DIG EKPOUDOM, NSE CHAIRMAN, ORS ENDORSE SWAN THANKSGIVING SERVICE

The upcoming special thanksgiving service of the Akwa Ibom state chapter of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) has continued to receive the endorsement of stakeholders and elder statesmen within Akwa Ibom state.

The latest round of endorsements comes from a retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police and Chairman of the Board of Governors of Tower of Ivory International Schools, Udom Ekpoudom OON, the state Chairman of Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Engineer Uwem Akpan, the state Director of Sports, Elder Ifiok Duff, the Chairman of Akwa Ibom state Football Association, Mr. Imoh Attat and his Vice, Mr. Samuel Umoh, the Chairman of Dakkada Football Club, Coach Aniedi Dickson, among others.

Speaking at his office while playing host to members of the organizing committee, erstwhile Police boss,  Udom Ekpoudom, did not only promise to attend the service in person and work towards its success but also restated his commitment to the progress and development of sports in the state as is reflected on the plethora of sports infrastructure that he has built at his school. 

While thanking members of the organizing committee for extending an invitation to him, Chief Ekpoudom leveraged the visit to congratulate the state Chairman of SWAN, Mr. Emmanuel Akpan on winning a second term in office which according to him was indicative of the huge levels of trust that members repose in him.

On his part, NSE boss, Uwem Akpan, who received the SWAN delegation at his Dakkada secretariat office, Thursday, described the visit as a milestone which would go a long way towards deepening the already cordial relationship between the NSE and SWAN. He pledged to make an in-person appearance at the service and mobilize resources to ensure that the event sees the light of day.

Also, the Director of Sports in the state Ministry of Youth and Sports, Elder Ifiok Duff, thanked the delegation for stopping by to invite him to the service and expressed the readiness of his Ministry to partner SWAN in the lead-up to the service and beyond.

While presenting the event uniform to his hosts, the Chairman of SWAN, Mr. Emmanuel Akpan briefed them that the decision to organize a thanksgiving service was borne out of the need to commit activities of the new state executive council of the Association to God and thank Him for showering His goodness upon all members.

The SWAN delegation also comprised the Chairman of the organizing committee and former two-term Chairman of SWAN, Elder Uwem Ekoh, the Secretary of the organizing committee and Special Assistant on Media and Communications to the Honourable Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Comrade Edidiong Stephen as well as the Assistant Secretary of SWAN, Mr. James Akpan.

The service which has as its theme "Give thanks to God" taken from Psalms 106:1 will be held at the Apostolic Church Nigeria, Four Towns Assembly, Uyo, on Sunday, May 7, 2023.

AKWA IBOM STATE FA ANNOUNCES DATES OF 2023 ELECTIONS

The Akwa Ibom state football association  in line with the Nigeria football federation guidelines has announced that sales and return of nomination forms for next month's elections shall commence from 19th April to 10th May 2023.

This is after an executive meeting presided over by the state FA chairman, Hon. Imo Attat in Uyo.

According to a release by the FA chairman, Hon. Imo Attat and the electoral committee, the forms will be on sale at number eight Nsit lane, uyo while screening of aspirants will be on 11 to 12th May 2023.

15th and 16th are slated for  appeals.

The committee is expected to sit on  the appeals on 17th and 18th of May and make her verdict public on 19th of May, 2023, before the 

SALES AND RETURN OF FORMS : 19TH APRIL TO 10TH MAY, 2023

APPEALS: 15TH AND 16TH MAY, 2023.

APPEALS COMMITTEE SITING:17TH AND 18TH  MAY, 2023.

APPEALS COMMITTEE VERDICT: 19TH MAY, 2023.

ELECTION DAY: MONDAY MAY 22ND 2023".

Furthermore, the Akwa Ibom state football association reiterates her commitment in ensuring a free, fair, credible and acceptable state elections for the development of football in the state.

It would be recalled that the committee had peacefully conducted the same elections in the 31 local football councils on 9th March 2023.

NLO: ALGON BOYS UNVAILS NEW KITS, PRESENT JERSEYS TO ENGR. OSUNG

Ahead of the 2023 Nation wide league season,  ALGON Boys football club of Uyo, has presented the 2023 club's jerseys to their patrons.

Presenting the new kits  to Engr. and Mrs Elvis Osung, the chairman of the club who doubled as the president of grassroot football, comrade John Ekpenyong, said the gesture is  in recognition of Engr Elvis Osung's  contribution to the club from 2018 till date.

Ekpenyong who was flanked by other management staff of ALGON BOYS FC  as well as members of the sporting press in Akwa Ibom state, said the honour on Engr Elvis Osung and wife is in tandem with the club's vision of celebrating men and women of substance that are impacting positively on the society and mankind.

