UbongAbasi Ise

  By UbongAbasi Ise   The social governance protagonist, Arc. Ezekiel Nyaetok, has seen the implementation of the International Worship Centre project proposed by Udom Emmanuel-led state government as a source of hardship given the present economic realities, calling on Christians to beg the Akwa Ibom State Government to suspend the project at the moment. While speaking on the XL FM 106.9 Uyo on Wednesday 25 th November, 2020, Nyaetok said the project which has a preliminary budget of about N10 billion would increase economic woes in the state if implemented as its budgetary allocation in this year’s budget alone stands at about N6 billion. He said executing the project would gulp up scarce funds that could have been channeled to more critical areas. “The International Worship Centre has a preliminary budget of about N10 billion. Last year there was a budget of about N2 billion allocated to it, and in this year’s budget, there is a provision of N6 billion. I want to...

  Dr. Ita Udosen, acting Chairman of the Akwa Ibom State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC , has accused some state governors of converting federal government-released Covid-19 palliatives to Christmas gifts. While receiving Senator John Akpanudoedeghe, the National Secretary of the Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary National Convention Planning Committee of the APC at the party’s state secretariat recently, Dr. Udosen said the so-called EndSARS protest hijacked by hoodlum would not have degenerated to vandalism and looting if the state governments had distributed the palliatives meant for their people. Udosen further hinted his visitor on the presence of heavy security operatives around warehouses where palliatives are allegedly hoarded in Akwa Ibom State. He said if those items were released, there would not have been tension. “The “EndSARS” protest that was hijacked by hoodlums was not after us. After all the federal government sent palliatives and some state governors...

  By UbongAbasi Ise & Joshua Emmauel   The Akwa Ibom State Forum of Retired members of the Nigeria Police Force, NPF, says current attempt at police reforms is just a waste of time and a postponement of evil day unless the police are treated as their counterparts in military and Department of State Service, DSS. In their memorandum to the Judicial Panel of Investigation on Incidences of Police Brutality and Human Rights Violation sitting in Uyo, dated 10 th November 2020 and signed by their state coordinator, CSP Uwem Eyo (rtd.), and the Deputy State Coordinator, DSP Uzor Mathew (Rtd.) as well as the secretary/legal adviser, DSP Sunday Ntuk, Esq., the NPF retirees said the police reform would remain incomplete unless the Nigeria Police Force is exempted from the Contributory Pension Scheme, CPS. “The issue of police brutality and other excessiveness is borne out of anger, hopelessness and frustration. Until the retirement structure of the police in terms of pens...

  The Executive Director of Foundation for Civic Education, Human Rights and Development Advancement (FoCEHRaDA), Clifford Thomas, Esq., says if a United State’s Democrat party candidate, Joe Biden, is sworn in as President on January 20, 2021, then some Nigerian leaders may have to brace up for tough international sanctions over gross human rights abuse. While speaking on Passion FM 94.5 Uyo morning programme hosted by Mr. Ikechukwu   Juwei on Thursday 12 th November, 2020 , Barr. Thomas reminded how Biden condemned military’s shooting during EndSARS protests at Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos on October 20, 2020. It would be recalled that in the wake of the Lekki Toll gate incident, Joe Biden, the former US Vice President and now Presidential hopeful, commented on the alleged shooting of Protesters as well as violence across the country. According to him,” I urge President Buhari and the Nigerian military to cease the violent crackdown on protesters in Nigeria, which has a...