The Empire Naija

  The Akwa Ibom State Christian Youth, in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Development, will hold a Thanksgiving, Prayer and Endorsement Service in support of the Eno Akwa-Abasi Ibom 2027 vision. Themed “Advancing the Lord’s Purpose Through Continuity” (2 Timothy 2:2), the event is scheduled for Thursday, August 27, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Ibom Hall, IBB Avenue, Uyo. The service is powered by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Christian Youth Matters.

  The Executive Chairman of the Akwa Ibom State Internal Revenue Service (AKIRS), Sir Okon Okon, FCTI, has charged Estate Surveyors and Valuers in Akwa Ibom State to see themselves as critical players and strategic partners in the taxation ecosystem and in driving awareness of the new tax reforms. He gave the charge while delivering a keynote address at the 2026 Mandatory Continuing Professional Development (MCPD) seminar organized by the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), Akwa Ibom State Branch, held Thursday, August 14, 2026 at the E-Library Complex, IBB Way, Uyo The seminar, themed “Estate Surveying and Valuation Practice in the Era of Tax Reforms and Fiscal Transparency in Nigeria,” was attended by over 200 members of NIESV, including practitioners, academics, students and other stakeholders. A renowned Estate Surveyor and administrator, ESV Sunny Udom, FNIV, chaired the occasion. Sir Okon, a Council Member and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Tax...

  The South-South Development Commission (SSDC) has intensified its assessment of flood-affected communities across the region, extending its intervention efforts to Akwa Ibom State to ascertain the extent of damage caused by recent flooding and identify practical measures to support affected residents and strengthen long-term resilience. Rather than remain within the confines of its offices while communities grapple with the devastating consequences of flooding, the Commission’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Ms Usoro Akpabio, alongside her team, embarked on an on-the-spot assessment of affected communities in Akwa Ibom. The exercise is part of the Commission’s broader effort to understand the realities on the ground and work in partnership with relevant government agencies and stakeholders to develop appropriate responses. The assessment followed an earlier mission to Cross River State and took the SSDC team to communities including Uyo, Nkemba Asong Ama, Nwaniba ...

  By Asuquo Edem  The South-South Development Commission (SSDC) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening institutional governance, accountability, ethical leadership and regulatory compliance as critical pillars for the effective delivery of its development mandate across the South-South region. This was the focus of a two-day Workshop on Institutional Governance and Regulatory Compliance for the Board and Management of the Commission, which brought together senior officials and distinguished leaders from key public-sector governance, regulatory, anti-corruption, procurement and financial management institutions. The engagement provided the leadership of the Commission with an opportunity to deepen its understanding of statutory responsibilities, administrative procedures, public-sector reforms, ethical conduct, procurement processes and sound financial management. The first day of the workshop focused largely on institutional governance, leadership, statutory responsibi...

  By Asuquo Edem The South-South Development Commission (SSDC) has commenced what could become a defining new chapter in regional development cooperation, with its maiden regional tour of the six South-South states beginning in Bayelsa State. Led by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Ms Usoro Akpabio, the delegation comprising the Chairman and members of the Board, Executive Directors and other senior officials, embarked on an extensive tour of strategic institutions, infrastructure projects and development initiatives across the state. More than a ceremonial visit, the tour offered the SSDC leadership an opportunity to see first-hand the development realities, innovations and investments shaping Bayelsa State, while identifying areas where regional collaboration could produce greater impact. The engagement began with a strategic meeting with the Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, who received the SSDC delegation alongside members of th...

  “Peter began to say to him: ‘Look! We have left all things and followed you’. Jesus said: ‘Truly I say to you, no one has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the good news who will not get a hundred times more now in this period of time…and in the coming system of things, everlasting life’” – Mark 10: 28-30, New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures By Substance Udo-Nature The last time we met, I deliberately refused to ask Pastor Ephraim Inyangeyen if he is experiencing the reality of Peter’s conversation with Jesus Christ in the above quote since he was ordained a Pastor exactly a year ago. I needn’t ask. By the manifest joy on his face and obvious peace of mind on his entire personality, the answer was all over him.  Pastor Inyangeyen now looks fresher, healthier, happier, more relaxed, more contented, more exuberant, surefooted, and more provident than I ever knew him to be throughout his trailbla...

  Senator Aniekan Bassey, representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District, on Thursday represented the President of the Senate, Godswill Obot Akpabio, at a high-level public hearing on two critical healthcare reform bills aimed at repositioning Nigeria's health sector for greater efficiency, accountability and improved service delivery. The one-day public hearing, organised by the Senate Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary), brought together lawmakers, healthcare professionals, regulators, academics, development partners and other stakeholders to deliberate on proposed amendments to the University Teaching Hospitals Act and the Bill seeking to establish the National Health Facilities Regulatory Agency. Speaking on behalf of the Senate President, Senator Bassey reaffirmed the commitment of the 10th Senate to enacting transformative legislation that directly improves the lives of Nigerians, describing quality healthcare as a fundamental pillar of national development. S...