Uyo To Redefine Her Stand In 2015

Says Ekerette Ekpenyong, Uyo Council Boss

               

Ekerette Ekpenyong address Ward 2 people

The Chairman of Uyo local government area, Otuekong Ekerette Ekpenyong has said that the people of Uyo must redefine their stand in the 2015 project by supporting a credible candidate in a ruling party that will be for the benefit of Uyo people.  He lamented the many problems facing Uyo as a local government and a Federal Constituency.

He wondered how a local government area with such votes as 167,000 could not have produced  legislators in a ruling party for Uyo local government area and Uyo federal constituency.  He said that Uyo’s problem would have been addressed in the House if the representative of Uyo was of the ruling Party, calling on the people not to tear into “pieces” in 2015 as that would lead to the whole local government suffering while a few persons would be enjoying.  “For 2015 we will decide where Uyo will go so that our children can have a future”, Mr Ekpenyong said.

Mr Ekpenyong said this while addressing the people of Ward 2 Uyo Urban during his visit to the Ward to share what he has with the people in the spirit of Christmas and the new year.  He said he came to them to present the little he had as Christmas all over the world was time to “show love, forgive people and rejoice with the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ”. He said that he came in the spirit of xmas but not to thank Uyo people for he was angry about how  the many problems bedeviling Uyo could be solved and that he would start thanking Uyo when such problems were solved.

He said he was worried why Uyo as a capital city which is above 40 years has no befitting Council Secretariat and Traditional Rulers Council office complex which foundation he said would be laid soon.  He said he would be happy when the office of the Chairman of the Council is commissioned.

He regretted that the free education programme has increased the number of pupils and students enrolment in public schools in the capital city and that Uyo local government council has the duty of paying all the teachers in the said schools, lamenting how a local government that earns N30m monthly would survive paying a wage bill of N58m every month.

He said that the Traditional Rulers Council office complex which work has commenced, when completed, would be “a traditional unity home for Uyo people”.  He alerted his S.A. on Cooperatives to ensure that a Cooperative society was registered for the women in Ward 2 so that funds would be sourced for them for small scale business activities as he promised during his campaign.

He advised that youths who sought to learn any trade or vocation should bring same to his notice through the Council Secretary to enable him plan for the local government council to sponsor them.  He called on all Uyo students doing Medicine & Surgery, Law and Pharmacy seeking to go for House-manship or Law School to alert his office for assistance.

He thanked the people of Ward 2 for accepting him as one of them, but expressed rude shock for seeing that one of the oldest school blocks was completely dilapidated without attention.  The Chairman promised to inform the governor of the state of the school for his action which he hoped would meet with positive response.

Others who spoke at the event were  Mr Ime Bassey Ibanga, Acting Ward Chairman, Mr Enefiok Udoh(serving Councilor), Chief Augustine Ibanga and others.

The high point of the event was the presentation of 20 bags of 50kg rice, one cow, cash of N200,000.00 and drinks.

In attendance were elders, PDP ward executives, past political office holders, past ward executives, women, youths and others too numerous to count.

In the entourage of the Council boss was Hon. Dr. Mrs Roberta Edem, Vice Chairman; Mr Chris Etim, Council Secretary and other aides of the Chairman.

AS 2015 POLITICS HOTS UP IN ORO NATION:PDP DEPUTY STATE C/MAN SET FOR HOUSE OF REPS RACE

The Waves newspaper has learnt that Hon. Nse Ekpenyong, a onetime state Assembly legislator, former Vice Chairman of PDP Eket Senatorial District, and current State Deputy Chairman of PDP has declared intention to be in the House of Representatives in 2015.

A source who spoke to our reporter on grounds of anonymity said Mr Ekpenyong made his intention known on Sunday January 6, 2013 at his Louis Ating residence in Oron when he met with the five Chapter Chairmen and officers of the five local government areas that make up Oron Federal Constituency.  The source said that fifty ward executives of the ward structures of the PDP in Mbo, Oron, Urue-Offong/Oruko, Okobo and Udung Uko local government areas were also present at the meeting.

The source said Mr Ekpenyong was considering his position as the Deputy State Chairman of the PDP an advantage which would put him above other contestants including the serving member in the House of Reps, when the time comes.

The source stated that he was believed to have said that the reason for his seeking to contest the office was that the current representative was not doing well.

When contacted on phone on his declaration of ambition for the 2015 House of Reps race, Mr Nse Ekpenyong said he only met with the Chapter Chairmen and Chapter officers of the PDP  in the Oron Federal Constituency for end of year get-together to share with them the joy of Christmas and did not disclose his intention for 2015.  He stated that when the time comes he would formally declare his intention for the office of his choice and that he was not shying away from telling the truth.

