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  • Redesigned Notes: CBN intensifies sensitisation on Jan. 31 deadline in A’Ibom

    Redesigned Notes: CBN intensifies sensitisation on Jan. 31 deadline in A’Ibom

    By Odo Ogenyi, Uyo

    The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Uyo, Branch Akwa Ibom State has intensified its sensitisation in the state on the January 31, 2023 deadline when the old notes of N1000, N500, and N200 would cease to be legal tender.

    The CBN offiicials during  awareness campaign to different local government areas of the State last weekend advised the residents especially traders in market places to ensure that they deposit all the old notes in banks before the deadline.

    The officials who observed during spot checks on  commercial banks located in the communities were still dispensing old Naira notes, warned them to comply  with the directive to start issuing redesigned notes to their customers or risk being sanctioned.

    At Nsit Ubium Local Government Area , the CBN Branch controller in the State, Mrs  Itohan Mercy Ogbomon-Paul, appealed to the traditional leaders to help them in enlightening their subjects on the New Notes and the cashless policy in their communities

    Ogbomon-Paul made the appeal when she led other CBN offiicials from Abuja and Uyo Branch on advocacy visit to the OkuIbom Ibibio and President General of Akwa Ibom State Traditional Rulers Council, HRM, Edidem Solomon Etuk in his palace.

    She presented samples of the three redesigned notes to the OkuIbom as well as flyers and pamphlets printed to aid in the ongoing nationwide sensitization campaign.

    She explained that the old banknotes of N500, N1000, and N200 which were still being used side by side with the new notes would be phased out completely on January 31, 2023.

     Her words: “We are here for the Central Bank of Nigeria sensitization on the redesigned notes. As we speak, some of our officials are already going round the local government areas.

    “We actually started the sensitization drive since Wednesday in Uyo, but as we are here  today, we said we will first come to pay homage to you and then continue the sensitisation to other local government areas that we have not been to”

    Responding, the OkuIbom of Ibibio and Paramount Ruler of Nsit Ubium who assured the CBN team that he would use town criers to pass the message on the New Naira notes to his subjects, however, appealed for extension of the January 31 deadline.

    He stressed that there was also the need for the Apex Bank to do more sensitization in rural communities on the cashless policy, for the benefit of the underprivileged persons.

    “I am appealing on behalf of my people of Akwa Ibom State that CBN should extend the deadline. The time given is too short.  Whatever policy we introduce in the system, we must ensure that the underprivileged do not suffer. 

    “With the level of poverty in our midst whatever policy we want to introduce must take a gradual process. As traditional rulers that is our concern. You should extend the deadline and keep on sensitising the people on this cashless policy.

    ” I will send town criers immediately across the communities to dessiminate the message on the deadline. And on the day that we’ll be having traditional Council meeting in Uyo, I will invite you to come and sensitise them on the cashless policy”, the monarch said

    Meanwhile, residents across the local government areas especially traders lamented scarcity of the redesigned notes as the commercial banks were still dispensing only the old notes at their Automated Teller Machines.

    At Abak main Market , Abak LGA a market woman who simply identified herself as Usual lamented “You (CBN) said that on the 31st of January you will stop using the old Niara ones, but the New notes are s not in circulation. I sell Tigernut in this market, and I have my ATM but I have not seen or received any of the new Notes”

    Similarly traders at the Itam Central Mosque, in itu local government area appealed to the CBN to put pressure on the commercial banks to start issuing the redesigned notes. 

     Other Local Government areas visited during the awareness campaign on Friday were Ibesikpo Asutan, Nsit Ibom, Nsit Atai, Nsit Ubium, Etinan, Onna, Ikot Abasi, Mkpat Enin, Eastern Obolo, Mbo, Urueoffong/Oruko, Oron , Udung Uko and Abak.

  • Fuel Price Hike: Rights Group urges A’Ibom, DSS, DPR to Intervene 

    Fuel Price Hike: Rights Group urges A’Ibom, DSS, DPR to Intervene 

    By Odo Ogenyi,Uyo

    A civil society organization, Center for Human Rights and Accountability Network, CHRAN, has urged the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and other relevant agencies to wade into the hike in price and adulteration of petroleum products in Akwa Ibom.

    The State Director of CHRAN, Comrade Franklyn Isong who made the call during the inauguration of the state executive of the organisation in Uyo yesterday regretted that these agencies have continued to keep blind eyes on the sufferings of Akwa Ibom people as marketers have pegged the price of fuel at N300 even with adjusted meter.

