The Empire Naija

By Edet Okpo How practical and commendable it is to observe how the Management of Maritime Academy of Nigeria  is relentless in the advancement of its sustainable template for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for the host communities of the Academy! As one of many in the series in the past two years, the Academy on Friday, November 22, 2019, successfully organized a Sensitization workshop on the theme: “Curbing  Drug Abuse, Cyber Crime and Cultism Among Secondary School Students”. Held in the ultra-modern  Rt. Hon. Rotimi Ameachi Auditorium,  the workshop had in attendance 600 Secondary School Students drawn from 10 different schools in Oron Local Government Area, the immediate host community to the Academy. As part of ensuring that the aims and objectives of the workshop were most effectively and satisfactorily realized, the Academy’s Management neither spared resources nor bothered about the rigours of assembling such a huge number of students and...

Court of Appeal in Calabar declares Effiong Johnson of the APC winner of the Mbo State House of Assembly election. Nullifies election of Okon Asukwo of the PDP. INEC to issue Certificate of Return. Details later

The Accountant General of Akwa Ibom State,  Pst. Uwem Andrew Essien has informed the members of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Committee on Finance and Appropriation that the State Government has paid 90% of leave grant for 2019 in  various Ministries. The Accountant General while making the above assertion while defending the 2020 budget estimates among other Ministries noted that the last batch will be paid before November runs out. According to him, noted that the AGs office has presently reached 59% revenue performance with 29% budget performance from the N50b approved for 2019. He also said that they have also paid gratuities up to March 2016 as well as backlog of pensions up to 2015. Pastor Essien added that the State was rated as third across the country in terms of Budget implementation. Responding, the Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Committee Mr. Effiong Asuquo while commending the AG on his numerous strides and achievements, tas...

BY EDET OKPO It was certainly a moment of sweet shock and relentless outpouring of commendations by the visiting team of federal law-makers. The situation on ground proved more than enough that with the right and deserved persons in the right place at appropriate time, things can work in the country, contrary to needless criticisms and despondency usually expressed by fifth columnists. Overwhelmed by the rapid, systematic and unparalleled transformation of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria,  from a state of decay to an emerging competitive force in global maritime narratives in barely two years, the House of Representatives Committee on Maritime Safety, Education and Administration, described the Rector of the institution, Commodore Duja Emmanuel Effedua (rtd.)  as “a patriotic Nigerian with the true Nigerian spirit”. This being the maiden visit since the inauguration of the 9th Assembly, the House Committee which was led by its Chairman, Hon. Lynda Ikpeazu, was on a ...

The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly committee on Appropriations and Finance today Friday commenced 2020 Budget Defence as Ministries, Departments and Agencies appeared before it to defend their proposed estimates. The Chairman Advisory Prerogative Of Mercy, Sir Adasi Obolum while defending his estimates noted that the N30m allocated to the parastatal which is under the office of the Secretary to State Government is grossly inadequate as they are not only training the inmates but also equip them with starter packs including but not limited to sewing machines and barbing equipment added with the fact that they have no official vehicle.  He disclosed to the Rt. Hon. Uduak Odudoh led Committee that 155 condemned Akwaibomites are awaiting execution in Port Harcourt maximum prison because Akwa Ibom state has no facility for execution where 85% of them are youth adding that Ikot Abasi Correctional center  has 95% youths while 5% are Elders as inmates. Sir Obolum ...

A motion sponsored by the member representing Nsit Ubium State Constituency in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Hon (Barr) Otobong E. Bob, has called for the immediate takeover of Ndukpoise Health Centre by the Akwa Ibom State Government from the Catholic Mission. The motion which was brought today, November 7, 2019, pursuant to Order Three, Rule 1 of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Standing Orders (Sixth Edition) note that thirty two years after the Mission took over the running of the health facility, it had not fulfilled the community's dreams but has instead abandoned the health centre to rot with no more activities like treatment of sick people, immunization services, child delivery, pre-natal and post-natal services among other healthcare services. Hon (Barr) Bob recalled in the motion that the strategic location of the health centre serviced citizens across five communities of three wards in Nsit Ubium State Constituency and even extended its services to c...

Speaker of the 7th Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Aniekan Bassey, has said the concept of Collaboration and Cooperation of Powers should be passionately emulated by the three arms of government for the good of the society. The Speaker, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Mr. Darlington Udobong, spoke of the concept of collaboration of powers in relation to the 2020 Budget and the expectations of the people. He said “Though we are separate arm of government, we must always find a way to converge our separation for the sake of our people. And this we do through the converge of cooperation and collaboration. This concept is very important and very necessary in our democracy, because without the actual cooperation and collaboration of all arms of government, the separation cannot work. I therefore, propose to my colleagues nationwide the concept of cooperation and collaboration of powers. The legislature needs to make laws and perform it...