The Empire

Akwa Ibom State Government has Restricted movement of persons and vehicles with effect Monday, March 30, 2020. The Quarantine and Restriction of Movement Regulations 2020 signed by Governor Udom Emmanuel, comes into force on 30th March 2020 and will remain in force till 30th April, 2020, or for such extended period as may be announced from time to time. The provisions of the regulation, according to the chairman of the Quarantine and Restriction of movement regulation 2020 enforcement committee and Akwa Ibom State Police Commissioner are as follows: that Commercial tricycles are not to carry not more than two passengers only, Mini buses to carry one passenger per row. # Private vehicles to carry not more than two persons at the back seat and one on the front seat. # Public Parks, Shops, Eateries, Clubs, Restaurants, Markets, shall remain closed except those for the sale of foodstuffs, drugs and other essential commodities. # All public burials, weddings,and other forms

Following a critical analysis of the situation relating to COVID-19 situation, I have been directed by HE the Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel to make the following announcements; 1. Salaries of state government workers for the month of March will be paid today, Thursday, March 26, 2020. 2. Workers are advised to prepare to stop going to work and stay at home for one (1 ) week with effect from Monday 30 March, 2020. The stay-at-home order will be strongly enforced. 3. All borders and roads leading in and out of the state are closed with immediate effect; except for the transportation of food items. 4. Ibom Air will suspend all flight operations from Sunday, 29 March, 2020. 5. Markets are to remain open for sale of foodstuff and essential items only. 6. All Churches are strongly requested to fast and pray for God’s mercies on Sunday 29 March, 2020. 7. Residents and citizens are strongly advised to apply all the preventive measures  earlier announced. While the one week stay-at-h

The Rector, Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Commodore Duja  Emmanuel Effedua (Rtd.), has described as highly unprofessional, biased, mischievous and a facet of irresponsibility the way and the manner the partnership between the Academy and the Ship Owners Association of Nigeria (SOAN) has been reported in the media. The Rector who condemned in strong terms the disparaging and exaggerated reports on issues that are well under discreet control by the Management of the Academy and SOAN said the report was mischievously aimed at attacking the integrity and leadership of SOAN. The Rector who made the clarifications in the Academy during a media chat at the Academy, refuted the damaging insinuations and maintained that such hasty and treacherous report authored without balance and conscience has the potential to cause collateral damage to the existing robust relationship between SOAN and other strategic partners and the Maritime Academy of Nigeria. It would be  recalled that Ships and

 By Akaninyene EKONG Chairman of the House Committee on Rural Development and Public Utilities and member representing Esit Eket/Ibeno State Constituency in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Dr Usoro Akpanusoh, has reacted to the imbroglio that characterized the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Congresses in Esit Eket, saying “It is Elder Benji Udobia’s predetermined goal to uproot and destroy the party in the area.” He said the alleged scene that marred the selection process of the PDP structure in the area was part of plots to scheme Esit Eket and its people in the forthcoming Local Government Council elections and 2023 by the Elder Udobia and his cohorts. According to our source, a chieftain of the PDP in the area, Pastor Emmanuel Etim, “Elder Udobia’s guest and annoyance is that Dr Usoro Akpanusoh, a two-term member of the State Assembly, has dared him to insist for political inclusiveness and total cohesion in the party structure of Esit Eket.” Another source, Chief Ed

The Speaker Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Aniekan Bassey has called for inclusive leadership at all levels of party structures in Uruan LGA and the State at large for a more formidable front. The number three citizen in the State gave the charge today during the Chapter Congress of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Uruan LGA. "I want to thank Uruan people for the decorum exhibited during the last Ward Congress. It was impressive and I urge all to keep the tempo. "PDP is running an inclusive leadership and I urge the new Executive to follow suit. I promise that everyone will be given a sense of belonging and the umbrella open to accommodate all." The Speaker, advocated for a healthy sportsman's spirit in politicking in the area and encouraged the people to always extend hands of fellowship to one another despite any political outcome whether in their favour or not so the Party can be advanced. He went further, using himself as an example wh