    Isong lamented that apart from the hike in pump price of fuel, his office has been inundated with reports of many filling stations selling adulterated petrol which has resulted in damage of fuel pumps and engines of many vehicles in Akwa Ibom State.

    He urged the DSS to extend the ultimatum it gave to marketers in Abuja to revert to government approved pump price to Akwa Ibom State and ensure that the ultimatum is complied with by petroleum marketers in the State.

    The CHRAN State Director also urged the DPR to up its ante in monitoring the filling stations to ensure that they are not dispensing in adjusted meter or adulterated products.

    He further called on the Special Assistant to Governor Udom Emmanuel on Petroleum Matters, Mr. Victor Etefia to live up to his responsibilities on ensuring that marketers comply to government prescribed price.

    He wondered why no filling station has been sealed off or sanctioned for flouting government’s directives, recalling that previous Special Assistants to the Governor on Petroleum Matters were known for sealing off erring stations which in turn brought sanity into their operations in the State. 

    He queried, “where did we get this fuel price increase from? why are we buying a litter of fuel in Akwa Ibom N300 and above? I cannot understand where this is coming from. The pumps in most areas are adjusted and the fuel itself adulterated and nobody is doing anything about it.

    “CHRAN is using this medium to call on the SSA to the Governor on Petroleum Monitoring, Mr Victor Etefia to rise to the occasion and address the people of the State on the matter. 

    “Let’s know why we are getting fuel at N300 and above per litre, what is the cause of it? Let’s know why the pumps are adjusted, we want to know why we are getting adulterated fuel in Akwa Ibom.

    “Recall that in the days of former SSAs, they used to monitor filling stations to know what is happening there and any erring station would be sealed off. We are also calling on DPR a subsidiary of NNPC whose duty it is to check the malpractices of petrol stations to come to Akwa Ibom State to see what is happening here.

    “We are calling on the DSS that issued ultimatum to marketers in Abuja that they should revert to the official pump price because, this particular increase is economic sabotage.

    ” We are asking the DSS in Akwa Ibom why they have not gone to check the pump price in the State. We are suffering, we are calling on the State government, the SSA to Governor on Petroleum Matters, the DPR, and the DSS to intervene as the suffering is untoward.”

    Speaking on the lined up of activities of the newly inaugurated executive of the organisation, Isong said it would organize a town hall forum for all the governorship candidates in Akwa Ibom State, where each candidate will talk about his blueprint and how he intends to implement it if elected as governor of the State.

    He also hinted that CHRAN would monitor and track all projects executed at the local government levels  by the 31 council chairmen before their exit in order to know how the local communities are faring and draw government attention to where neccessary.

    “We are going further to look at the local government and see how the communities are faring so also we will be doing with the House members. You can’t stay at the comfort of your home to know what the government is doing rather we have to go to the field.

    “So CHRAN is going to give a good balancing to government because the State Governor cannot be everywhere at the same time, all we need in the State is good governance.

    “We want the candidates during our town hall forum to speak to their manifesto and explain how they will implement the programmes and manifestoes.” He said.

  • Ex-President Jonathan to commission Nigeria’s 4th longest bridge in A’Ibom 

    Ex-President Jonathan to commission Nigeria’s 4th longest bridge in A’Ibom 

    By Odo Ogenyil, Uyo 

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan would on Monday commission the Etebi Enwang bridge, reputed to be the 4th longest bridge in Nigeria.

    The 1.15km bridge in is part of a 19km road in linking Mbo Local Council to Esit Eket Local Council in Akwa Ibom and completed by Governor Udom Emmanuel although contract for the project was awarded by his predecessor Senator Godswill Akpabio.

    Conducting newsmen round the bridge project in Mbo council are on Friday , the Special Assistant to Governor on Research and Documentation Hon Essien Ndueso said the bridge is among 40 bridges constructed by Emmanuel across the 31 local government areas in the state as part of completion agenda of his administration. 

    Essien further stated that it would be the longest bridge to be constructed by any state government in the history of Nigeria.

    ” This bridge as you all know was initiated  by governor Godswill Akpabio in 2008 . Since then, it has been a sad story of neglect and poor contractual procedures and disagreement.  

    “This bridge was only 35 per cent executed as at when governor Udom Emmanuel took over office in 2015 . The governor had to get a contractor that specializes in Bridge construction – AMITEC . Now , this project is completed.” He explained.

