By Edet Okpo
Senator Ekong Sampson is a versatile, thorough -bred, purpose- driven, accomplished politician and a quintessential leader cum seasoned lawmaker whose clean bill of dedicated public service is simply amazing and breath-taking, particularly in the red Chamber of the National Assembly where he is bringing his vast, rich and varied experiences in legislative business to bear, turning around the fortunes of the Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District to the admiration and applause of Stakeholders.
His name in the floor of the 10th Senate of the National Assembly needs no introduction. His is loved and cherished by his distinguished Colleagues and Constituents. When he joined the race for the Akwa Ibom South( Eket )Senatorial District National Assembly election in 2024, it did not sound as any surprise to the people of the senatorial district who already knew his pedigree and towering record of dedicated public service.
To his Constituents, it was a long-awaited declaration from one of the soundest brains, celebrated lawmaker, cerebral scholar, outstanding entrepreneur and advocate of the masses. So, the atmosphere was that of ecstasy, frenzied applause, and great expectations.
He contested and won the elections and won overwhelmingly. That victory ushered Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District into a new era redemption and paradigm shift in People - centric representation. Senator Ekong Sampson went to the National Assembly on a springboard of cumulative experience in public stewardship, quality service delivery, unwavering patriotism, and deep knowledge of Akwa Ibom South political history.
Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District is experiencing the new breeze of quality dividends of democracy and noiseless impact of good representation. Unarguably , Senator Ekong Sampson knew he was going to the National Assembly as a catalyst. It was a matter of trust and pedigree. He went there to replicate and improve upon his scorecard on a larger platform. It is gladdening that, as rightly expected, Senator Sampson has not disappointed the people of Akwa Ibom South (Eket) Senatorial District, Akwa Ibom State, and the country at large. His scorecard speaks volume.
On assumption of office as a Senator on June 13, 2023, he gave strong signals of his intentions when, just within the first 100 days in Office, he successfully opened a Constituency Office to fully integrate the grassroots into his all inclusive blueprints. He augmented that with his cerebral and firebrand sponsorship of strategic people-oriented and development-inclined bills in the National Assembly, Such as a Bill for the establishment of the Federal University of Technology, Ikot Abasi; bill for establishment of a Federal Medical Centre in Akwa Ibom South; a bill for the Child Right Act, and a bill for the establishment of Federal University of Medical Sciences in Eket. His known voice was also loudly heard and felt in the ongoing processes for the upgrade of Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron to a Federal University university of Maritime Studies, Oron. And most recently, his consequential and robust collaboration with the President of the 10th Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, GCON in championing a cause for the establishment of Federal University of Agriculture, Obio Akpa, Oruk Anam Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State; establishment of the South-South Development Commission with the Headquarters sited in Akwa Ibom State, amongst others.
Senator Ekong Sampson is also credited with having sponsored a bill for the establishment of the Nigeria Solid Minerals Development Corporation to expand the frontiers of the country’s mining sector and also moved critical motions which have received or receiving robust Legislative actions.
Senator Ekong's attachment and passion for grassroots development and impact are second to none. To give attention and needed supervision, it rightly deserves, he first set up a Special Constituency Projects Assessment and Implementation Committee as an instrument to oversee the infrastructural projects. The Committee is made up of eggheads and celebrated technocrats selected amongst constituents of his Senatorial District. The projects and programmes are strategically spread across education, healthcare, infrastructure, human capacity building, geology, agriculture, capacity building, sustainable empowerment and entrepreneurship and mentorship training.
Just last year, precisely October 21, 2024, senator Ekong sponsored over 300 Media practitioners and ICT experts from Akwa Ibom South senatorial district on a-youth and women training seminar. The training exercise spanned across mining; fashion and design; confectionery; etc. At the end, participants went home with cash incentives and certificates of participation. He has secured federal, State employment for about 40 of his Constituents and awarded Scholarship to some Indigent students.
Within two years of impactful representation, the following projects have either been completed, ongoing or about to commence. The are; Construction of ICT/CBT Centre at Excellence College, Ikot Unya, Construction of ICT/CBT Centre at St Vincent Secondary School, Oti-oro, Okobo LGA, Construction of ICT/CBT Centre at St Francis Secondary School, Ikot Ataku, Eket LGA, Construction of Staff Quarters at Excellence College, Ikot Unya, Mkpat Enin LGA, Provision of Solar-powered water borehole in Mkpat Enin village, Provision of solar-powered water borehole in Ikot Ekpe, Mkpat Enin LGA,
Provision of solar-powered water borehole in Ekpuk Town, Mkpat Enin LGA,
Provision of solar-powered water borehole in Ikot Unya, Mkpat Enin LGA,
Provision of solar-powered streetlights in Uquo, Esit Eket LGA,Provision of solar-powered streetlights in Eyibia, Udung Uko LGA,Provision of solar-powered streetlights in Ikot Unya, Mkpat Enin LGA, Provision of solar-powered streetlights in Ikot Mkpeye, Mkpat Enin LGA, reactivation of electricity in Eyubiasang, Urueffong Oruko LGA, reactivation of electricity in Okon-Eket, Eket LGA , Construction of Staff Quarters at Excellence College, Ikot Unya, Mkpat Enin LGA. There also Opening of Rural Roads in Utu Idim, Asak Ikang, Mbo LGA,
Opening of Rural Roads in Ikot Mbong, Onna LGA, Opening of Rural Roads in Ikot Unya, Mkpat Enin LGA, Purchase and Distribution of Fertilizers to Selected Farmers in Akwa Ibom South, Purchase and distribution of Farm Seedlings to Farmers in Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District, training and empowerment of Selected Youths and Women in Akwa Ibom South, training and empowerment of Youths on Cosmetology, Paint Making, Barbing and Hair Dressing in the riverine areas of Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District, Construction of Conference Hall at Federal University of Technology, Ikot Abasi, Erosion Control in Ekeya, Okobo LGA, Akwa Ibom State.
