaugurated the 25 kilometers  Uyo-Ikot Ekpene road completed by the Udom Emmanuel-led administration.

Speaking during the event, Lawan described Governor Udom Emmanuel as Nigeria’s true symbol of peace unity, justice and progress, saying Akwa Ibom is indeed blessed to have him as the Governor at a time like this. 

The Senate President, who said he was marveled at the development strides recorded in the state under the leadership of Governor Emmanuel even in the midst of prevailing economic challenges, observed that such feat was made possible because of the love he has for his people. He assured that the federal government will partner with the state in the development of infrastructures in the area.

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The Senate President also pledged that the National Assembly will interface and liaise with the Federal Ministry of Works to ensure reimbursement of funds expended by the state in fixing federal roads in the State.

Earlier in his speech, Governor Udom Emmanuel described the road as strategic in the achievement of the completion agenda of his administration and called on the federal government to complete the Calabar-Itu Highway to complement the efforts of the state government.

Government House correspondent Jane Uwa reports that the Governor also appealed to the federal government to reimburse the state on the funds expended on federal roads in Akwa Ibom.

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Commercial mini bus drivers in Uyo, the state capital have accused members of the Task force team from Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Transport of harrasment, indiscriminate arrest, impoundment of vehicles and extortion of their members  allegedly for stopping to carry passengers in various locations including the Ibom Plaza area, a development they said often leave passengers stranded around the area.

 They called on the state government to intervene as the task force officials wearing the official uniform of the Ministry were making business unattractive for them and causing colossal losses even after the purchase daily tickets to generate revenue for the government.

Narrating their ordeal to planet news, some of the drivers who appealed to the government to call the task force personnel to order, said the officials have neglected their major responsibility of checkmating the siting of illegal motor parks within the Uyo metropolis and now indulge in extorting drivers on the pretext of checking illegal parking by township drivers.

Meanwhile, effort by our correspondent to speak with the Commissioner for Transport, Uno Etim Uno and the Head of the Anti-Touting Taskforce Team of the Ministry, Blessing Ukim proved abortive at the time of filing this report.

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By Anthony Esin

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel yesterday inaugurated a 3- classroom block constructed by Uruan local government admnistration at Comprehensive High School Idu, Uruan, as he restated the commitment of his administration to continue to give priority to advancement in the education sector.

Represented by the Commissioner for Lands and Water Resources, Pastor Umoh Enoh, the state’s chief executive commended the Uruan council chairman for embracing his educational transformation policy and called on other local government chairmen to complement the effort of the state government in providing a conducive learning atmosphere for quality education for students and pupils.

Earlier in his address, the Chairman of Uruan Local Government Area, Surveyor Iniobong Ekpenyong, who noted that the educational project was part of his administration’s 7point agenda, pledged to do more in the area of education.

He added that the development was to further demonstrate the local government’s determination to key into the state of emergency that the state government had declared in the education sector.

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In their separate remarks at the event, the state Commissioner for Education, Idongesit Etiebet and the Chairman, State Secondary Education Board, Dr. Ekaette Ebong Okon while commending the Uruan Council boss for the effort, further stressed the need for every stakeholder to support the government in investing in education.

Our correspondent Anthony Esin reports that the event had in attendance various dignitaries including the Chairman, Akwa Ibom State Internal Revenue Service, Okon Okon; Paramount Ruler of Uruan, His Royal Majesty, Edidem Cosmos Bassey Nkanga; Speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, represented by a former chairman of Uruan Local Government Area, Eventus Edem, amongst others. 

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By Anthony Esin

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has lauded Taf Media Group’s latest franchise – Spectrum TV – describing the venture as an initiative that will project the image of Akwa Ibom state positively, thus filling voids of TV information dissemination within and beyond the Akwa Cross region.

Speaking with Planet News during her tour of the Spectrum TV facility at its Ibiaku Uruan transmission station, the NBC Director of Engineering and Technology, Engineer Victoria Eke, said she was impressed at the development, just as she commended the chairman and CEO of Taf Media Group, Tony Afia for the deep vision he has for his immediate Ibiaku Uruan community and by extension, Akwa Ibom at large.

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The NBC Director of Engineering and Technology however pleaded with the government of Akwa Ibom state to expedite work in completing the Ibiaku Uruan road leading to the TV station, as this would help open up the area and also boost the economic standings of the state.

The NBC boss, Engineer Victoria Eke had embarked on a familiarisation tour of Planet FM and Spectrum TV, both feats she acknowledged as satisfactory and steps taken in the right direction.

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By Saviour Robert

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, has called on the Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria to provide financial support for the commercial cultivation of coconuts in the country.
Governor Emmanuel stated this at the State Coconut Day Celebration where about three hundred thousand improved coconut seedlings were planted across the state.

