Daily Archives: May 28, 2020

By Dapo Akinrefon

An oil and gas industry watchdog, Transparency in Petroleum Exploration and Development Initiative, TIPEDI, on Wednesday, called on the National Assembly, NASS, to refrain from actions that appear to be distracting the Interim Management Committee of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, from completing the forensic audit on time as ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari.

TIPEDI lamented that the current crisis of confidence between elected politicians, particularly from the Niger Delta area, and NDDC will have serious negative effect not only on the Commission, but on the hapless people of the area who have suffered neglect for many years.

TIPEDIs National Coordinator, Chief Nathan Egba, in a statement in Yenagoa, said: The accusations levelled against the National Assembly by the NDDC Management are serious but common knowledge, because some federal legislators have perpetually milked the Commission over the years.

It is, therefore, not surprising that they are now engaged in a plot to derail the forensic audit exercise, which obviously will unearth their nefarious activities.

Egba said some legislators deliberately orchestrated the present conflict between the Professor Keme Pondei-led management of the NDDC and the National Assembly as a means of blackmailing the Commission to bow to some illegal demands as well as derail completion of the forensic audit.

But, unfortunately, it has backfired as the NDDC called their bluff.

Egba, a former Bayelsa State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, said: Over the years, succeeding managements of the NDDC have come under the same kind of pressures and blackmail, with several managements capitulating and allowing the legislators turn the Commission into their glorified cash-cow.In the process, a lot of funds meant for developing the Niger Delta area and improving the peoples lives have ended up in the pockets of few individuals to the detriment of the general population.

It is necessary to state at this point that the legislators, as representatives of the people, should rather cooperate with the NDDC to address the reasons behind their relatively poor performance over the years, which has been attributed to the National Assemblys slow and disruptive budget passing process.We in TIPEDI agree with the NDDCs submission that over the years the National Assembly applies three clear steps by which it stifles the NDDCs operations replacing the Commissions budget proposals with the legislators own projects, delay in the passage of the budget till very late in the year and when the budget is finally passed, demands by legislators for upfront payments for their projects, most of which are usually left abandoned, anyway.

Therefore, for us, Mr. President has signalled his seriousness in pursuing the forensic audit process to its logical conclusion with the appointment of the current Acting Managing Director, Professor Keme Daniel Pondei, a totally non-political academician with the courage to confront this albatross in order to make life easier for future management of the Commission.

The TIPEDI Coordinator, however, called on the Acting MD, Professor Keme Pondei, as someone with no political ambition or desire to perpetuate himself in office, to remain courageous and focused in order to be able complete the assignment and justify Mr. Presidents confidence in setting up the Interim Management Committee.

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The health of the President of any country is a national security priority. Elaborate structures are put in place to secure the capacity of the President to function.

No country leaves the primary care of its national political leadership to the expertise of another country, however friendly. Doing that leaves the possibility that a trojan horse can be introduced through control of the life and mental circumstance of the leader of a country by another country.

Countries are notoriously protective of their sovereign space. What better way to control the affairs of a nation remotely than by the control of a sick head of state whose life and survival is in the hands of a foreign government? He would do anything asked of him to stay alive! Buharis health, for the past five years, has been an issue. The health and activities of the President are shrouded in mystery.

This ring of silence around the life of the President gives the impression of the hijack of Nigeria by a cabal. This cabal is what Americans call the deep state. It is like a black hole. But Nigerias Executive Council is as remote as the President. No one knows exactly the mind of this administration regarding foreign and domestic policy.

While Nigerians are deeply divided and bicker, the grounds beneath their feet shift dangerously. For much of the time, Nigerians suspected that the late Mr Abba Kyari was the de facto President of Nigeria. But what is the Presidents will within the Constitution? How could the Presidents Chief of Staff prevent ministers of government from access to the President? All matters went through him.

How constitutional is this? The life of the Executive Council of the Federation is established by the Constitution. Although each minister serves at the behest and the pleasure of the President, once constituted, the Executive Council is the highest administrative council of the land.

It is a Council which means that if it came to procedural votes, the Presidents vote is one, and can only break a tie. This means only the Executive Council, with the President as the head, is the executive government of the land.

A presidential staff member who appropriates the right of the President is subject to investigation by the office of the Attorney General, and might, in fact, be tried for a high crime against the state.

