The Empire

  By Asuquo Edem Akwa Ibom State 2023 Revised budget now stands at N850B as the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly today during Plenary passed a supplementary estimate amounting to N150B. In a report presented to the House by the House Committee Chairman on Finance and Appropriation, Hon. Itorobong Etim, informed the Speaker and Members that the committee met with Heads of Government Ministries Departments and Agencies Including the Commissioner for Finance and Accountant General to obtain their views on government priority projects and programs, revenue, debt profile and sources of funding as it relates to areas of augmentation or savings in the supplementary estimates. She stated that the supplementary budget would be funded through Derivation Revenue of N80B, Direct Credit Substitute/Discounting Facilities/Internal Loans of N54.536B and an Opening Balance of N15.464B bringing to a total of N150B. Hon. Etim who represents Uruan State Constituency added that the Supplementary Budget of

By Asuquo Edem  Worried by the inability of indigenes of  Oruku to access quality and affordable healthcare services the member representing Uruefong/Oruko State Constituency in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Hon. Precious Selong has presented before the House, a motion on Notice about the alarming infrastructural decay at the General Hospital in Oruko. While noting the critical place health infrastructural facilities plays in the sound health and well-being of constituents especially in the rural communities, the Lawmaker informed the House that the only secondary health facility, General Hospital, Oruko in Urueoffong/ Oruko Local Government Area which was established by the State Government to cater for the health needs of the entire local government and its environs as well as serve as referral center to nearby primary health facilities is presently near collapse.  She expressed concern over the rate of infrastructural decay in the health facility to include dilapidated stru

  By Asuquo Edem  Irked by the deplorable condition of Ikot Akata -Ekop-Ntan Ide Ekpe Ikot Edem Udo road, the Leader of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Hon. Sunday Jimmy has drawn the attention of the State Government to the urgent need for it's construction. The Leader coming under a Motion On Notice presented before the House, informed the House that the 5.4km Ikot Akata Ekop-Ntan Ide Ekpe-Ikot Edem Udo road with 60 meters span bridge which connects Mkpat Enin and Onna L.G.A is presently at its worst deplorable condition and needs urgent approval for construction adding that this has caused the people of Ntan Ide Ekpe not to have access to their community except through Mkpat Enin which he noted takes them hours to get home or go out. While emphasizing on Agricultural revolution as one of the primary focus of Governor Umo Eno's governance agenda, Hon. Jimmy stated that for that to thrive at the rural level, rural infrastructural development must be prioritized. Accordi

    By Asuquo Edem  In it's avowed determination to hit the ground running as it has to do with oversight functions, the House Committee on Works and Transport has been inaugurated. In his inaugural address,the Chairman of the Committee who represents Nsit Ubium State Constituency, Rt. Hon. Otobong Bob assured indigenes of the State that they will leave no stone unturned to ensure that funds appropriated for projects across the State are properly utilized, completed at stipulated  time and specifications. He noted that the Committee is not out to witch-hunt any Ministry or Parastatal however tasked contractors handling jobs at various locations across the State to sit up as abandonment and under utilisation of projects funds would not be tolerated. Rt. Hon. Bob who is the Deputy Leader of the House while thanking the Speaker for the opportunity given to them to serve, emphasized that the Committee will work to ensure that Akwa Ibom State becomes a reference point of projects in Nig

    Moved by the need to investigate reasons behind the abandonment of Qua River Hotel, Eket the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has beamed it's searchlight with a view to it's reactivation for use. Coming under a Notice of Motion presented before the House during Plenary yesterday, the member representing Eket State Constituency, Hon. Nsidibe Akata informed the House that the hotel which was established by the then Governor of the then South Eastern State, General U. J. Esuene was the home of first choice for expatriates, consultants, engineers and allied professionals in Mobil Producing Nigeria Unltd now Exxon Mobil and other companies that operated in Eket and its environs. He noted that Qua River Hotel was functioning and growing even when the State was renamed Cross River State however expressed worry that the Hotel nose-dived due to bad management like most other government businesses after the creation of Akwa lbom State and in 1996, the Hotel went under completely. &q