A'IBOM NMA ELECTS FIRST FEMALE CHAIRMAN, VOWS TO TACKLE MEDICAL QUACKERY

A consultant opthalmologist, Dr. Emem Abraham has been elected the 18th Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Akwa Ibom State Branch, with a promise to tackle the issue of medical quackery even as she assured citizens of quality healthcare delivery, both in the private and public health facilities.

The election of a new executive to pilot the affairs of the association was part of activities marking the 35th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Scientific Conference (SC) of the association.

Others also elected as members of the state officers committee (SOC) from 2022-2024 include: Dr. Aniekan Utuk, Vice Chairman; Dr. Usenobong Morgan, Secretary and

Dr. Hope Ibanga, Assistant Secretary.

Dr. Ndifreke Ataide emerged the new Treasurer while Dr. Iniabasi Asuquo was elected Financial Secretary and Unyime Ndoh, the Public Relations Officer.

Earlier in the week, Distinguished Senator Akon Eyakenyi who chaired the opening ceremony of the AGM, commended Doctors in Akwa Ibom State for their selflessness even to the point of paying the ultimate price as it was during the Covid 19 rampage. She noted that Government at all levels will continue to make health care delivery a top priority and urged doctors not to relent in their efforts as the society is totally dependent on their professional expertise.

In a chat with newsmen in Uyo, shortly after her swearing-in, the new Chairman of the NMA, Akwa Ibom State branch, Dr. Abraham, said her leadership would strive hard to address issues affecting Doctors at all levels.

“The welfare of Doctors will be paramount and by God’s grace, my administration will pursue to a logical conclusion different needs of our doctors.

“We will work to broaden the financial base of the association by repositioning the present doctors mess to make it more public yielding,” she stated.

Continuing, Dr. Emem Abraham hinted that the issue of NMA Hospital will be pursued vigorously during her tenure, promising to revive the Cooperative of the body.

“I will pursue the unity of all doctors and will run an all inclusive government so that every Doctor would have a room to thrive,” she vowed.

Meanwhile, other highlights of the AGM of the association were a novelty football match with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Continuing Medical Education (CME) and Outreaches in schools.

The NMA 2022 AGM themed ” Improving Healthcare Delivery In Akwa Ibom State” began with a road walk on July 11 , 2022 and ended on July 17, 2022 with a Thanksgiving Service at Faith and Power Chuch, Ring Road 3, Uyo and a luncheon at the Akwa Ibom State NMA Secretariat.

Government Suspense Illegal Metal In Akwa Ibom state Company

The Joint team of the Ministry of Environment and Solid Mineral; and Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Committee on Environment has ordered Golden Tripod International Limited Oz Production and Shoe Brake Manufacturing Industry Project, Uyo-AKS to cease operation with immediate effect pending when due documents authorising their operations are provided to guide further action. 

The order was handed down earlier today as the team paid an oversight visit to the company located at Ikot Ebido Oku along Ikot Ekpene Road, Uyo.

On behalf of the visiting team, the Member representing Nsit Atai State Constituency and the Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Environment, Rt. Hon Mark Esset announced that the Company should be shut down immediately pending when they can provide necessary documents permitting their operations. 

The team also comprising the Chairman of the Committee, Rt. Hon Asuquo Archibong and the Commissioner for Environment and Solid Mineral, Mr. Charles Udoh, frowned at the action of the workers who attacked the visiting team and their vehicles. 

In a brief interface at the Ministry of Environment and Solid Mineral with the Managing Staff of Tripod International Limited, the team resolved as follows;

"For obstructing the official oversight duties of the Government by hoodlums and destroying our vehicles; For operating without official permit from the Akwa Ibom State Government; and posing serious health/environmental hazard to the workers and residents through your operations against all environmental standards, your operations should be stood down with immediate effect till further  notice pending when official documents permitting your operations will be provided for further action."

In his reaction, the Commissioner for Environment and Solid Mineral, Mr. Charles Udo said the company has not only violated the environmental standards which is in the concurrent list of the State Government but endangers the lives of residents around the area. 

The Commissioner said since the company started operation in 2018, they have never reached out to the Ministry about their operations as contained in the unauthorized Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the company.

Collaborating the claims of environmental hazards posed by the operation of the company, residents lament of dark coloured  rain water with black soot emission.

Further interrogations of the Managing staff who took over operations of the company after the death of the former MD, who was also a Chinese man, revealed that they have been evading invitations from the State Ministry of Environment; House Committee on Environment; and Environmental Health Workers who sealed the place at a time and sued them. These invitations were not respected by the Company with the excuse that the current MD, addressed as Mr. LTN 2Z was not around on medical grounds. 

