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Tag: A’Ibom Govt.

  • African Church declares support for PDP’s Eno in A’Ibom

    African Church declares support for PDP’s Eno in A’Ibom

    By Odo Ogenyi, Uyo

    Leaders and youths of African Church in Akwa Ibom last weekend in Uyo declared their support for the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state, Pastor Umoh Eno.

    At at a solemn assembly organised by various youth formations of the church they said they took the decision not only because of Eno’s competence and capacity but because of his Godly virtues and peaceful dispositions.

    At the occasion, the emeretus Primate of the African Church, Most Rev. Emmanuel Udofia urged Christians especially those in politics not to be discouraged by criticisms and attacks saying that when a Christian is in God’s plan to rescue mankind, he would be faced with persecutions.

    “If you make yourself available to serve the people,  be ready to face persecutions, be ready to face obstacles but have this at the back of your mind, if you are in plans of the Almighty God, you will surely come out victorious. Anyone on the right path to fulfill God’s purpose  is bound to face opposition.” Udofia said.

    He urged Eno to be guided by the promises he made to the people of the state and to remember that the Churches’ support for his election should be rewarded with the type of governance that would bring peace and development to the state.

    Provincial youth  president, Mr Enobong Oku charged the youths not to sit on the fence and miss the opportunity of choosing a God fearing man who has the capacity to provide employment to the youths as he was doing even before seeking the office of a governor.

    Oku said the church would not afford to go back to the era of  intimidations and politically motivated killings recalling that a member of the African Church was killed in the past due to his parallel views of the  government of the day. 

    While assuring the support of the from the 26 out of 31 local government areas of the state where the church is sited, the president said the time has come for the youths to change their destiny in their hands.

    “In the previous administration, a member of the African Church was gruesomely murdered in church. It is against this backdrop that we unanimously state that the church does not want to go back to those dark days of politically-motivated killings. Therefore, the youth of The African Church have resolved to support the succession plan of the governor for the peace we are enjoying presently to be sustained.

    “The biggest blessing God has given to the church in Akwa Ibom is peace, and we will protect it by all means. On this strength, the youth of the church at the  local, diocesan and provincial levels across the state are gathered here today with the charge for all to go and mobilize support for Pastor Umo Eno.” He stressed.

    In his remarks, Eno assured all present that if elected in the forthcoming election, every local government area would experience tangible government presence within the first six months.

    He noted that the calculated attempts at distracting him with  litigations, coupled with the litany of endorsement by Akwa Ibom people had made him even more determined to win the election and serve the state with all his heart and righteous anger.

    Describing himself as a selfless leader, Pastor Eno maintained that he loves and believes in Akwa Ibom State hence his decision to invest in the state many years ago, adding that his treasures are in the state and would do everything to protect them.

    According to him, the administration of Governor Udom Emmanuel came with the mantra of industrialization, and has successfully achieved on this agenda, adding that the next administration would focus on rural development and entrepreneurship.

  • A’Ibom Govt faults wrong ranking of students in WAEC Exams

    A’Ibom Govt faults wrong ranking of students in WAEC Exams

    Akwa Ibom state government has debunked claims by some persons that students from the state performed very poorly in the 2022 West African Examinations Council, WAEC, results.

    State Commissioner for Education Mrs Idongesit Etiebet in a press conference yesterday described as false the poor performance ranking of students from the state in the just concluded WAEC as such assessment never emanated from the examination body.

    The Commissioner noted that the state ranked top in education and could not have been the same state with atrocious figures of out school children.

    She said the social media was awash with negative reports of poor performance of Akwa Ibom students in WAEC examination adding that such reports were never originated by the examination council.

    “We have called the examination body to clarify the statistics of poor performance of our students but they said such records did not emanate from the examination council . We don’t where such reports come from to saturate social media space

    “We wish to categorically debunk the false West African School Certificate Examinations performance rankings circulating on the social media.

    “This false ranking of states in Nigeria , clearly did not emanate from West African Examinations Council and should definitely not be taken seriously.” Etiebet explained.

    The Education Commissioner explained that the examination body has not released full results of candidates for 2022 examinations as there pockets of of issues if candidates’ results to be resolved.

    She the states performance ratings spewed on social media is fictitious which can only hold sway in the imagination of the critics.