    He said the bridge would boost economic activities between the community and neighbouring counties of Cameroon , Gabon and Equatorial Guinea and reduce travelling time between the community and their neighbours in the Local Council.

    Project contractor Engr Aiman Saimua expressed satisfaction with host communities for showing cooperation while executing the project in the area adding that more than 80% of it’s workforce was sourced from the local community.

    Saimua who said the bridge could last for a lifetime however advised the state government to ensure that the bridge is maintained every 50 years inorder to  enhance its durability . 

  • A’Ibom to secure foreign certification for Skill Acquisition Centre

    A’Ibom to secure foreign certification for Skill Acquisition Centre

    By Odo Ogenyi,Uyo

    Akwa Ibom government has commenced moves to secure international certification for graduates of it’s multi Billion Naira Dakaada Skill Acquisition Centre in Ibiono Ibom Local Council of the state.

    Project Consultant, Mr Churchill Udoh told newsmen who inspected the complex yesterday that the international certification to be accorded by City and Guild of London would be in addition to that of the National Board for Technical Education and other relevant trade certification bodies.

    Already, Udo said the University of Lancaster, University of Lagos and the University of Uyo have expressed interest for an exchange programme with the centre while different national professional bodies have been notified for proper accreditation of it’s courses.

    The centre Udoh explained is multi diciplinery and would take off this year wiith 500 students and would grow to 10,000 in five years with additional hostels and other facilities.

    According to him, the School is built to be self sustaining after six months it commenced with the incorporation of commercial services to be executed by the students while both the short term and long term courses to be offered are expected to last for between three months to one year.

    Courses to be undertaken include Civil Technologies, Mechanical Engineering, Automobile Engineering, ICT, Fashion/Tourism/Hotel Management, Agriculture, Steel Fabrication, Carpentary Works and General Studies

    “This is an old Technical College funded by the World Bank but we have added 18 brand new structures, a 1,500 capacity chapel/event center, three Surviellance Centres with CCTV cameras.

    “We also built staff quarters,
    Industrial kitchen and bakery for internal use and commercial purposes, a poultry for 45,000 birds,
    space for 65,000 free range birds,
    ranch to accommodate 4000 cows and 6000 other harbivores and a 60,000 litres water storage for irrigating the feeding areas for the herbivores.” He explained.

    On the need for the centre inspite of the re-equipping and renovation of some technical colleges in the state, Udoh said it was primarily meant to give opportunity to talented youths who could not go through a formal technical college and also graduates who could want to undertake short term courses in the different vocational courses and trades to be offered in the school.

    He commended Governor Udom Emmanuel for the project which he said would also provide the required manpower for the industrial revolution embarked upon by the state government.

  • A’Ibom: Fuel Task Force Boss blames hike on lack of depot, downturn

    A’Ibom: Fuel Task Force Boss blames hike on lack of depot, downturn

    By Odo Ogenyi,Uyo

    Chairman of the Task Force on Petroleum in Akwa Ibom Mr Victor Etefia have blamed the recent hike of the commodity on the absence of an NNPC Depot, global economic downturn and absence of other primary sources of fuel in the state.

    Etefia who was speaking to newmen in Uyo on the heels of the closure of 14 fuel stations by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) last weekend in the state pleaded with residents for understanding but said that rather than blame fuel marketers in the state for the impasse, they should be applauded for making sacrifices to ensure the availability of the commodity in the area.

    The Senior Special Adviser Governor Udom Emmanuel on Petroleum, pointed out that while petrol is sold at more than N400 per litre in surrounding states including the ones with NNPC depots, price of the product have not gone beyond N300 in most petrol stations in the state.

    He explained that the primary source of petrol to most stations in Nigeria has collapsed while the secondary source from where many of the marketers source their fuel remained prone to the vagaries of trade.

    “First of all we should not domesticate this hike in the price of fuel because it is a national problem.Then as far as this fuel business is concerned Akwa Ibom is locationally disadvantaged because we have 21 NNPC depots across the country and Akwa Ibom has none.

    “Cross River has an NNPC Depot and 16 depots with deep water, Rivers has about 18 with deep water, we have five here in Akwa Ibom and we are having problems of their vessels having access to the tank farms.

    “So even with the primary source we are disadvantaged, with the secondary source we are also disadvantaged and very unfortunately Akwa Ibom consumes more than any other state in the South South and South East region.