As the People's Democratic Party holds it Chapter Congress tomorrow, Saturday, the member representing the people of Ibeno/Esit Eket in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Dr. Usoro Akpanusoh has called on the umpire, Independent National Electoral Commission to live up to its mandate and responsibility as enshrined in the Electoral Act. The Lawmaker while speaking to newsmen said that "INEC Is empowered to monitor the conduct of party congresses in not only my local government area, but all over the country" adding that they  are also expected to be neutral, report what they see happening on the field even as the law specifies that primaries must be conducted at the headquarters of the ward, local government and states. While advocating for an open process, however stated that peradventure the community or local government agrees on a consensus candidate, then there should be a voice vote of people saying ‘yes’ to such candidate. In his words, "You can’

Members of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly today  intensified awareness campaign against the dreaded Coronavirus. The campaign which is an initiative of the House Committee on Information chaired by the Deputy House Leader and Member Representing Etinan State Constituency Hon. (Barr) Aniefiok Dennis Akpan was described by colleagues as eery apt. The campaign tagged " LETS KEEP CORONAVIRUS OUT!" became very necessary as COVID-19, a disease caused by the virus spread has forced governments, businesses and individuals around the world to undertake unprecedented and drastic measures toward curbing the menace. Countries have been put into lockdown, schools closed, events cancelled, factories shuttered and billions of fund released.

By ALPHONSUS BASSEY If not for our full knowledge of the disguised presences of some reprobates and prodigals who,  having suffered the devastating and repercussive consequences of their disloyalty in their former parties, have sneaked into the harmonious, accommodating and goal-oriented  family of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), we would have been unpleasantly surprised by and doubtful about the shameless masterminds of series of recent blackmails that have been targeted at the impeccable PDP leadership in Okobo Local Government Area. Fortunately, we know far better than these unprincipled mercenaries may have fooled themselves to think in their treacherous disposition. Upon their referential failures in the remote and recent past, our attention once again has been drawn to a malicious and ill-fated publication in one of the accursed local media outfits in Akwa Ibom State, with a sensationally incurious trademark banner “Fallout of PDP Ward Congress: AKHA Deputy Speaker ho

By Josephine Etuk The Chairman of the State Civil Service Commission, Apostle Sunny Akpadiaha has called for a review of the federal government’s quota based policy that places candidates from States considered educationally disadvantaged on vantage position of access to admission into federal universities and colleges over their counterparts from educationally advantaged States, stressing that this has remained one of the major constraints confronting educational advancement in Nigeria. Speaking in Uyo while interacting with a cross section of Education Officers who appeared before the Commission’s panel for oral promotion interview, Apostle Akpadiaha decried a situation where geographical concerns take precedent over merit, noting that there is always a significant difference in the quality of performance of students who gained admission on merit against those admitted on the quota basis which has created inequitable effect that has threatened quality of graduates. He fur

The Federal Government of Nigeria has issued a travel ban on 13 countries in a bid to curb the spread of Covid-19 (coronavirus). The Secretary to the Government of the Federation Boss Mustapha made the announcement at a media briefing today, Wednesday. The affected countries are the United State of America, the United Kingdom, China, Japan, Iran, Switzerland, Norway, Netherland, France, South Korea, Germany, Italy and Spain. The Federal Government also had on Tuesday, placed a ban on travel by public servants to countries highly affected by COVID-19 pandemic disease. Mr Boss Mustapha, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), announced this on Tuesday after a closed-door meeting with the Presidential Task Force Committee on COVID-19 in Abuja. Also, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Wednesday morning ordered that all orientation camps across Nigeria be shut as preventive and precautionary measures against coronavirus. President Muhammadu Buhari on Tu

An Akwa Ibom child  living in Cumbria, Miss Seno Akanieyene Offiong Usen Akpabio has won a story writing competition in Annan, Scotland. Miss Seno Akpabio defeated Scotland children with a story titled "Fluffy and the Hot Air Balloon" to emerge the overall best story writer in a competition organised by author Claire Overton, whose aim is to encourage writing and imagination among young people locally. Miss Seno Akpabio who is a 9 year child narrates the tales of teddy's bear adventure in her 45 pages novel published and printed by Hallelujah House Clo Steadfast ministries, P. O. Box 7409,  Annan, DE 126YG, S. W. Scotland. The book is purely a narrative story about Teddy’s bear adventure and has been legibly printed with zero grammatical errors. The catalogue-in-data record of the fluffy and the Hot Air Ballon is available in the British library and amazon uk online . Miss Seno Akpabio is a grand child to Engr. Offiong Usen Akpabio, a Chieftain of People&#