Responing, Engr Elvis Osung, said his desire is to see how talented youths can be gainfully employed and taken off the street, hence his continued sponsorship of football competitions and other human empowerment programmes.

Osung charged ALGON in Akwa Ibom state to invest more in the team by ensuring that the club get promoted at the end of this season.

SWAN Constitutes Thanksgiving Service Committee

The Akwa Ibom State Chapter of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN has set up a Thanksgiving committee to plan and execute a Thanksgiving for the association following the  election of a new executive for the body.

The committee was constituted during the April Congress of the association held Thursday, April 6 at the NUJ Press Center Information Drive IBB Way Uyo.

The committee which is headed by a former state chairman of SWAN, Evangelist Uwem Ekoh has the Media Manager of Dakkada FC, Mr Edidiong Stephen as secretary and the Assistant Secretary of the association, Mr James Akpan as member.

The chairman of the association, Mr Emmanuel Akpan while inaugurating the body tasked them to show commitment and surpass the previous SWAN thanksgiving service.

Mr Akpan while congratulating the members on their selection, expressed the hope that with their experience and the Grace of God, they would achieve success.

Chairman of the committee, Evangelist Uwem Ekoh promised to work harder and put in place what he described as thanksgiving of all thanksgiving.

He thanked the executive for deeming him and the other members fit for the assignment.

NDDC AND IT'S ROAD MAP TO SUSTAINABLE YOUTH EMPOWERMENT

By Ukpong Ukpong

Enterprising youths in Akwa Ibom State have alot to benefit from the reformed Niger Delta  Development Commission, NDDC, which is taking bold steps toward upgrading its empowerment programmes for youths. In line with its policy on building collaborative partnerships, the Commission has prepared new concepts of engagement that will be both productive and sustainable.

This new approach is a welcome development, given that in the past youth empowerment schemes by NDDC were more or less aimed at handing out stipends without strategic objectives to ensure that recipients are groomed to give back to their immediate communities. Consequently, despite humongous funds spent on so called youth empowerment, the region still faced serious youth unemployment with attendant restiveness, criminality and vices. 

At the recently concluded Youth Interactive Forum organised by the NDDC in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, the Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbukwu, stated that the Commission is setting up the Niger Delta Chamber of Commerce, which it would use as a vehicle to support Small and Medium Enterprises in the Niger Delta region, effectively proffering an innovative solution going forward.

According to him, "we are considering setting up a Niger Delta Chamber of Commerce that will strengthen young entrepreneurs in the region". 

Such an initiative came at the appropriate time in Akwa Ibom State, when a passionate, youth-friendly administrator, Dr. Emem Wilcox Wills, is in charge of the NDDC State office. Under his watch, the initiative is sure to offer alot of opportunities to teeming Akwa Ibom young entrepreneurs, who are breaking limits on all fronts with pioneering goods and services taking advantage of the internet revolution. 

Dr. Wills recently underscored the importance of youths in State development, noting their energy, passion and enthusiasm would be channelled towards rebuilding and reintegrating society for peace, unity and prosperity. 

"It's time to rebuild our State. Youths are very critical in the process because of their energy, resourcefulness, passion and enthusiasm. NDDC will partner State government to productively engage youths to develop and prosper our State". As such , the Niger Delta Chamber of Commerce will become a launch pad for current and aspiring entrepreneurs in the State.

 Moreso, working through the Chambers of Commerce, the NDDC would herald the paradigm shift from the era of merely giving handouts to actually empowering youths to become productive members of their communities, states and the region as a whole. This is the position of the Managing Director of NDDC, Dr. Ogbukwu who said "it is no longer acceptable that our youths will be at home and be receiving stipends. Hence, we are changing the NDDC Youth Volunteer programme to Youth Internship Programmes where youths will be attached to organisations for one year to learn skills".

 Therefore, the chamber of commerce will help ensure that every empowerment programme is sustainable and focused on mentoring young entrepreneurs, who will then mentor and employ others since government cannot employ everybody. 

It is therefore imperative to support the Commission to succeed with this initiative which aims to engage youths to work for the benefit of everyone.

25-Year-old Journalist Wins Big Brother Titans Season 1

Khosi Twala, a 25 year old Journalist from South Africa has emerge the winner of the maiden edition of the Big Brother Titans Season 1. 

Khosi was announced winner of the reality show tonight after garnering the highest number of votes by the duo of the show host Lawrence and Ebuka in South Africa. 

Khosi who was one of the most misconstrued and misunderstood housemate in the show beat the other finalists - Kanaga Jnr, Tsatsii, Yvonne, Ebubu and Ipeleng to win the prize money of $100,000 and also rock the crown as the maiden winner of the show. 

The show had a total of 24 housemates who were picked from South Africa and Nigeria.