    “So once the central supply source or the NNPC distribution chain has a problem, it affects the component units, that is the states. For those people using Calabar as an example, it is only in Calabar Municipal Council that has four Oando Stations and four Conoil stations and many other major big heads that you can queue and get fuel at N200 because they can get and affrod to share to their stations.

    “Go to Ikom, Ogoja, Obubra and others and see if you will get fuel at N400. Go to those places and you will applaud marketers in Akwa Ibom for efforts and sacrifices they are making.” Etefia explained.

    The chairman also blamed the impasse on the after effects of COVID 19 which impacted negatively on the economy of African nations and the Russian/Ukraine war with it’s impact on the activities of the Black Sea and the Atlantic ocean which were the main fuel supply channel to Nigeria as the country is dependent on imported fuel.

    He said that the global pricing system has affected the landing cost of fuel, the allocation system at the depots have not favoured the state while increase in logistics meant that marketers have to squeeze and strategize inorder to make end meet.

    “So, the main problem is that the primary source has collapsed and everybody is depending on the secondary source which are the private depot operators and there you hardly can control their prices because they are businessmen.

    “It is even a global problem now and we have to accept it the way it is. Prices are prone to the law of demand and supply and for now, the demand is more than the supply. You remember during COVID that people and countries were not even buying crude. I remember that at a time crude oil was cheaper than groundnut oil.

    “Also and for instance, the Calabar Depot will have out of the 12m litres it gets with six million allocated to Abuja alone while the five catchment states of Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Abia, Imo and Bayelsa will share six million and on top of that to hire a truck from Calabar to Uyo now costs about N500,000, so you can see the precarious situation that marketers have found themselves in.” He stated.
    He absolved the NMDPRA of any blame in the closure of the stations but assured that the matter would be resolved with the managemeny of the agencyag

  • NMDPRA seals 13 filling stations in A’Ibom

    NMDPRA seals 13 filling stations in A’Ibom

    By Odo Ogenyi ,Uyo

    Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has sealed 13 filling stations for over pricing in Akwa Ibom.

    Mr Joy Koro, the Team Lead, Distribution Systems Storage and Retailing Infrastructure who stated this during monitoring and surveillance exercise in Uyo on Friday said the stations were sealed for selling far above government approved pump price to members of the public.

    “We shut down 13 filling stations that were selling far above the government regulated pump price.” He said.

    Koro, who is an Engineer said that three filling stations violated government seal order, adding that the stations would be sanctioned accordingly by not being allowed to operate for a stipulated period in the state.

    Koro who appealed to marketers to revert to governorment approved pump price however warned that stipulated sanctions await marketers who would flout the order.

    “The marketers know the government approved pump price, if we carry out surveillance and we see them selling at regulated price, we will not seal the filling station.

    “If you see any marketer selling above the regulated price, definitely that filling station will be shut down. Presently, there is enough petroleum products for marketers to lift to their stations.” Koro warned.

    Our Correspondent reports that most filling stations sell fuel between N300 per litre and N320 per litre in the state.” Koro explained.

    Meanwhile a former chairman of the Civil Liberties Organization in Akwa Ibom Me Franklin Isong has expressed disappointment over the handling of the latest increase in price of fuel in state.

    The DSS called for reverse and it was done so in some states including Akwa Ibom. The state government is not showing seriousness. Also Task Force chairman a marketer and an interested party and not fit to monitor marketers.

    “Fuel marketers sale an unholy hours and chairman admitted he is handicapped to sanction errng members.” He said.

  • Police arrest man for father’s murder in A’Ibom

    Police arrest man for father’s murder in A’Ibom

    By Odo Ogenyi, Uyo

    The police in Akwa Ibom has arrested a middle aged man, Joseph Friday over the murder of his father, Friday Usanga in Nsit Ibom Local council over allegations of witchcraftcy.

    It has also arrested another man, one Akpan Okon Akpan, for the murder of his brother Junior Ime Philip after he poured fuel fuel on him, set him ablaze leading to his death because of a disagreement over a phone charger.

    State Police Commissioner Olatoye Durosinmi told newsmen while parading the suspect and others in Uyo yesterday that the arrest of Friday followed a petition from one Mrs. Eno Friday Wilson about the murder of her 65 year old husband.

    “Operatives of Nsit Ibom Division arrested one Joseph Friday ‘m’, Son of the deceased who killed his father by beating him to death, dragged his lifeless body to the side of the road and abandoned it there.