    The Commissioner disclosed that the recent result release by WAEC showed that AKwa Ibom students bagged the best results with one of them identified as Master Valour Mbre Inyang scoring ‘A’s in all subjects at both national and international examinations he wrote.

    She therefore urged the general public to disregard social media reports adding that the assessment was not only mischievous but politically motivated.

    Etiebet further stated that population explosion in both public and private schools in the state is a product of a 10 year master plan of Governor Udom Emmanuel’s administration which has led to improved facilities and employment of teachers in schools across the state.

  • NEMA distributes Agric Inputs to 2,208 flood victims in A’Ibom

    NEMA distributes Agric Inputs to 2,208 flood victims in A’Ibom

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has distributed agricultural inputs to 2, 208 farmers in Akwa Ibom, who were victims of the 2020 flood disaster in the state.

    The Director General of NEMA, Alhaji Mustapha Ahmed, during the event said this was part of measures to ensure adequate food production in the country.

    Ahmed, who was represented by Mr Demien Egwu, Supervisor, Akwa Ibom Emergency Agricultural Intervention Fund (EAIF) for 2020 Flood Affected Farmers, said Akwa Ibom was one of the states affected by that disaster with 13 Local Councils in the state initially enumerated to benefit from the palliatives.

    “You will recall in 2020, there was massive flood across the country, Akwa Ibom State happened to be one of the states that was affected.

    “The Federal Government in the bid to sustain food security set up the Food Security Council, and their duty was to ensure that farmers that were affected by that disaster are supported to improve food production in the country.

    “In line with that, 13 Local Government Areas were chosen to intervened with these agricultural produce in Akwa Ibom State. We came to do the enumeration and we enumerated 2, 208 farmers for this project.

    “And today, we are here to give the items that the Federal Government provided to the 2, 208 farmers. It is my pleasure to inform you that the Director General of MEMA in the person of Alhaji Mustapha Habib Ahmed, has directed me to inform the farmers that NEMA is going to provide the following items.

    “Items available include; maize seedlings, rice seedlings, fertilisers, herbicides, pesticides, growth enhancers, water pumping machines, Knap sack sprayers and yam seedlings that would be provided later.

    “The essence of this is to support farmers and encourage the state as well Gov. Udom Emmanuel, who has been driving agricultural project to higher level in the state.” Ahmed explained.

    State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Glory Edet, in her remarks said that it is through agriculture that poverty could be reduced in the land.

    Edet said that the state government was not thinking of what the residents would consume now but what would benefit the state in future adding that agriculture remained key in Governor Udom Emmanuel’s completion agenda.

    She commended the federal government, for including the state for the distribution of farm inputs stressing that through quality inputs there would be good output and warned the beneficiaries against selling the inputs.

    “All the inputs we are giving to you is not for eating, it for planting. Please, don’t sell it, go and plant the seedlings. If you sell any item and you are caught, you’ll be prosecuted.” Edet said.

    Responding on behalf the beneficiaries, the state Chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Mr Bassey Inwang, assured that the inputs would be judiciously use by the farmers and thanked the federal government, NEMA and the state government for the support given to farmers in the state.

  • ICSAN is creating better jobs for A’Ibom Youths – Chairman

    ICSAN is creating better jobs for A’Ibom Youths – Chairman

    Chairman of Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria, (ICSAN), in Akwa Ibom, Barr. Ime Asibong, has said the body has created better job opportunities for youths in the area through it’s empowerment programmes.

    Asibong said before the establishment of ICSAN in the state, many of them were unfit to get employment in top notch corporate organisations due to the lack of requisite skills needed in such organisations.

    However, he said with the establishment ICSAN in Akwa Ibom, many such youths have taken advantage of the opportunities offered by the institute to become valuable players in the corporate world as well as grow private entities into corporate businesses.

    Speaking on Thursday about its 3rd Annual Conference and Dinner, scheduled to hold on Friday, in Uyo, the Chairman said the Institute has helped to promote capacity building, accountability and professionalism in both the public and private sectors of the State.

    “ICSAN educational and professional structure is dedicated to broadening professional horizons of leaders, by providing programmes on a wide range of courses and best practices, that are Nationally and Internationally recognised

    “The presence of the Institute in Akwa Ibom State, is aimed at supporting and enhancing capacity building, accountability and professionalism in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors in the State.