In two instances, Abba Kyari seemed to have overstepped his bounds as the Presidents points-man: once was during the period in which the Vice-President acted for the President, and a conflict arose between Winifred Oyo-Ita, Permanent Secretary and Head of Service of the Federation, and Abba Kyari over the scandal of the reinstatement of Abdul Rasheed Maina, who had a cloud hanging over him over alleged Pension Fund racket.

The second was only just months before his death, over sore points with Mr Babagana Monguno, the National Security Adviser who accused him of interfering with the national security of Nigeria and issued directives to Service Chiefs to desist forthwith from meetings with the Presidents Chief of Staff on national security matters.

This public row very remarkably elicited no public response from the President, either backing his National Security Adviser or his Chief of Staff. It was almost as if he was not in the picture. One would also think that the Committee on National Security of the National Assembly, the oversight body of the House and the Senate on national security issues, would have summarily investigated this serious breach of the rules of public governance in the Presidency.

But no such thing happened. And it leads us only to the question: To what extent is the conspiracy if indeed there is a conspiracy? That row nevertheless led to the speculation that a great crack had finally appeared in the finely wrought partnership that had allegedly hijacked the Presidency.

There is great speculation by Nigerians that Buhari has not been in the picture since 2017 when he had his last major health crisis. Conspiracy theorists have even pushed the rumour that it is not Muhammadu Buhari that is there, but a double recruited from Sudan!

This, of course, is only still the yarn of folk with feverish and mischievous imaginations. But the distance and serial absence of Buhari in the public life; the larger-than-life image which the late Abba Kyari assumed in this Presidency, the various gaffes and public policy contradictions associated with this Presidency feeds these dangerous speculations and makes Nigerians sceptical, and increasingly restless.

This restlessness has increased, particularly with the shoddy response to the coronavirus event, and the lack of leadership shown in prepping Nigerians for its effects. There is no discussion even now about the post-coronavirus world, and preparations made to cushion its after effects, or even its current effects.

Kano was long predicted to be the pandemic bomb. In the last week, we have seen reports, especially on social media of a deluge of the northern poor or the Almajirai fleeing southwards, hiding in long trailers, breaking the Cordon Sanitaire erected to stave off the spread of the virus.

The disruption of the national balance of the states is the first stage towards national implosion which many of us have been predicting as a result of the very poor institutional response to public health, poverty alleviation, and population management by the governments of Nigeria. Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, Buhari has remained unnaturally remote and silent for the leader of any nation.

He was slow in responding to the crisis. He has not been roused even now by the number of dying people in Kano. He was not even present at the burial of his closet aide, Abba Kyari. He only penned a short, very uncharacteristic eulogy, which every stylist could read, even with the most cursory glance, and does not sound like Buhari, and then he went into hiding.

The serious question every serious Nigerian is asking is: Where is President Buhari? Can the real Buhari stand up and be counted? Can he just get up and address Nigerians without the shield of bullish hide-and-seek swathed in the empty bloviations of the likes of Femi Adesina? Id watched Femi Adesina, the Presidents media spokesman, in a question and answer session moderated on Channels TV. Let me say he is constantly rude to Nigerians.

He uses his bully pulpit to really bully those who disagree with the government rather than rationalize and mediate the differences of perception. He calls the opposition, wailers. And he basically fudges the fact on behalf of the President. He says presidential broadcasts are rarely live. But all presidential address of the President with the media should be mostly live! It is just that President Buhari has rarely addressed a live media audience.

He relies on the likes of Adesina and Garba Shehu to hide him. A President who avoids the media; who does not speak directly to the people on a weekly briefing, particularly during a national emergency, has something to hide. That is a fact one. Buhari seems to be hiding something about himself and his ability to govern as a result of his health from Nigerians.

What, we dont frankly know. Adesina says it is a matter of style. It is Buharis style to be remote because style is idiosyncratic.

That might well be. But, as Mac Azuike drilled into my Sophomore English class on Stylistics in the 80s, style is also content and form. If it is the Presidents style to stay silent and indecipherable, while Nigeria suppurates, then, of course, the question must be raised: of what use is he as President? This is what many Nigerians tried to ask Femi Adesina in that chat. And he bullied, insulted, and dismissed their concerns.

He asked one caller to run for President in 2023 if he was dissatisfied and if he dared. This is what folk call, bullcrap. The National Assembly must take the necessary steps and find out if this President is still with us, and fit to run Nigeria. There are too many national security issues at stake.

