₦airaland Forum

By Abasiofiok Inyang

"Too many people speak after hearing just one side of a story. Judging a situation without being there and knowing the actual facts ruins lives and relationships, so you best know the full story before attacking someone and making false accusations"--- Stephen Covey. 
Governor Udom Emmanuel must have been very much aware of this wise counsel when he addressed journalists,  the entire Akwa Ibom citizens and the world last Monday. The chat was not only timely but very apt considering the many rumours, concocted stories and outright blackmail that followed the outbreak of the dreaded coronavirus in the State. From the number of those infected by the COVID-19 in the State, to the handling and management as well as the palliatives given to cushion the effects, the social media was flooded by fake news with the very intention to bring down the governor and his administration.

Specifically, the briefing well fitted the recent heat generated as a result of the removal of Dr Aniekeme Uwah as State Epidemiologist. The "emergency social media practitioners" whose stock in trade is to jump to hasty conclusions and deliver judgments after hearing from one side. As if that was not enough, tempers were raised in the State when rumour mill dished out that nine commissioners in the State Executive Council were infected by the COVID-19 disease.

Undoubtedly, Dr Uwah may have the wealth of experience in the field of epidemiology. His being appointed to head the department of epidemiology was like putting a square peg in a square hole. Interestingly, he never disappointed in his handling of the department. 
However, his wealth of experience and delivery of his assigned duties was not enough for him to exhibit the act of insurbordition and disloyalty to his superiors. This is the bitter truth that many who judged after hearing one side failed to let the world know. 
Yes, Dr Uwah and Commissioner for Health, Dr Dominic Ukpong might have had issues but as long as he is the  surbordinate, there was no justifiable reason to act the way he allegedly did.

The governor in his briefing, was able to point out that Dr Aniekeme Uwah was not sacked by the State Government as the public was misinformed but only redeployed in line with the rights of the government.
 
It is also worthy of interest to note that the governor cleared the air on the palliatives given to Akwa Ibom people and insisted that it was meant for the poorest of the poor. Actually, the governor had good intentions to reach out to the people through over 2,274 groups but its handling was disappointing as those entrusted failed in their responsibility and went about to present one side of the story to the public.

What a State! The case was not different as regards the palliatives given by the Federal Government to the State. The social media was equally awashed with insinuations that the State Government has received so much from the Federal Government but the governor proved such rumour mongers wrong and disclosed that apart from one hundred million naira donated by the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC and the 1,800 bags of rice from the Nigeria Custom Service which he said, is not yet certified good for consumption by Akwa Ibom people, the State has not received any other thing from the Federal Government. 

The media chat also gave the governor an opportunity to disclose the State Government's preparedness in handling the COVID-19 pandemic. He stressed that before the outbreak of COVID-19, government had employed over 200 doctors and over 2,000 nurses and put in place facilities worth millions of naira in different hospitals including the Ibom Specialist Hospital. The Ikot Ekpene Infectious Diseases Hospital is equally wearing a new look with facilities to handle the pandemic while reassuring that the isolation center at Itu Mbang will be ready in two weeks time as work is being done day and night.

In overall assessment, the governor has done his best to tackle the dreaded coronavirus disease. He only needs to be encouraged and not run down by those who are yet to understand that election had since ended in 2019, and governance is for the good of all.

The Chairman of Comfort 95.1FM Uyo and Chairman Board of Trustees of Ritman University, Senator Effiong Bob, has called on the people of Akwa Ibom State to cooperate with Governor Udom Emmanuel in the fight against COVID 19 instead of condemning all actions taken by government in it's attempt to contain the spread of the virus in the state.

Senator Bob was reacting to the recent outburst by a section of the people on government's actions in it's bid to avoid the spread of the virus.

He commended Governor Emmanuel for his proactive measures at containing the spread of the virus which include the construction of the Isolation Centre at Ituk Mbang, the equipping of the Infectious Diseases Hospital in Ikot Ekpene, procurement of nineteen ventilators, functional intensive care unit with medical professionals and consultants, the school on radio programme which will allow our children to continue their education during this trying period as well as the distribution of palliatives to all the villages in the state which has made the stay at home period to be less frustrating and demanding.

He pointed out that it was as a result of these that the NCDC scored Akwa Ibom State highly in contact tracing and also trained and guided health professionals on the rudiments and intricacies involved in the handling of COVID 19.

Senator Bob said that it could have been worse if the pandemic had met the state at the time when medical institutions in the state were in deplorable conditions and medical personnel were still far behind the twenty first century professional standard adding that the Ibom Specialist Hospital which Governor Emmanuel has put into good order has assisted greatly in the containment of the spread of the corona virus.

He called on the people of the state to avoid unnecessary bickering but to adhere to government's directives and efforts at preventing the spread and contacting the virus.

The two term senator of the Federal Republic and PDP stalwart appealed to the people of Akwa Ibom State to adopt simple hygienic measures of washing their hands with soap using running water, use of hand sanitizer where necessary, use of face mask and other respiratory hygiene measures in addition to adopting social distancing.