    “These are necessary propellers that will create an enabling environment for efficient, effective and credible justice system in our dear state.” Hee stated.

    The Chairman revealed that a past President of the Institute, Dr. Nosike Agokei, FCIS, would deliver a keynote address during the conference on, “Strategies on Corporate Sustainability: Impact on Economy, Society Governance”.

    He therefore invited Akwa Ibom people, especially the youths to improve their chances in getting better job opportunities by being a part of the conference, adding that the institute was the “only professional body authorised to conduct examinations leading to the qualification of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators, in Nigeria”.

  • A’Ibom threatens closure of hotels with links to cultism, criminality

    A’Ibom threatens closure of hotels with links to cultism, criminality

    Akwa Ibom State Government has threatened to shut down hotels and other recreational centres operating in the state with links to cult and criminal activities.

    A Government statement by the state information commissioner Comrade Ini Ememobong Thursday in Uyo said the decision followed intelligence gathered that some hotels and recreational centres have been turned into an operational base for cult and criminal activities.

    “This decision is informed by credible intelligence that hotel owners and proprietors of entertainment centers have given their premises to cult groups and other criminal gangs to use as their base.” The statement explained.

    While warning hotel and recreational centre owners against harbouring such people, the statement said government and security agencies have set up a monitoring team to enforce the order.

    “The Ministry of Culture and Tourism and security agencies have set up a monitoring team to enforce this order.The public, especially proprietors of hotels and places of entertainment should take note and act accordingly.” It warned.

    It would be recalled that only last week, the State Executive Council pegged the mandatory age for admission into its secondary schools at 12 in a bid to stem the growing incidence of cultism in schools in the area.

    “Since education is free in the state, the maximum age for admission into secondary schools has been pegged at 12 years, to curb the cultism surge in secondary schools since investigation has revealed that the surge is caused mainly by overaged students who are on a mission of mass recruitment of students into cult groups.

    ” However, any student above this age with a genuine reason, will have their parents sign an undertaking of good behaviour, before their admission.” It had said.

  • Tourism: A’Ibom registers 2,000 Hotels, to conduct safety training for hospitality managers

    Tourism: A’Ibom registers 2,000 Hotels, to conduct safety training for hospitality managers

    More than 2000 hotels have been registered by the Akwa Ibom State government in a renewed bid to streamline hospitality business and ensure the safety of tourists in the state.

    Commissioner for Culture and Tourism in the state, Mr Orman Esin made this known on Thursday at a two day “Hotel Managers” conference organized by a Lagos based hospitality form, Tojun Hospitality in Uyo.

    Esin charged participant to establish a feedback mechanism for development and improvement of Hotels and their operations in Nigeria while government establish regulations to curb substandard service delivery and non professionalism.

    ” This conference is indeed very timely and I wish to commend the Organizers for carefully selecting the theme of the conference as this are critical factors to building of a profile performance work culture and ensuring measurable revenue generation is achieved for the sustenance of the hotel business”

    ” There is dire need to address the basic tenets of Hotel Sales which is key to ensuring efficient management and sustainability of the Hotel as well as introduce new innovation to ensure that best and standards in our hotels are kept”

    In a goodwill message, Chairman of Akwa Ibom State Hotels Management and Tourism Board Mr Ini Akpabio said experience acquired at the conference would place Hotel Managers on a higher pedestal for service delivery.

    Akpabio regretted that some investors in the hospitality industry claim to be more knowledgeable in hospitality rather than recruiting and training managers to become professionals .

    “Hotel investors now claim to be well experienced Hotel Managers . Once he has money to establish a hotel, he feels he knows the best to do in hospitality business and throw all sanity and professionalism to the dogs.

    ” For the fact that you invest in a Hotel business does not qualify you to be a professional . Therefore both the investors and Managers need some certification to perform in line with International standard and best practice obtainable in the hospitality industry.” He explained.

    The chairman said the Board would soon commence the training of hotel managers in the state to meet with International standard and procedures in hospitality sector.

    ” Guidelines will be handed out to Hotel Manager as operations manual in the state to qualify Akwa Ibom as a destination point for tourists.”

    Convener of the conference and Team Lead ” Tojum Hospitality”, Mr Olugbenga Sunday said the conference was the third in it’s series with resource persons drawn from Academia, Hospitality and Tourism Industries and involved participants from Ghana, Tanzania, Kenya, United Kingdom and other parts of the world.

