By Mfonobong Ukpong
The Senator representing Eket Senatorial district, Senator Akon Eyakenyi has flagged off an empowerment program geared towards ensuring sustainable empowerment for over 300 youths of the Senatorial district within her first 100 days in office.
Already, the first batch of beneficiaries from Oron Federal Constituency, numbering 114 who were trained by an oil and gas servicing company, Filipco Engineering Services, under the empowerment scheme of Senator, have graduated from the training. They were trained in various field including, scaffolding, rigging, as well as Health safety and Environment’ among others. The second batch of the empowerment programme targeted for over 100 beneficiaries drawn from Eket Federal Constituency was on Wednesday launched by Senator at Eket. The event which afforded the lawmaker an opportunity to brief her constituents on the motions, bills and other of her engagements in the National Assembly in the past 3 months, also featured the official unveiling of her constituency situated at Liverpool road opposite the former Qua River Hotel in Eket.
The empowerment program which is targeted at developing human capacity that would feed into the oil and gas as well as the construction industry.
The third batch of 120 youths from Ikot-Abasi Federal Constituency will follow suit. Also yesterday, a member of the constituency,
Speaking at the ceremony, Deputy Governor of the State, Mr. Moses Ekpo hailed Senator Akon Eyakenyi for starting on a good note within a months period she got into the National Assembly. He said the Senatorial district was lucky this time around, as they now have a Senator they can be proud of. Ekpo praised Eyakenyi for remembering her people.
“In the last four years, Eket Senatorial district has suffered poor representation, and luckily this time, the people of this Senatorial district went for the very best”.
Declaring the event open, Chairman on the occasion, Chief Nduese Essien commended the Senator for establishing a constituency office in Eket within a period of three months upon her assumption of office at the red chamber. Rt. Hon. Essien, a former National Assembly member and former Minister of Lands and Housing noted that the glorious days of the Senatorial district was reappearing with the impressive performance of the current Senator. He regretted that in the past four years, Akwa Ibom South Senatorial district had no representation in the National Assembly, and praised Senator Akon Eyakenyi for her strides within 3 months of her assumption of office.
“For a Senator to establish a constituency office within 3 months is very magnificent. i commend the quality of staff at the constituency office. The glorious days of Akwa Ibom South Senatorial district is reappearing. The days of the late Senator Victor Akan, Etang-Umoyo, Udo Udoma and Senator Helen Esuene is here again, and we are happy”.
He urged the people of the district to continue to give her the needed cooperation and support to enable her succeed in her legislative task in the National Assembly. He cautioned the people against unnecessary criticism of the Senator and Governor Emmanuel, saying it would be too early for criticism. The Eket Senatorial district leader , and Elder statesman, Chief Essien adviced Senator Eyakenyi to run an all inclusive representation by carrying members and supporters of other political parties along in all her activities and programmes”.
“It would be too early to criticise. It is not yet time to criticise the performance of the Senator. At the same time, the Governor should be supported. Negative commentaries and criticism on thanksgiving media and pages of newspaper is unnecessary.
Having won the election, she is now Senator for the entire Senatorial district, including people of other political parties.”
Addressing her constituents, Senator Eyakenyi thanked them for the confidence reposed in her, as seen through the overwhelming support she enjoyed during the election. She said the event was her own way of marking her first 100 days in office, and so she decided to use that opportunity to impact on the people of the senatorial district through her empowerment scheme. She said the constituency office in Eket would serve as a link between her and the constituents, and urged the people to feel free to approach the office any day, anytime and lodge any complain that needs her attention, as there are staff that would attend to them and forward their needs to her.
“Today marks exactly 100 days in office. Let me thank the people of Eket Senatorial district for entrusting me with a mandate to represent you. I have started justifying your trust in the National Assembly in about 3 months.
Reacting to a plea by Chief Nduese Essien on the lawmaker to impress on the federal government to reintroduce ferry service at the Oron Waterways to convey passengers to Calabar, Eyakenyi said “One of the motions i raised in the National Assembly, was a motion for the provision of Water Transportation in our waterways. When we resume that motion will be treated at a committee level”.
I also joined my colleagues from Akwa Ibom to sponsor a motion for the reconstruction of Calabar-Itu road, Ikot-Ekpene-Aba road, and Ikot-Ekpene-Obot Akara, Umuahia road among others”.
In their goodwill messages, a former Deputy Governor of the state, Chief Etim Okpoyo, State Chairman of PDP, Mr. Paul Ekpo, Deputy Director General, Divine Mandate Campaign Organisation, Elder Ben Udobia, Commissioner for Works, Mr. Ephraim Inyang, a university lecturer, and woman leader, Dr. Ini Adiakpan and Chief Utako Okporo praised the Senator for the gesture, saying they were hopeful of betters days ahead. They described Eyakenyi as a legislator with a difference who has come to rewrite history in the senatorial district, and hailed her for making the PDP proud.
Among personalities that attended the ceremony include, the Deputy Governor, Mr. Moses Ekpo, Members of the state executive council, National and state Assembly members, State Chairman f PDP, Obong Paul Ekpo, Council Chairmen, a former Deputy Governor, Chief Etim Okpoyo, Chairman, Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Governing Council, Barr. Ekpenyong Ntekim, Royal fathers, party chieftains among others
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