Dr Usoro Akpanusoh, Chairman of the House Committee on Rural Development and Public Utilities, represents Esit Eket/Ibeno State Constituency in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly. He is an advocate for justice, equity, fair play and a founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In this exclusive interview, he recounted his achievements and what transpired during the Saturday, March 7th PDP Ward Congress in Esit Eket Local Government Area, his agitations for internal democracy and inclusiveness as well as his relationship the political leader of the area, Elder Benjamin Udobia. Excerpts: Q. As a two-term member of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, could you kindly tell us about your legislative achievements? A. If I want to recount all of them, we would spend the whole evening.  Primarily, my responsibility is to make law in the Akwa Ibom Sate House of Assembly. That is why I was elected and that is what I am doing. Outside that, I have responsibility to carry

Following last Saturday's Congress conducted by the People's Democratic Party, PDP in Akwa Ibom State, some stakeholders from th 8 Wards of Esit Eket Local government Area have decried the imposition of candidates and doctoring of results by the Chairman and Secretary of the Congress Committee in the area. While making the position known to the memer representing the Area in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, RT. Hon. Usoro Akpanusoh during a visit to him yesterday, the stakeholders who came out in their numbers told the Lawmaker to take up the case and ensure that Justice is done. Speaking separately and unbehalf of the three zones, Hon. Imoh Edet Jonah, Pastor Gldwin Ediyanga,  Prince Akan Etudo the exercise which was peaceful had Party faithful come out enmase to vote for candidates of their choice but they are only baffled that some persons with selfish interest are bent on changing the results to suit their inordinate ambitions. They noted that the results

Irked by the threat posed by the dreaded Corona Virus, the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has urged the Ministry of Health to strengthen its Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Committee in order to prevent the virus from spreading to the State. The resolution followed a Motion sponsored by the Member representing Etinan State Constituency, Rt. Hon. (Barr.) Aniefiok Dennis and ten others at Plenary on Thursday. Rt. Hon. Dennis in his Motion entitled "Intensification of Akwa Ibom State Infectious Disease Preventive Measures as Nigeria Records First Confirmed Case of Coronavirus", informed the House that more than 3,000 deaths, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), have been recorded since the outbreak of what he termed global virus. He pointed out that the developmental strides recorded by the current administration has opened up the state airspace and road network thus making the state more accessible, nationally and internationally. The House

The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Bassey, has urged youths to discover who they are in order to explore various employment opportunities made available in the state by the current administration. Rt. Hon. Bassey made this call before doling out N.5 million as cash prize to winners of the first edition of the Rt. Hon. Aniekan Bassey Youth Entrepreneurship Support Scheme (RHAB-YESS) which held at the Conference Room of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Uyo, on Wednesday. Represented by the member representing Ibesikpo Asutan, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Uko, the Speaker noted that RHAB-YESS is to complement Governor Udom Emmanuel’s Enterprise Development Drive in the state and his contribution towards boosting existing small scale businesses in the state and ending youth unemployment. According to him, “the best thing a leader can do for his people is to teach them how to fish not just give them fish. This scheme is to mentor and support young entrepreneurs to financial independence and grea

Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Bassey, has tasked members of the Catholic Women Organization (CWO) of Christ the King Cathedral Parish, Uyo, to take humanitarian services to the hinterlands to speed up development and progress of the state. Rt. Hon. Bassey made the charge on Tuesday when he received executive members of the Organization in his Office, Assembly Complex, Uyo. The Speaker told the CWO that part of their responsibility as Christian mothers is to pray for leaders, encourage and support government by exuding virtues that will aid growth of the family and the society. He lauded the progress of the building project at the Christ the King Cathedral Parish undertook by the present Executive and urged the mothers to completely emulate the Virgin Mary by always living lives that will please God. While appealing to the CWO to always consider remote villages in their projects, Rt. Hon. Bassey further promised to support the Executive