Some projects captured in the 2025 legislative year are: Construction of 13.5 KM Ibekwe Akpanya- Ikot Unya - Ekpuk road, Construction of major Medical facilities in General Hospital, Iquita,Oron, Immanuel Hospital,Eket, General Hospital,Ikot Abasi, fencing of Excellence College, Ikot Unya, Mkpat Enin, fencing of St.Vincent Secondary School, Oti-Oro, Okobo, Hostel Facility in Excellence College,Mkpat Enin, Science Laboratory at Technical College, Eyokpifie, Urueoffong/Oruko, Staff Quarters at Secondary School,Udung Uko, Construction of School block at Secondary School,Amadaka, Eastern Obolo L.G.A, PROVISION OF SOLAR POWERED WATER PROJECT IN UDA, MBO LGA, CONSTRUCTION OF CLASSROOM BLOCK AT GOVERNMENT SCHOOL, IKOT EKPENYONG, PROVISION OF SOLAR POWERED WATER PROJECT IN IKOT ESSEN, MKPAT ENIN LGA,
PROVISION OF SOLAR POWERED WATER PROJECT IN NUNG UKIM III, MKPAT ENIN LGA, PROVISION OF SOLAR POWERED WATER PROJECT IN UKAM, MKPAT ENIN LGA, PROVISION OF SOLAR POWERED WATER PROJECT IN IKOT AKPADEN, MKPAT ENIN LGA,
PROVISION OF SOLAR POWERED WATER PROJECT IN ETE, IKOT ABASI LGA
FREE MEDICAL SERVICES FOR SELECTED COMMUNITIES IN AKWA IBOM SOUTH SENATORIAL DISTRICT,
PROVISION OF SOLAR POWERED WATER PROJECT IN IDUA ASSANG, ORON LGA,
PROVISION OF STREETLIGHTS IN SELECTED COMMUNITIES IN IBENO LGA, PROVISION OF SOLAR POWERED STREETLIGHTS IN EDO ETTI, ESIT EKET LGA, PROVISION OF SOLAR POWERED STREETLIGHTS IN EDEMAYA, IKOT ABASI LGA, REHABILITATION OF ELECTRICITY IN IKOT UNYA, IKOT UMIANG, MKPAT ENIN LGA,
CONSTRUCTION OF CLASSROOM BLOCK IN EGWANGA, IKOT ABASI LGA,
PROVISION OF SOLAR POWERED WATER PROJECT IN IKOT UBO AKAMA, IKOT ABASI LGA,TRAINING OF YOUTHS IN MINING SECURITY IN AKWA IBOM SOUTH, OPENING OF ACCESS ROADS TO MINING ACCESS ROADS in Akwa Ibom State, among others.
Ekong Sampson has been an audible and respectable voice on the floor of the Senate. For the emphasis, it is good to hear that the billion dollar-spinning Aluminum Smelter Company in Ikot Abasi that had been closed for years will soon return to boost the economy of the country, providing employment and value chain-effect dynamics. Nobody in the Senate has been as vocal and even vociferous on this possibility like Senator Sampson.
Senator Sampson has never minced words about why he desired and stepped into the arena on his way to the Senate. He went there to change stories and prove that things can work with the right heart attitude and the most qualified person in positions of leadership. At several fora, he never failed to state this: “My commitment to taking Akwa Ibom South to Nigeria, and Nigeria to Akwa Ibom South, as well as offering effective representation has been steadily on course. I have remained very focused on my dual mandates of legislative business and oversight, including constituency engagements, ensuring that both the formal and informal aspects of my representation are well taken care of…I will continue to run a consultative representation…to reposition our senatorial district for the greater good of all”.
There is no exaggeration in the above statement. Senator Ekong has clearly proven that he knows why he went to the Senate. Of course, it can be said without sentiments or fear of contradiction that, unlike the past, today Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District is constantly on the tongues of constituents for good, the media and a recurrent source of discourses - all on account of the fresh air of quality representation that has been made possible by Senator Ekong Sampson. Another is his regular interface with constituents almost on weekly basis. However, what Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District needs now is consolidation. This spectacular first term engagement by Senator Ekong Sampson should be reciprocated in 2027.
* Edet Okpo, is a Media and Image Management consultant, based in Uyo,Akwa Ibom State.*
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