Governor Emmanuel, who planted fifty seedlings of coconut at the state coconut plantation, Ekeya, in Okobo Local Government Area of the state, said with the decreasing demand and value for crude oil in the international market, there was a need for an alternative source of income for the country. He, therefore, appealed to the federal government to consider providing financial support for coconut farmers in the country as the crop has many economic values.

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The governor noted that the coconut plantations will provide the basic raw materials for the coconut factory in the state which will soon commence operations.

On her part, the state Commissioner for Agriculture, Doctor Glory Edet, thanked the governor for supporting farming and called on residents to engage in farming as a means of earning sustainable income.

Government House correspondent Jane Uwa reports that about two million coconut seedlings are expected to be planted in the state.

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Scripted By Jane Uwa.

Some participants in the just concluded training of over 1,300 people in health care have lauded the Akwa Ibom State government for its interest in primary healthcare while appealing for more facilities including human resources.

Speaking with our correspondent Florence Essien, the participants which included the president and treasurer of ward development committees, the officer in charge, and the health worker, pledged to put all they have learned into practice and going forward, protect their facilities from vandalization.

On her part, the secretary of Primary Health Care Development Agency in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Dr. Eno Attah, reiterated that the training is one of the few steps required to receive 1% national funds for primary health care and ensured in less than no time, Akwa Ibom State will access their own fund as they are in the last stages of fulfilling the basic requirements.

READ ALSO: Governor Udom Emmanuel inaugurates State Gender-Based Violence Management Committee

On his part, the leader of Connect development an NGO also known as follow the money, Ubong Ekpe, reaffirmed that, following the state not receiving 200 million naira national funds for primary health care, the organization decided to follow it up to ensure it is carried out and implemented. 

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Written By Florence Essien

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel has forwarded a supplementary appropriation bill of 136.5 billion naira to the state House of Assembly for consideration.

The breakdown of the supplementary estimates comprises 97,202,539,000 naira for capital expenditure and recurrent estimates of 39,302,000,000 naira.

The bill titled a Bill for a Law to make supplementary provision for the Services of Akwa Ibom State Government for the year ending 31st December 2021 was read on the floor of the House by the clerk, Mandu Umoren.

The House speedily proceeded on the second reading of the bill after the Leader of the House, Udo Kirian Akpan led in explaining the general principles of the bill.  According to him, the governor has fulfilled his constitutional duties by sending the appropriation budget to the House for legislative action.

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Other members in their deliberation emphasized the need to give the bill expeditious consideration and passage in other to ensure the state government continues with its developmental projects.

Our House of Assembly correspondent Anthony Esin reports that after the second reading of the bill, the Speaker Aniekan Bassey committed it to the Committee on Appropriation and Finance for in depth study of the bill and to report back to the House as soon as possible for further legislative action.

Also during the plenary, the House of Assembly passed a resolution directing the Ministry of Agriculture to revamp the Ikot Abasi Fish Farm. Still during the plenary, a bill for a law to amend the traditional rulers’ law of Akwa Ibom State passed second reading.     

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Scripted By Anthony Esin    

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel has announced plans to establish a College of Science and Technology which will run an intermediary programme to prepare students into Science and bridge the gap of effective science learning preceding tertiary institution.

Governor Emmanuel who made this known, while receiving a delegation from University of Lagos, led by the Vice Chancellor Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe during a courtesy visit at Government House, Uyo, also indicated interest to collaborate with the University of Lagos to develop entrepreneurship skills among university undergraduates in the state.

While directing the management of the Akwa Ibom State University and the Ministry of Education to work out details and modalities for the collaboration for approval by the State Executive Council, the governor noted that his administration has put machinery in place to ensure entrepreneurial development of the youth of the state and welcomed the interest of the university body to partner the state in that aspect.

READ ALSO: A’Ibom govt tasks applicants for state’s 1,000 primary school teaching job not to be wary of possibility of being subjected to the computer-based test

On his part, the Leader of the UNILAG Team and Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, pledged to collaborate with the state owned university in the area of manpower development.

Professor Ogundipe commended the state governor for ensuring relative peace in the state and the giant strides recorded in the area of industrialisation as well as attracting foreign direct investments to the state.

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Akwa Ibom state Head of Civil Service – HOS, Elder Effiong Essien has tasked applicants for the 1,000 primary school teachers’ recruitment process in the state to keep an open mind as regards the processes to be adopted in the recruitment exercise, noting that the world is now in a computer era, and a person intending to get a teaching job should not be wary of the possibility of being subjected to a computer-based test.

Speaking with Planet News, Elder Essien was responding against the backdrop of whether one of the requirements for getting the teaching job would include a computer-based test for the primary school teachers, who may include mostly persons that may not have had computer training.

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According to the HOS, the processes to be adopted are however subject to the determination of the State Universal Basic Education Board – SUBEB.

Elder Essien urged applicants to keep preparing, as SUBEB will soon publish guidelines as to the next steps to take to be among the successful teachers.

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