He said that the stay at home exercise should help family members inculcate family values, assist develop cooperation amongst members of the society and ensure that people acquire good leadership principles.

More than all these, Senator Effiong Bob called on the people of the state to take the state and country to God in prayers as He is all knowing and capable of taking any affliction away from His people.

He used the opportunity to thank all health professionals who have risked their lives to work towards the preservation of people's as well as help prevent the spread of the virus.

I have read so many arguments on the arrest and arraignment of some people who shared malicious publications, and urged Akwa Ibom residents to run away from the state for their lives, yet they didn't run. While many attempted to justify their arrest on the basis that he spread malicious information and panic in the state, others condemned their arrest by the Police, calling the governor unimaginable names and all of that.

I want us to be sincere with ourselves and not be sentimental, was those publications mere criticism or blackmail? Perhaps, a clear sense of defamation? Although the case is in court, we know what the law says, so let's allow the court decide their fate. However, in as much as we advocate for and celebrate media democratization and participation, it must be done with caution. There are things that are not acceptable in saner societies, no matter how liberal the state appears to be, not even in The US.

In other words, in democratic governments, criticism is accepted, but it must not be out of place. Open insult and blackmail cannot be regarded as criticism. Besides, those publications were capable of pushing people from their safe haven to danger, even at a time when lockdown as ordered by the government was still in place. Is that not outright flouting of government's order?

Has Covid-19 stolen our conscience, that some people now write absent of reasoning? Our morality should not be slaughtered on the altar of greed for political or media relevance. Irrespective of political interests, the state governor deserves some level of respect from all the citizens.

Even in great democracies of the world where freedom for almost everything is in place, acts capable of sabotaging government's efforts are not permitted. Everyone, no matter the level of freedom they have, is guided by sets of principles. And this is equally expected here.

Let us not deceive ourselves, if those people were sincere on their "postulation" that the state was not safe, they would have been the first to run. But what were they he still doing?

Enough of the abuses on the person of the governor. For heaven's sake, he is human. He has a family. He is just like anyone of us. If you wouldn't want such to be meted on you, don't encourage others to do so. One day, you may become a governor, how would you feel if every Tom and Dick insult you even when it is not necessary?

We are in a sane society, we must behave accordingly. Let people resist every inducement, whether in cash or kind, to do things capable of sabotaging government's effort. We are on the path of victory over covid-19, all hands must be on deck till we achieve this. Enough of distractions.

By Usman Yusuf

For days now, the media space( print and social) has been inundated with series of unfounded mischiefs against or in support of the purported sack of one Dr. Aniekeme Uwah who before now was the State Chief Epidemiologist.

I decided to use the word “purported” because it has become apparent that in this century, people who have tagged themselves Activists, or maybe I should say ‘analyst’ have virtually failed to distinguish between ‘sack’ and ‘redeploy’.

From what I’m made to understand, Dr Aniekeme Uwah is currently a practising Medical Doctor under the employ of the Akwa Ibom State Government. If he was sacked, he would have been dismissed from service. What this implies is that Dr Uwah was only redeployed to another unit in the State Ministry of Health. I’m also made to understand that he was not the only Medical Practitioner who was redeployed, about 15 others were as well reassigned to other units.

What the people of the State have been made to believe is that the fine Doctor was redeployed on the basis that he took 31 samples of Covid-19 suspected cases for test whereas his Boss, the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Health had instructed that he takes only ten(10) samples. This point has served as the substructure for the crucifixion of Dr Ukpong, the Akwa Ibom Commissioner for Health.

As distressed this sounded to me, I didn’t want to be pointed fashioning a judgement on a matter whose accuracy is yet to be verified. Luckily for me, I was able to get some useful information about this whole drama. Though not what I was told by my social media storytellers or read from a few of the tabloids that reported the incident, but I’m happy that at last, I knew what really transpired.

When I got the news a few days back, I was only concerned about the image of my mother’s State, but questioning the State Government over the redeployment of its worker was entirely out of it. The Government has every right to redeploy any of its employees at any time it wishes. So questioning the Government, thereby requiring explanations prior to the redeployment of Dr Uwah as the State Chief Epidemiologist was totally sickening and uncalled for. It was unethical of the professionals involved.

Before Dr Uwah’s removal as the State Chief Epidemiologist, there was a file which contains the list of approved suspected Covid-19 cases by the Incident Management Team. During the period of sending samples to where the testing is done, Dr Uwah omitted this list, sending a strange list which was not the approved list by the State Incident Management Team.

Often times, it was noted that some patient’s forms were not actually filled properly with complete identification. For example, some forms bore only one name of the patient, leading to errors in results fielding and making reporting. Dr Uwah bluntly refused to follow the stipulated NCDC guidelines for the selection and collection of samples for testing despite the repeated correction. We could imagine when such error is spotted by NCDC, such a sample may risk not being tested and once this happens, it becomes a risk to everyone in the State.