Alleged Breach of F/Human Right In Ibiono Ibom:Man Seeks Over N15m Damages From Village Headship Contender, AK Police Commissioner, Ors

Chief Clement Bassey Udo in Suit No: HU/547/2012 had since August 29, 2012 in a Motion on Notice sought special, general and exemplary damages amounting to over N15million from one Chief Asuakak Effiong Brown from Ikot Ekop Ibiono in Ibiono Ibom LGA, Police Officer Ubok Obong(IPO) and the Commissioner of Police Akwa Ibom State for what he claimed “illegal, unlawful and violent arrest and detention” of his person for four days(11th to 14^th Feb. 2012) at Ikot Akpan Abia State Police Headquarters.

In a 56 paragraphs Affidavit in support of Motion, Chief Clement Bassey Udo had narrated how twelve Policemen armed with AK 47 Riffles in company of Chief Asuakak Effiong Brown, on the instruction of Akwa Ibom State Police Commissioner, invaded his house at about 5am of 11/2/12 and took him away in “a white Hilux pick up Van” half naked.

Though he stated that he was not told what his offence was he said he was not shown any warrant of arrest by the Police. Chief Clement Bassey who said he was a Village head-elect at the time, narrated his experience while in the SARS cell, how he was mercilessly beaten by “hardened criminals”.

He later learnt that he was arrested based a petition routed to the Akwa Ibom State Police Commissioner dated Feb. 4^th 2011 by “Apostle Asuakak Effiong Brown” captioned “Petition of Armed Robbery”, alleging that he was one of the five armed men who invaded his house on 28/1/2011 and robbed him of N100,000.00(cash), 23 bags of rice and GSM handset.

In part, the said letter read, “On 28/1/2011 at about 4am in the morning, five armed men invaded my compound broke into my room and robbed me of the sum of N100,000.00, 23 bags of rice, my GSM Handset. I was able to recognize one Clement Bassey. After the operation, the armed men shot and kill my dog”.

The said letter in the first paragraph indicated that “sometime in the month of January 2011 the Finance Commissioner, Mr Bassey Albert Akpan donated 23 bags of rice and money to be shared to Ikot Ekop “as one of the benefitting community”. The Waves findings revealed that the said letter was received, stamped and dated 9/2/2011 by the Compol’s office.

The Applicant stated that his ordeal started when in 2011 on 13^th of January the current Finance Commissioner invited all village heads and to a place called Asantim Ibiono and he, as a Village head-elect had to go there with one Christian Augustine Bassey, the Youth leader of his village.

He said at the meeting Commissioner Bassey Akpan donated 23 bags of rice and N150,000.00 which himself and the Youth leader had to pick up on January 17, 2011 and that he informed his village council Chairman, Chief Effiong Brown on 30/1/2011about the rice and how it was decided should be shared and he agreed.

He stated that Chief Effiong Brown was covertly offended for he felt that as the village Council Chairman he ought to have collected and shared the rice and whatever was there to be shared to the family heads of Ikot Ekop Ibiono.

Uwak’s Bill To Check Medical Negligence Passes Second Reading in H/Reps

By Ephraim Ikpe

In an effort to whip medical professionals into line to avoid medical negligence, weed the medical profession of quacks, punish the offence of medical negligence, give Nigerians value for their money and reliable health care, Hon. Robinson Uwak’s Bill  for an act to provide for medical professional indemnity, establish the medical negligence complaints committee, repeal section 45 of the national health insurance scheme Decree No. 35 of 1999 and for matters connected thereto, presented at the floor of the House of Reps on Wed. December 12, 2012 has passed through the second reading.

 Presenting his argument at the second reading of the Bill Hon. Robinson Uwak said Medical negligence has become a myth that needs to be committed in God’s hand, noting that in other countries strict liability is upheld to hold accountable any health care provider for negligence in the course of his/her duties.

The Representative of Oron Federal Constituency in the lower Chamber of the National Assembly said although it has been emphasized that medical education is germane to proper delivery of health care to Nigerian, it would be illogical to allow the plethora of negligence witnessed in the medical profession to continue.

 Uwak asserted that the Bill sought to establish a Medical Complaints Committee to handle cases of Medical Negligence. He said it was necessary to remove the investigation of the negligent aspect of the medical profession from the Medical and Dental Association of Nigeria, so that the Nigerian Medical Disciplinary Committee can concentrate on issues of Professional Misconduct.

He said the Bill would ensure that there is remedy for those who suffer from negligence in the hands of  health care providers.

He stated further that the Bill will provide for punishment for the offence of medical negligence and breach of its provisions when it finally becomes an Act of the Nigerian Parliament.

The Bill, he said, would make it mandatory for all Health Care Providers to register and obtain indemnity to protect their clients and by so doing, quacks would be eroded from the practice of medicine as well as give Nigerians value for their money and reliable health care.

He expressed worry that though the Nigerian Medical and Dental Practitioners Act CAP M8 of 2004 establishes the Medical and Dental Council which is the umbrella body for the regulation of Medical practice in Nigeria, and further provides in section 15, the Disciplinary Tribunal and Investigation Panel,  empowered to investigate and hear cases of professional misconduct, it was surprising  that high number of deaths were still being recorded as a result of Medical negligence in Nigeria.