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Mr. Nsudoh Nsudoh said that by right the Company before operation should have provided Operational Permit, Health Safety Permit and approved EIA via the designated organ of Government.

The Ministry warned other Companies operating in the State without recourse to the existing environmental standards to retrace their steps and allow this to serve as a deterrent. 

Meanwhile, the MD, Mr LTN 2Z and his Marketing Manager, Mr. Peter Yuan are currently in detention by security officers pending proper investigation on the matter by the government team. 

OBA CAMP SWELL AS GROUP VISIT JANET AMBA, PLEDGES FULL SUPPORT

The residence of the former president general  of Oron Union Mrs Janet Amba was a beehive of activities today as groups thronged her home to declare support for Senator Bassey Albert

One of the groups Patriotic organisation led by Mr. Benjamin Umoh took through the memory lane to eulogise the immediate past Senior Special Assistant to the governor of Akwa Ibom State on Small and medium scale enterprises over her performance both in and outside the government.

Also speaking the secretary of the group Engr Uduak Edet said they were with the former President of police officers wives association (Bayelsa State) to show unalloyed solidarity with Senator Bassey Albert, promising to stand firm.

In her response Mrs Janet Amba thanks the group for their solidarity and resolve for National building. She urges the group to go all out for voters registration, so as to solidify their support for Senator Bassey Albert. She assured the group that Bassey Albert will be the best Governor in the history of Akwa Ibom State.

2023: OBA SOARS LIKE AN EAGLE

By Richmond Benjamin

Despite the lies and blackmail, a dubious strategy recently employed by the opposition against Senator Albert Bassey (OBA), his reputation, popularity and rating soar everyday like an eagle. Clearly, the enemies are failing, because that can’t demonise the people’s preferred!

Blackmail and propaganda are crooked schemes usually deployed as weapons of political warfare by threatened oppressors mostly in the ruling leadership class. During elections, dubious politicians use them to skew opinions and suppress the acceptability rating of aspirants popularly embraced by the masses. 

In recent times, there have been unjustified attempts to dissuade the people from appreciating OBA’s  positive and remarkable achievements, as well as his sterling leadership qualities.

The negative minds are obviously afraid that with OBA’s overwhelming qualities and outstanding achievements, experience and competence, they stand no chance in the run up to the 2023 election. Sadly, rather than deal with issues, points and facts, they rather adopt a debased tactics of trying to discredit OBA’s  personality. But as usual, as God lives, they continue to fail!

Yes, as much as they try, they have not not and cannot erase OBA’s worthy footprints already imprinted in the sands of history. Except a few unsuspecting and vulnerable ones, informed electorate rather look at the records of his tangible achievements and keep shunning some “least qualified” aspirants  with obviously lesser value. 

OBA is the best aspirant across all the political parties, as far as the forthcoming governorship election is concerned. He has solid practical experience in both private and public sectors. His has unparalleled pedigree in public funds management, as the longest serving one-time commissioner of Finance. Here’s a man who left a remarkable banking career as a top level manager, specifically vice president of FCMB. So handling budgetary appropriation and federal allocations as well as how to excellently implement programmes to stimulate economic growth, physical development and citizens’ welfare should be considered a done deal under his supervisor as the state governor.

So you are right to believe that the economy would be robust, welfaristic and OBA’s political leadership people-centric,  thereby bringing massive dividends of good governance to citizens.

He won't be like some boastful supposed Harvard ex-students and suspected owners of banks, who  sadly mismanaged the people’s commonwealth, spreading  hunger and poverty to  bite the  citizens with impunity. 

As of today,  Akwa Ibom state needs help. Indeed,  the desire for redemption and restoration to the lost glory has been on the increase. Already, there is a gradual collapse of infrastructure, making nonsense of the positive global attention attracted to the state by the previous administration of Godswill Akpabio, through uncommon transformation.

Today, pretentious attempts at roads construction end in substandard or abandoned death traps. The state of infrastructural decay is critical and demoralizing, very shameful for the state that receives the highest federal allocation. Yet, while the state keeps burning, the government plays games with the people’s resources, betting in one national political game after another. 

Yet, there is hope in the offing,  as OBA has vowed to turn the situation around for good, when he assumes office as governor, next year. OBA will complete abandoned projects and upgrade the bad ones,  as well as maintain the good ones done by his predecessor.  OBA bases his commitment to completing unfinished works on the grounds that they were initiated with the people’s money and must be completed for the benefit of all.

Senator Akpan also sees government as a revolving wheel,  turning  round to give the deserved benefits to the people. 