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Beyond the shoddy response to coronavirus - Vanguard

Ogbonnaya OnuBy Emmanuel Elebeke

The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu says the Ministry is making frantic efforts to develop home-grown solutions to tackle Covid-19 pandemic and other challenges facing the nation.

The Minister made the revelation on Wednesday when he received the Report of The Ministerial Committee on The Repositioning and Strengthening of The Ministry to Effectively Carry Out Its Statutory Charged Responsibilities to the Federal Government, in his office in Abuja.

He said that one lesson to draw from Covid-19 is that the pandemic has offered us unique opportunity to think out of the box as a nation to think differently and utilize home-grown Science, Technology and Innovation to solve our problems, and urged Nigerians to start developing self-confidence so as to become self-reliant in all spheres of life.

Nigerians must begin to develop self-confidence in themselves and appreciate technological innovations produced by Nigerians. Realize that taking Nigeria to where it should be is our responsibility.

To move from recession to recovery, the nation must be attached to science and technology, he added.

He assured that the Ministry will fully implement the recommendations of the committee so as to reposition the Ministry for greater outputs.

For us to provide jobs for unemployed, there is need for us to provide the enabling environment. The Ministry will work hard and will not rest until we develop a home-grown solution for COVID-19. This virus is a wakeup call for us to wake up from our slumber to find solution to our problems, he said.

Earlier in his address, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Dr. Mohammed Umar, stressed that the mandate of the committee cuts across Health, Agriculture, Infrastructure and many aspects vital to national life.

Presenting his report, the Chairman of the committee and Director of Bio-Resources Technology, Pharm. Abayomi Oguntunde said for Nigeria to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS), the appropriate use of Science, Technology and Innovation must be considered in government policy formulation and implementation.

He said the committees report was informed by President Muhammadu Buharis directive to lift Nigeria out of poverty, diseases and technological backwardness.

He thanked the two Ministers for their faith in the committee and the opportunity to serve the country.

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The National Human Rights Commission has urged the 11 northern states of the federation that had yet to domesticate the Childs Rights Act (CRA) to quickly do so.

The Executive Secretary of the commission, Mr. Tony Ojukwu, stated that the passage of the law by the states could help to address the problems associated with Almajiri.

Ojukwu made the call in a statement in Abuja to mark the 2020 Childrens Day celebration marked every May 27 in Nigeria.

Children must be reunited with their parents and provisions made for their education in a structured and progressive manner as stipulated in the Child Rights Act.

NHRC strongly believes that the passage of the Child Rights Act by all state governments will go a long way in strengthening the capacity of Nigeria to build a better world for our children.

As the world grapples with the challenges of COVID -19, children as vulnerable groups are facing growing risks.

They need to be safe, many children are facing disorientation due to closure of schools, disrupted academic schedule, and limited recreational activities basic to their survival and development.

This Day offers us an inspirational motivation to advocate, promote, protect, and celebrate childrens rights and translate into action our love for our children.

We must do this as a matter of necessity not only for the children but for the future of humanity.

The CRA is an important document to protect the human rights of the Nigerian child, he said.

As of today, he said, only 25 out of the 36 states have passed the CRA into law in their various states.

The situation leaves a huge gap in our collective efforts to protect our children, he said.

He, therefore, called on all states that have not passed the CRA to do so without further delay.

Ojukwu added that children encounter domestic violence, sexual exploitation, torture, Inhuman and degrading treatment, and other forms of abuse.

He called on parents to take extra care of the children, help them stay socially connected with friends and family within their circle.

He said further that parents should support the children with information about COVID -19, teach them especially basic hygiene.

Ojukwu stated that the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child ( CRC),1989 is a legally binding international agreement covering a variety of rights including, civil, political, economic, social, cultural, and health rights of every child.

He stated that Nigeria ratified this in 1991 and domesticated it in the Child Rights Act of 2003 (CRA) as a measure of her commitment to the principle of UNCRC.

The CRA, he added, strengthens the human rights provisions in Chapter 1V of the 1999 constitution as amended with regards to children.

He said specific rights of children under the Act include the right to survival, protection, family life, a name, private life, dignity, recreation, cultural activities, health, and education.

The Act, he added, provides that in all matters concerning the child, the childs best interest takes precedent.