    “There is a big gap between International hospitality brands and Indigenous brands both in administrative and general operations standard.

    “Hotel Managers Conference is a platform where Hotel managers , owners , Managing Directors , Consultants , General Managers and Head of Departments are privileged to meet with Hospitality Experts with Global Relevance and draw timely knowledge for professional exploit.” He said

  • Food sufficiency: A’Ibom disburses N1.2B to cassava farmers, but underutilizing processing capacity

    Food sufficiency: A’Ibom disburses N1.2B to cassava farmers, but underutilizing processing capacity

    Akwa Ibom State government said it disbursed more than N1.2billion as interest free loans to 2,000 cassava farmers in the last two years and have curbed the monopoly of market unions in the pricing of foodstuffs in the state.

    This is even as a study by correspondents in the state revealed that government’s drive towards food sufficiency is hampared by the low capacity utilization of its multi faceted cassava processing mills and lack of committment from beneficiaries of government agricultural loans.

    State Commmissioner for Agriculture, Dr Glory Edet who was speaking to correspondents on the sustainability of the state government’s subsidized sales of Garri last weekend in Uyo said the loan scheme was a delibrate move to reduce the astornimical price of Garri, a staple food in the state by boosting the production capacity of cassava farmers.

    Edet pointed out that the initiative was not limited to increased cassava production, disclosing that 1,000 each of maize and vegetable farmers also benefitted from interest free loans even as her ministry distributed 700,000 cocoa seedlings to cocoa farmers and boosted livestock farmers with improved breeds of goats and other animals.

    She explained that the present utilization of the cassava mills is dependent on the quantity of cassava from its demonstration farms across the state but said that government has in addition acted as off checkers by buying from small holder cassava farmers to increase processing capacity and empower the farmers to sustain production.

    The ministry she said has sustained the sell of more than 150 bags of 120kg bags of garri daily at a reduced price in different parts of the state to ameliorate the hardship on residents and force the stabilization of the price of the commodity in the open market

    “Akwa Ibom is blessed with a good soil and in Governor Udom Emmanuel we have a Governor known for his passion for Agriculture by making it keyin his eight point agenda and he believes that through agriculture we can reduce poverty, feed well and stabilize the economy.

    “One of the staple food in this part of the country is cassava and through it we get other things like garri and fufu and so on. The Governor is not only interested in teaching people how to cultivate cassava but in processing it because it will be unfair for us to cultivate and then take it to other parts of the country for processing.

    “In the area of cultivation, we have been encouraging farmers with Interest Free Loans. Last year we gave over 2,000 farmers N250,000 for each of the over 5,000 hectares they cultivated. We also gave them free improved varieties of cassava stem and this has boosted production in the state.

    “We also established Cassava Processing Mills across the state so we can cultivate and process. We are also selling Garri at subsidized rate to help break the monopoly of the unions because we discovered that the unions were charging traders between N300,000 and N500,000 to be admitted and because of that they increased the price of the commodity they sell inorder to recover their money.

    “So we invited the unions from the various markets in the state and stopped them from making it compulsory for people to join their union with that kind of money because if you don’t keep the market open, some people may just have a basin or a bag to sell and you can’t come and tell such people to pay N500,000.

    “We have also told them that they can’t reduce the number of sellers in the market because we found out that they created artificial scarcity because for instance in a market of 1,000 sellers they will tell say 50 to sell on Monday, maybe 150 on Tuesday and so on. So we have stopped that and now sellers are free to go and sell without restriction.

    “To break the monopoly too we have harvested the cassava we planted in our demonstration farms. We have also processed them and selling them at three cups for N100 when it was a cup for N100 in the open market and we ensured we take them to major markets around the state like Akpanandem, Itam, the market in Eket, Abak and planning to go to Oron in addition to selling at the State Secretariat three times a week.” She explained.

    But the broader initiative according to the commissioner has been on increasing the scope of the state government’s Green House with increased emphasis on the training and empowerment of individual holder farmers with funds, equipments, agro chemicals, fertilizer and improved varieties of seeds and stems.

    The ministry, she said has also expanded its swampy rice production capacity to include individual holder farms in Okobo, Uruan, Ibiono Ibom and Nsit Ubium LGAs in addition to existing plantations at Ini Local Council.