    ” On interrogation, he confessed to the crime and alleged that he sees his father in his dreams and strongly believes he was going to harm him.” Durosinmi said.

    It said in one of these very breakthroughs in crime last month it arrested a car snatching syndicate and a group of cultists who were planning to attack a rival group.

    “Similarly, On 08/12/2022 at about 1430hrs, through a coordinated actionable intelligence, SIB Operatives accosted a Toyota Land Cruiser Jeep V8 2016 Model along Uyo/Ikot Ekpene Road at Okobo Ibiono Ibom and arrested a member of a car snatching syndicate, one Prince Lawrence Williams Akpan “a.k.a IROKO” ‘m’ of Itumbonuso Village in Ini Local Government Area

    “Akpan was taking the car out of the State to be sold. The said car belong to one Barr. Inyang Samuel Ukpabio, ‘m’ of No. 3 Senator Ibok Essien Street, Shelter Afrique Uyo.

    “Also in the early hours of 13/12/2022, Operatives of Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Unit of the Command received an intelligence report that a cult group was about to attack their rival group and cause unrest in the State as a result of an assault on one of their members.

    “Operatives stormed their hideout at Ikot Efre Itak Village in Ikono LGA, were four cult suspects were arrested, namely; (i) Godwin Akpan Sunday ‘m’ a.k.a 2pac Shakur age 27yrs from Mkpat Enin, (ii) Kopdara Godwin Okon a.k.a eye shadow ‘m’ 23 yrs from Ikono, (iii) Friday Isaac George, a.k.a Network ‘m’ 24yrs from Ikono and (IV) Emeti-Mfon Godwin Okon, a.k.a Harizona age 20yrs.

    “Suspects confessed belonging to Mafia and lion confraternity respectively in Uyo. Items recovered from them include one English made Beretta pistol and five live cartridges.” He explained.

  • A’Ibom: Low traffic as commuters groan over skyrocketing fuel price

    A’Ibom: Low traffic as commuters groan over skyrocketing fuel price

    By Odo Ogenyi, Uyo

    Vehicular traffic are at their lowest in Uyo and other major towns in Akwa Ibom following a sudden and continuous increase in the price of fuel in the last two weeks.

    Petrol, the major fuel for most private and commercial vehicles in the area was dispensed at N165 per litre at the beginning of last month but has gone beyond N350 in the few stations that dispense the product as at the time of this report.

    This has resulted in fewer vehicles on the roads as few private vehicle owners and commercial vehicle operators could now afford the product.

    Some passengers have resorted to trecking while many have reduced the frequency of their journeys because of the corresponding high cost of transportation in the state now.

    Many indigenes of the state who returned home for the Christmas celebrations are now stranded as transportation cost for Uyo to Lagos by commercial bus have reached an all time high of N30,000, up from less than N15,000 at the beginning of last month.

    The state government had said it procured about 1.5m litres of fuel by special arrangement to be dispensed by independent marketers but this has not brought the deaired relief as the marketers have continued to operate without any control or supervision.

    Residents have expressed reservations and disgust over a directive by the chairman of the State Task Force on Petroleum Monitoring, Mr Victor Etefia asking them to report stations dispensing at more than N300 per litre, arguing that such directive was illegal as the FG is yet to announce an increase in the price of the product.

    A commercial bus driver who identified himself as Ubong Eddie expressed anger over what he described as a subtle introduction of a new price regime of N300 per litre by marketers in the state and wondered why regulatory agencies have done nothing to bring the marketers to order.

    “The chairman of the task force is a fuel dealer and you don’t expect him to be on the side of commuters. Okay, since they started selling at N300 and now  N350 per litre have you seen a filling station that have been punished?

    “Things are just going out of control and the government agencies that are supposed to monitor the activities of these independent marketers seem helpless. Have you not seen that there are few vehicles on the road. 

    “The private ones are very few and we the commercial vehicle drivers are finding it difficult to cope with the current price because the passengers are not finding it funny when we tell them the price for the journeys they want to.make. It is really a difficult situation.” Eddie explained.

    There have been no explanation from relevant authorities as to the sudden price hike even as the product is sold for less than N250 in neighbouring Cross River and Rivers states despite Akwa Ibom currently accounting for about 40% of crude oil production in Nigeria.

    The state has no Fuel Depot or refinery while marketers source for their products from the depots in Calabar and Port Harcourt.