Ojukwu stated that the CRC is one of the most ratified human rights treaties in history and had assisted in the transformation of the lives of children all over the world.

Let us commit ourselves to build a society where the rights of children remain paramount he stated.

NAN

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Nigeria international Alex Iwobi has revealed what he has learned from his compatriot Odion Ighalo.

Ighalo is one of the best African strikers having won the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Golden Boot award.

Iwobi, who is on the books of English side Everton FC, is keen to improve his finishing in front of goal. The attacking midfielder explained that he has learned to be more composed in front of goal just like Manchester United marksman Ighalo.

With Ighalo, the composure he has when hes in the box when he has the opportunity to score, Im trying to add to my game, Iwobi said on Instagram.

Its almost like when hes clean through on goal, 90 per cent of the time the ball is in the back of the net and not with a lot of power but with finesse and style to it.

Hopefully, thats something that not just me but the youngsters like Victor [Osimhen], it is something that we have to put a lot of respect for, he added.

Both of them talk to you, they try to help everyone, it was a blessing to play with both of them.

Osimhen, who is on the books of former French champions Lille OSC, is seen as Ighalos replacement in the national team.

Ighalo, who has retired from international football, is currently on loan at United from Chinese Super League side Shanghai Greenland Shenhua.

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I mentioned in the first part of this write-up that Mr Udom Gabriel Emmanuel brought his wealth of experience in corporate governance to lead Akwa Ibom State. His emergence effectively midwives a new order in public service delivery as could be seen in key sectors including education, health, security and sports.

EDUCATION

Governor Udom Emmanuel is sufficiently committed to develop and harness the States rich human resource in managing the industries and other key economic sectors. He has invested heavily in the literacy of Akwa Ibom people, availing everyone the opportunity of contributing towards state development.

Upon assumption of office on May 29, 2015, the governor made it clear that his administration will place a premium on educating Akwa Ibom youth to enable them to compete favourably with their counterparts anywhere in the world. He said that in addition to upgrading the formal education sector, he will ensure that out of school youths are accommodated in various skills acquisition programs fashioned to transform them into key assets in his administrations industrialisation drive.

Soon afterwards, Akwa Ibom State Government set out to boost the states Oracle IT skills pool by training more than 1000 youths via the Oracle University Workforce Development Program (WDP). This was immediately followed in December 2015, by a micro-work training for the youth in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Communication Technology and supported by the Rockefeller Foundation. It is common knowledge that for each industry established in the state, Governor Emmanuel ensures that indigenes are trained to manage them.

Often, the governor talks about the strategic importance of driving development through qualitative education. In achieving this, his administration has taken a holistic approach to improving the free and compulsory education policy. Now, highly motivated teachers impart knowledge in a very conducive learning environment and students are eager to attend classes because of improved infrastructure.

Aside from regular and prompt payment of salary to teachers, Governor Emmanuel has ensured the timely release of subvention to motivate teachers. In order to reduced the student-teacher ratio for a stress-free interaction, about 4800 teachers have been added to the personnel pool. There is a continuous process of targeted recruitment of qualified teachers to fill specific subject needs.

To ensure that no eligible Akwa Ibom child is deprived of the opportunity to obtain a basic educational certificate, the Emmanuel administration sustained critical financial assistance to parents and guardians by paying for examination fees. Approximately, N600 million is filed out annually as examination fee for students in the State who write the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) examination and others.

So far, the administration has renovated and furnish over 100 blocks of classrooms both in public primary and secondary schools while improving ancillary infrastructure such as internal roads, laboratories, lecture theatres, libraries in state-owned tertiary institutions including state-owned College of Education, Afaha Nsit; Akwa Ibom State University, Ikot Akpaden; Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua; College of Health Technology, Etinan; and the College of Arts and Science, Nung Ukim. This is in addition to the opening of two new command schools.

The recent successful hosting of the first Akwa Ibom State Education Summit, which was attended by over 3000 stakeholders, proves that Governor Emmanuel is keen on securing a good future for the education sector in the State. The event which provided a platform to brainstorm on several issues including bettering the quality of education in Akwa Ibom was rightly concluded with the governor constituting a technical committee in education to review the recommendations of the summit with the aim of restructuring the education system in the State.

HEALTH

Emmanuels intervention in the States health sector saved Akwa Ibom from being badly hit by the outbreak of the novel coronavirus ravaging the world.