    Edet further stated that with a processing capacity of 900,000 coconuts per day at the state Coconut Processing Factory, the Ministry has stepped up training and enlightenment for individual and school holder coconut plantations across the state.

    The commissioner who said that the success of the state government’s food sufficiency drive is hinged on more small holder farms, increased processing and storage capacity added that the initiative has recently been expanded to accommodate crops like lettuce, flutted pumpkin and ginger production through the Ginger Association.

    She maintained that the efforts were a holistic strategy to ensure that the state government’s target of local production of at least 80% of food consumed in the state by 2023 is achieved.

    But correspondents who visited some of the cassava mills however discovered that the mills are underutilized even as only a small percentage of the populace have benefitted from the government’s subsidized sales as many who could not access the sales points either by reasons of location or inadequate information have continued to buy at exorbitant prices.

    Though the mills if fully utilized have the capacity to produce enough for the populace at a reduced price, it was discovered that apart from few individual farmers and cooperatives who patronize the mills, government’s efforts to mass produce the commodity have largely remained inadequate.

    For instance it was gathered that the mills have capacity to produce more than 350 bags a week but their current weekly production have not been more than 50 bags even as the commodity sometimes are not readily available for consumers to purchase at the state Secretariat.

    Many residents are of the opinion that government procure much of the commodity for sale from neighbouring states, wondering how the its food sufficiency drive would succeed.

    It would be recalled that the state commissioner for information and strategy, Mr Ini Ememobong had said that the sudden increase in price of Garri was not borne out of insufficiency, but, “caused by a decision by the association of garri sellers who did not only unilaterally increase the price of garri, but rationed the product to create a state of scarcity.”
    “As a government we did not fold our arms, we opened our warehouses and sold garri at reduced prices. This intervention has helped to reduce the effect of the price increase on the people.” The Commissioner explained.

  • Illegal mining threatening security of lives, infrastructures in A’Ibom – Udoh

    Illegal mining threatening security of lives, infrastructures in A’Ibom – Udoh

    By Samuel Ogenyi/Awajionyi Gaius

    Commissioner for Environment and Solid Minerals in Akwa Ibom, Mr Charles Udoh has said that illegal mining is constituted a threat to security of lives and critical infrastructure of the state.

    Fielding questions from newsmen in Uyo yesterday, Udoh pointed out that the state government has decided to clamp down on miners and dredgers whose activities has continued to damage the environment and threatened infrastructures in the state.

    The commissioner therefore warned that his administration would not sit and watch people destroy infrastructure through their illegal activities.

    He lamented that those projects were built with tax payers by the state government and therefore would not allow miscreants destroy them.

    “We spend a huge some of money with zero Naira from federal government in building critical infrastructures, like the bridges we have in the state and then people would want to come and collapse these infrastructures with their illegal business, I will not sit back.” Udoh said.

    He advised miners in the state to endeavor to obtain their license from the Federal Government and register with his ministry for the smooth operation of their business.

    “If you want to dredge in Akwa Ibom,go and get license from ministry of mining and steel, you want to enter water ways, go to Nigerian Inland Waterways, get you tax payer document, get permission from the community where you want to mine.

    “Then when you finish come to me with your Memorandum of Understanding, we will both go and see the location you want to dredge or mine and I will approve it for you.” The commissioner said.

    He maintained that the state is rich with natural resources which should be used in improving the economy rather than use it to destroy the economic well being of the people.

    “For instance, Nsit Ibom is very rich with gravels, silica and fine sand and there have been a lot of illegal mining going on there.

    “We are going to bring sanity into that place, though people can still mine but it will be controlled as they will have to go through due process.” He further said.

  • A’Ibom to commence payment of 45 years gratuities of retired teachers, ahead of planned protests

    A’Ibom to commence payment of 45 years gratuities of retired teachers, ahead of planned protests

    Akwa Ibom state government has said it would commence the payment of gratuities owed retired primary School teachers or their next of kin on Monday.

    This is even as a coalition made up of the retirees, their families, widows and their next of kins have concluded plans to embark on a peaceful protest to draw attention to government’s unfulfilled promises to pay the arrears of the gratuities since 1976 same Monday.

    Permanent Secretary in the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mr Ezekiel Umoh made this known in Uyo during the official presentation and distribution of quality assurance equipment to the 31 local government education authorities in the state.