As a politician,  he is very understanding, accommodating, forgiving and tolerant. Therefore, those who for whatever reasons or purposes think he would be vindictive to those who hurt him should nurse no such fear of payback. As a devout Christian, not a "political one", there is no room in the lawmaker's heart for such mischief. For,  a truly progressive leader bears no burden of  hate and vindictiveness.

For instance, even now, OBA still pays school fees for the children of some who betrayed him.  Some  of the wet blankets have remorsefully returned to OBA fold, admitting that with the senator,  they fare better than with those who only use them to attack OBA, then dump them afterwards. 

Ahead of 2023 elections, therefore, the masses must be careful not to miss the opportunity of boarding a dependable vehicle that is on course to rescue Akwa Ibom people. A new movement is coming, a positive revolution that will change the lives of the people for good. Soon, the train will leave the station on its journey to the land of fulfilment. OBA will be hour new dependable driver. Ignore the blackmailers and purveyors of lies;  jump into the people-centric train on a journey to a sure destination in 2023.

AKWA IBOM INDIGENES SEEK MIKE IGINI'S REMOVAL AS REC

Coalition of Youths in the opposition parties in Akwa Ibom demands that the INEC REC in Akwa Ibom State, Mr Mike Igini should go.

The Youths during a protest this morning at the INEC Headquarters in Udo Udoma avenue, Uyo cited bias as one of the paramount reasons the REC should go.

They say his conducts are capable of denying the State transparency in the upcoming general elections.

INEC state administrative secretary, Mr. Emmanuel Iragbo who received the protesters assured them that their stand will be addressed and thanked them for being peaceful

OBA PLEDGES EFFECTIVE OVERNIGHT AS COUNTRY'S MARGINAL FIELDS GETS LICENSES

The chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources Upstream, Senator Bassey Albert Akpan (OBA) has promised an effective and efficient  oversight of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) to ensure that the needs and aspirations of Nigerians are met as Petroleum Prospecting Licenses (PPLs) were today issued to successful awardees of the country's marginal fields in the 2020 bid round pursuant to the provisions of the Act.

Senator Albert made the promise on behalf of the leadership of the Senate at the officiall unveiling  of the Host Communities Development Regulations, Petroleum Prospecting Licences (PPLs) and presentation of licences to marginal field Awardees held at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja

"We believe very strongly that as lawmakers, this is our modest contributions towards the enhancement of the oil and gas sector. We therefore promise a most effective and efficient oversight to ensure that the awarders meet the needs and aspirations of all Nigerians", Senator Albert said.

While congratulating the awardees,  he urged them to contribute to the growth of the oil sector in Nigeria.

He expressed profound gratitude to God Almighty that the 9th National Assembly  is part  of what he calls "the landmark, jinx breaking agenda" to move our oil sector forward.

Today's historic event is in fulfillment of the promise made earlier this year by the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) to issue prospecting Licences to successful awardees of the country's marginal fields as contained in the PIA.

At the event attended by the Minister of State for Petroleum,Chief Timipre Sylva, Members of National Assembly, Board Chairman, NUPRC, Mallam Isa Ibrahim Modibbo, Chief Executive, NUPRC, Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, industry captains, representatives of host communities, the model petroleum prospecting licence was unveiled alongside presentation of petroleum prospecting Licences to 47 successful bidders.

Also at the occasion, NUPRC also unveiled the implementation template for the Host Communities Development Trust (HODT), the first of its kind in Nigeria, which replaces all existing GMoUs/MoUs and agreements between the host communities and the oil and gas operators.

If properly implemented, the HODT innovation in the PIA will positively impact on the well-being of host communities and arrest their restiveness.

POMP AS IBOM ANGELS REGAINS' PROMOTION TO NWFL

Ibom Angels Football Club of Akwa Ibom state this morning regained promotion to the Nigerian Women Football League . 

Ibom Angels Football Club this morning achieved the feat with a 1-1 draw against Honey Badgers Fc securing top spot in Group A of the Nigeria Women Football League Championship.

In the final game of the season decided this morning at the Dipo Dina stadium Ijebu Ode, Ibom Angels Fc took the lead in the 2nd minute through Ability Okon before Honey Badgers Fc leveled scores in the 48th minute.

The Coach Prince Usen tutored Orange ladies needed a point in the match to seal promotion back to the NWFL and got the job done with the 1-1 draw to finish top of the standings with 8 points from 4 matches, 2 wins and 2 draws.

Ibom Angels Football Club returns to the NWFL after a single season in the Championship and will compete alongside other Elite female clubs when the 2022/2023 NWFL season commences.