The governor embarked on rehabilitation of secondary health facilities across the state with such energy and consistency that baffled even his critics. With a simple message: Health is Wealth, he set about transforming long-abandoned and dilapidated hospitals into functional health care centre equipped with state-of-the-art medical equipment, manned by motivated personnel.

Some of the medical equipment imported by the administration, which arrived the state in 50 containers include, electrocardiograph 3 Channels, colonoscopy (with halogen light), x-ray film processor, x-ray film viewer, gastroscope, operating theatre light (5-Spot light), operating table, Anastasia trolley with ventilator and monitor, syringe pump, electrosurgical units, monopolar-bipolar operating instruments, suction pump and host of other state-of-the-art equipment including CT Scanners, Surgical microscope for eyes.

The governor began his transformation of the states health sector with the iconic missionary hospital St. Luke Hospital, Anua Uyo, where he constructed and equipped a 300-bed gynaecology ward in honour of the reputable Irish Missionary, Dr. Ann Ward. From there, he undertook the rehabilitation and upgrading of several hospitals namely Etinan General Hospital, Ikot Okoro General Hospital, General Hospital, Ituk Mbang, General Hospital, Ibiaku Ntok Okpo, Emmanuel General Hospital, Eket and General Hospital, Iquita Oron.

In the same vein, Governor Emmanuel has built and equipped Comprehensive Health Centre, Awa Onna. By so doing, he has transformed the health sector in Akwa Ibom state which was in a state of decay and improved to a great extend access to quality health care delivery, especially for rural dwellers. Before now, the sick and those seeking medical attention were mostly taken in from nooks and crannies of the state to University of UYO Teaching Hospital, UUTH whose primary objective was for referral and research.

As a result, there has been a noticeable decrease in child mortality and morbidity in pregnant mothers, affordable health care and a healthy population. Most importantly, he has made the state a reference point in healthcare delivery and improved life expectancy of Akwa Ibom people as such many citizens of neighbouring states visited the state on medical tourism.

While appreciating the feat recorded by Governor Emmanuel, the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo who commissioned the rehabilitated Etinan General Hospital on September 23, 2017, said: This is an extremely useful project, this is the type of project, I believe touches the lives of the people directly.

In addition to upgrading secondary healthcare facilities across the state, Governor Emmanuel took a decisive step to reclaim and salvage the newly built quandary health facility Ibom Specialist Hospital which was poorly managed by a private consortium. Since taking over, the government has transformed it into a multi-speciality health care facility with experts in various specialised health care fields working there. The facility has come in handy in the fight against COVID-19.

Governor Emmanuel complements his rehabilitation of health facilities with recruitment and training of health workers with incentives. There have been series of specialised training and certification of 100 health workers in Basic Lives Support and Advanced Cardiac Lives Support with Medical Energy Experts from the USA; Training of 20 Biomedical Engineers and agreed to regularly pay the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and CONHESS to medical and dental practitioners and nurses respectively.

The dreaded novel coronavirus pandemic met Akwa Ibom state health care system already primed and ready to take on any eventually. Already the state has attracted commendation for Nigeran Center for Disease Control, NCDC, for its remarkable efforts at containing the spread of the virus. This could only be possible through the visionary and proactive leadership of Governor Udom Emmanuel.

SECURITY

Prior to Emmanuels emergence as Governor in 2015, Akwa Ibom State was fraught with cases of insecurity . The killing spree was so visible that the state was considered a no-go-area, not only for other Nigerians but foreigners.

In 2009, according to Police report, Akwa Ibom State recorded 177 murders most of which were classified as politically motivated. In that same year, there were 62 attempted murders, one manslaughter, eight suicides, 21 attempted suicides, 320 assaults,18 child stealing, 93 rape cases and indecent assaults, 29 kidnappings among others.

There was a time in Akwa Ibom when cultism was the order of the day. Akwa Ibom youths were willing tools to fight opposing voices in the state. They were forced to accept allegiance to unknown gods for the sake of being carried along in the power play. Politicians who longed for more political prospects were not spared from being forced to accept unholy union with some ungodly powers then.

A new Akwa Ibom State began when Governor Udom Emmanuel was ushered into the seat of Hill Top Mansion as the 4th civilian Governor of the state on May 29, 2015. His coming was greeted with joy following his antecedent as a man who loves God.