    Recall that the state government had in February this year, directed SUBEB to carry out a verification exercise to authenticate the number of primary schools’ teachers (both living and dead) who retired between 1976 and 2018 but have not been paid their entitlements.

    The government said the idea was to enable the immediate commencement of the payment of their owed entitlements without hitches, and put to the rest the repeated agitations by the affected retirees or their next of kin for the payment.

    It was gathered that government had assured the retirees that N200 million was set aside every month for the payment, stressing that initial payment would commence after Easter break.

    However, Secretary of the Coalition of Families, Widows/Next of Kin of Late Primary Schools’ Teachers in the state, Mr Benson Udo told newsmen in Uyo that none of their members has been paid weeks after the verification exercise was concluded, contrary to the promise made by the state government to commence payment immediately.

    The verification exercise according to him was initially said to last for two weeks but later extended to six weeks and concluded on March 18, 2021 and had over 5,000 retired teachers or their next of kin screened.

    Udo, who lamented the suffering they have faced in the face of non-payment of their gratuities many years after their years of meritorious service to state government, said many of them have died unaffordable death due to lack.

    “If you have been following us, you would have noticed that we have carried out peaceful protests for many years seeking the state government attention to our plights but to no avail.

    “In one of the protests in 2018, we were arrested, tortured and detained in Police cells at Ikot Akpan Abia by the police who later charged us to court, alleging breach of public peace among other charges. God being on our side, we were later set free by the court because the police could not prove their charges against us.

    “Within the periods as you can see the years from 1976 to 2018, many have died without getting their gratuities. This is why we are having next of kin which I am among.

    “We have been screened many times by the state government through SUBEB with promise that we would be paid but nothing was done afterward. Each time, we spent money, those who don’t have borrowed to meet the screening requirements.

    “In 2014, we were told that government had released money for payment to 185 next of kin of late primary school teachers in the state but only 44 persons were paid and that was all. the whereabouts of the remaining amount is still unknown.

    “This time, the verification exercise was concluded since last month, March 18, and we were told that we would be paid after Easter but up till date none of us has been paid. We are mindful of what have been happening in the past years when government promised that we would be paid and released money but the money was diverted.” He explained.

  • A’Ibom unveils plans for key Tourist Centres

    A’Ibom unveils plans for key Tourist Centres

    By Samuel Ogenyi, Uyo

    Akwa Ibom state government has said that plans are underway to develop, redevelop, sanitize and expand existing tourist centres in the state in order to reinvigorate the tourism sector in the state.

    It has also said that its last Christmas carnival held in 2018 attracted more than 1.5 million visitors to the Christmas village in Uyo.

    Commmissioner for Tourism Mr Orman Esin told correspondents in Uyo yesterday that plans have already been concluded to expand and redevolope Ibom Plaza and Unity Park, two major tourist centres in Uyo that have witnessed dwindling fortunes in recent times.

    Esin who expressed regret over the deteriorating condition of the plaza and increase in criminals activities in the facility said that his ministry would soon submit a memo to the State Executive Council on expansion, redevopement of the plaza while the termination illegal trading activities there would be done in such a way inorder not to destroy the businesses and income of traders already there.

    “Across the bridge is the park where people parked their vehicles climb over the bridge to the other side. The idea now is that  you can not access this place except you are coming through  mall . At the back of the mall you have a sit out . This is how we are going to remodel the plaza.

    “The car park we have there already will be expanded into the land where the old Uyo market used to be. The idea is for people to park their cars there and walk across the bridge into the mapped and then to where they can relax with their families.” The commissioner explained.

    He said that perimeter fencing of the Unity Park remained a priority in order to provide security and ensure the safety of tourists with the ultimate aim to seek for a private investor on the two tourist centres.

    The commissioner further said the Ibom LeMeridian Hotels has witnessed a boost with a new management even as the hotel for the first time since inception remitted N200 million to the state government as annal profit.

    On the annual Christmas carnival, Essien maintained that though the event has proved successful in recent times, government was being cautious of the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic and the recent EndSARS protest in the country and would soon come out with a decision on the matter.

    It would be recalled that a former Governor of the state, Obong Victor Attah, who initiated and constructed the two facilities had called on the state government to do something urgent to sanitize the plaza and develop the Unity Park, housing the Ibibio museum and where the history of the peoples of the state is protected.

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