  • A’Ibom: I hold no grudge against anyone, says Sen. Akpan after bail from prison

    A’Ibom: I hold no grudge against anyone, says Sen. Akpan after bail from prison

    By Odo Ogenyi, Uyo

    The governorship candidate of the Young Progressives Party(YPP), Senator Bassey Akpan has described his recent travails as God’s will and would hold “no grudge against anybody on that sad and despicable act”.

    Akpan, who is the Senate Committee Chairman on Petroleum Resoiurces, (downstream) in a new year message to his supporters Sunday in Uyo also commended Akwa Ibom people for standing by him while he was detained at the Ikot Ekpene Correctional Centre.

    He said his quest to ensure an equitable access to the wealth of the state remained on course despite attempts by the opposition to discourage him and distabilize his campaigns.

    “May I therefore use this opportunity, to thank the great people of Akwa Ibom State and indeed other well meaning Nigerians – men, women, youths and children who prayed ceaselessly and tirelessly for God’s divine intervention and  who in their unquantifiable numbers, thronged the Ikot Ekpene Correctional Centre on Thursday, December 29, 2022.

    “Others lined the routes to Uyo as well as assembled at Senator Bassey Albert Multi-purpose Recreational Centre, Ifa Ikot Akpan, along Airport Way, to welcome me after my release. That massive reception will ever remain unforgettable and indelible in our hearts.

    “In the light of the above, I wish to state that we hold no grudge against anybody on that sad and despicable act. Rather, we see the episode as a watershed experience in the journey towards giving Akwa Ibom State the needed rebirth – in all ramifications. 

    “At this point, we wish to echo the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson that “Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.” Like other great leaders who experienced such trials, we count it as a necessary price we had to pay for the emancipation of our people.” He said.

    His mandate, he maintained would still be anchored on RECOVER Akwa Ibom; to truly RECONCILE Akwa Ibom to God, and to REPOSITION Akwa Ibom for imminent greatness Akpan said remained sacrosanct. 

    “We premised the base for our economic blueprint on five strategic pillars namely Agriculture and Rural Development; Education, Health and Social Services;  Economic Prosperity and Infrastructure; Security, Environment and Tourism; and Administrative Reforms and Completion of Projects. 

    “We therefore restate that our policies ingeniously crafted, remain the best for Akwa Ibom State. We will follow their implementation holistically.

    “Consequently, as we berth into the year 2023, we have to be fully conscious and prepared that the election year we all yearned for is finally here! The elections which is in February and March offer us all the decisive moments to change the course of our history by voting for me as Governor of Akwa Ibom State as well as for all the candidates of the Young Progressives Party (YPP). 

    “Let us take it as our time to arise and shine. We must not falter no matter the amount of financial enticement, intimidation and false promises. If a regime cannot prove its worth in 8 years, it has no locus standi to seek a renewal of mandate through a surrogate.” He concluded.

  • 2023: Gov Emmanuel seeks prayers for Nigeria, A’Ibom

    2023: Gov Emmanuel seeks prayers for Nigeria, A’Ibom

    By Odo Ogenyi,Uyo

    Governor Udom Emmanuel has called for concerted prayers for Nigeria and Akwa Ibom as 2023 remained a critical year in the history of Nigeria, calling on Nigerians to take critical decisions for the country to move forward.

     Emmanuel who made the call during a New Year Service held at United Evangelical Church, Uyo maintained that 2023 is a year that could make or mar Nigeria, depending on decisions the citizens would take and called on Christians to engage in fervent prayers for the country and the state.

    “It has come to a point that Christians must arise in this country and tell God let Your will be done, especially for Nigeria. If you assess so many things you will see that God has blessed us generously.

    “I have never seen a country as blessed as Nigeria, but we need to put things in place. This country must move forward.” He asserted.

    The Governor however doused fears by assuring that life itself is not without turbulence and storm and that there is no temptation that is not common to man but that God would always make a way of escape.

    “It is by His special Grace that we are all here. 2023 is pregnant with a lot of things. 2023 is a year that can make or mar us as a country. 

    “It is a year of critical decision making. It’s a mysterious year but when a mysterious year comes, God does mysterious things”,adding that people should not be surprise to see God do the unusual in the new year.” He said.

    Being an election year, the Governor prayed for the peace of God to envelope Akwa Ibom State throughout the period.

    Delivering a sermon, Pastor Message Akwaowo, said the people should trust God to perform great things that are notable, undeniable and most times dreamlike but would only happen when people stay connected to God.