What has kept the coming of Governor Emmanuel unique in the annals of the state is the sustained peace upon the State which has transcended into every sector.

That Akwa Ibom State today is referred to as Nigerias peace model State with an ambience that has given the people new hope can be attributed to the peaceful disposition of Governor Emmanuel. This rightly endorses the popular adage, where there is a man of peace there must be peace.

It was in view of this peaceful aura that the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maj. Gen. Jamil Sarham described Akwa Ibom as most peaceful State among the 36 states with the lowest crime rate. The Army General did not hesitate to commend the Governor and the people of the state for the peaceful co-existence.

On 16 March, 2020, Governor Emmanuels leadership put a death knell to secret cult, societies and groups promoting violent behaviours in Akwa Ibom State as Governor Udom Emmanuel signed into law the Cultism and Other Violent Behaviour (Prohibition) Order, 2020 for the state. By this new law, 65 cult groups were proscribed.

Reiterating his administrations commitment to maintaining the states record in safety, security and investor -friendliness, as well as ensuring a future for the Akwa Ibom youth, the Governor said the new law was expanded to cover components not covered in the previous law.

According to the Governor, Cultism and Other Violent Behavior(Prohibition) Order, 2020, in the exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 70 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap. 38, Vol. 2, Laws of Akwa Ibom State, 2000 and all other powers enabling me in that behalf, I, Mr Udom Emmanuel, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria do hereby make the following order 1. (1): the cults, societies and groups listed herein are hereby declared unlawful and forthwith proscribed in Akwa Ibom State.

The Governor has invested in state security architecture. More than once, he has donated patrol vehicles to the Akwa Ibom State Police Command to enable their personnel carry out effective monitoring of the state. Still, on surveillance, the administration of Udom Emmanuel has erected Hi-Tech CCTVs at strategic locations along with entry points to the state. This enables the administration and relevant security agencies to have 24/7 surveillance on who enters the state. These digital surveillance comes in handy in the current fight against COVID-19, where state government monitors people and vehicles trying to come into the state.

SPORTS

Governor Emmanuel has made remarkable success in sports. Through sports, the Governor has been able to halt crime and open doors of employment opportunities to the youths.The administration is building sporting centres in the 10 federal constituencies of the state. Already, two of such centres have been completed and put to use in Uyo and Onna Local Government Areas of the state.

It was against this backdrop that the first Akwa Ibom youth sports festival 2017 organised by the state government involving students and pupils from the 31 local government areas of the state was held.

The governor has said repeatedly that sporting business is a goldmine that is yet to be fully developed.

So, beyond the story of (our sports) festival, our youths should be launched to the glory of the money-spinning venture of sports. We know that the secret of the Lionel Messis, the Christiano Ronaldos, the Serena Willaims, the Usain Bolts and other world stars, is hidden, first and foremost, in early exposure to world-class facilities, particularly at an early age. So, this catch-them-young initiative is well situated.

Yes, that is not impossible. It is a fruit we will not just pluck or pick by mere wishful thinking, we are planting the seeds on fertile grounds today, we will water the tree tomorrow, and with God, we will reap the fruits in the future. Your attitude will either hasten the ripening process of that cherished fruit or render the harvest incomplete, Emmanuel said.

This initiative by the state government attracted the attention of the Federal Government as the former Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung was present at the opening of the youth sports festival where he pledged that the Federal Government would support the Akwa Ibom State in its renewed efforts to develop sports and discover talents saying that there is the need to bring back grassroots sports.

It was based on the numerous investment in sports that the federal government through the Federal Ministry of Sports selected Akwa Ibom State as the recipient of three awards in its honours list; sports infrastructural development, sports development and best-supporting state for the Super Eagles. The awards were in recognition of the role the state played in providing sports infrastructure, grassroots sports development and providing the platform for the qualification of the Super Eagles for this years FIFA World Cup.It can be recalled that the Super Eagles qualified for the World Cup with a game to spare because of the logistics support by the state government.

Part of Emmanuels effort is that two teams from the state qualified for the finals of the FA Cup 2017. Akwa United eventually won the male version, while the female team lost on penalties to their Rivers counterpart. This shows the level of inputs the current administration has made in sports development.

For the first time in the history of the state that Akwa United represented the country in CAF Confederations Cup, and that was courtesy of the level of funding of that club by the governor .

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