Dr Uwah is also believed to have flouted the Incident Management Committee guideline for the time of sample collection to ensure specimens are forwarded, fresh, to the distant laboratories. Rather he collected and held patients specimens for over 12 hours before the start of an 8 to 12-hour journey to the laboratory, thus jeopardizing the efficacy of the samples.

With all of these pointed misdemeanours of Dr Aniekeme Uwah, every right-thinking Government who holds the interest of its people above every other thing would do exactly what the Akwa Ibom State Government did. I know some people would have dismissed him from service. This is not because they hate him, but because at a time like this, the health, security and wellbeing of citizens supersede political interest.

I’ve also heard that the rationality behind his redeployment is because he had occasionally disallowed the Akwa Ibom State Government from altering tested Covid-19 results. This particular reason is laughable and only one with retarded mental health could believe it.

The National Center For Disease Control, NCDC, World Health Organization, WHO as well as Senior Staff of the Federal Ministry of Health before now had toured round the country to brief the respective State Governments on how to effectively manage the Covid-19 situation and how to go about the testing of suspected cases.

One of such was that each State after collecting samples of suspected cases must send the samples to the assigned testing laboratories where the test would be conducted. Once the test is conducted and the patient’s status confirmed, the NCDC will send a copy of the test result to the Government of the State involved while a copy goes to Abuja. After this has been done, the NCDC publishes this result on their website and Twitter handle for public consumption.

This is to say that it is strictly the prerogative of NCDC to conduct COVID-19 test and also to announce result of cases. With this, there’s no human being nor power that can alter any result from this body. Even if the result on reaching the State is altered, would they also be able to alter that which the NCDC has pencilled down?
This is no time for politics. This is a time that everyone must join his/her hands with the Government to proffer solutions to this global pandemic.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/04/covid-19-testing-and-the-controversies-in-akwa-ibom/

Press Release

Late last night, we came across an audio clip circulating on the social media, extracted from a telephone conversation between two persons who made very disparaging remarks about the Akwa Ibom State Governor, His Excellency, Governor Udom Emmanuel, the Commissioner for Health, Dr, Dominic Ukpong and ongoing efforts to contain the spread and impact of COVID-19 in the state.

In the audio clip, the name of XL106.9FM was mentioned at least twice.

We have since identified the persons in the conversation as Kufre Carter, a sports reporter with our station currently on indefinite leave (as part of our COVID-19 containment measures) and someone whom he identified as Dr. Kenneth Okono Inyang.

XL106.9FM disassociates itself completely from this conversation. Their comments and opinions do not represent the views of the Station. We want to state categorically that this conversation was neither initiated at the instance of the Station nor intended to be used by it in any manner. You may want to take notice that no part of this conversation has featured in any of our programmes. The contents and tone of the conversation go against our policy and editorial philosophy. We are apolitical. We are completely non-partisan. Our journalism abhors partisan bickering, takes no sides in any issue and does not permit us to sit in judgment. Our best practice remains the presentation of all sides of an issue; any issue.

As we have always said, XL106.9FM has an Akwa Ibom First Mentality. We have maintained cordial and professional relationship with the Akwa Ibom State Government. As a broadcast medium, we do our job to the letter and spirit of both the Constitution and our responsibility to our State and its Government. Since the onset of COVID-19, we have offered our station freely as a tool of public enlightenment. We were the first broadcast station in the State to implement the State Government’s guidelines on people processing, social hygiene and distancing.

Insults, abuses, disrespect to constituted authority, name-calling and the sorts do not feature in our brand of journalism and radio practice. While Kufre Carter is free to hold his opinions and canvass them freely, his employment with XLFM should have constrained his public and private expressions to align with the values we represent. We will not tolerate such partisan and unprofessional conduct in our Station. He will undergo immediate disciplinary processing.

We present our profound apologies to His Excellency, Governor Udom Emmanuel and the State Government, the Hon. Commissioner for Health, Dr. Dominic Ukpong and the revered Men of God that were also disparaged in the conversation.

Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria and indeed the whole world is facing an existential threat. We must rise to this challenge as a united, disciplined army. We must eschew divisiveness and distractions such as the one presented by this audio clip and line up behind the State Government in its fight to contain COVID-19 and restore normalcy to our dear State. XL106.9FM will continue to support the Administration’s ongoing efforts to contain the spread and limit its impact.

God bless Akwa Ibom State.

MANAGEMENT

General Hospitals Ikot Abasi, Ikot Okoro, disinfected

By Emma Akpabio

Residents of Ewet Housing Estate in Uyo-Akwa Ibom State capital, were the latest beneficiaries of the ongoing environmental decontamination exercise embarked upon by the Akwa Ibom State Government against the further spread of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Led by the Chairman, Obong Prince Ikim, the Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency (AKSEPWMA), took the disinfection exercise on Wednesday April 22, 2020 to General Hospitals Ikot Okoro and Ikot Abasi respectively, before landing in Ewet Housing Estate Uyo, to focus on some streets and residential apartments in the area.

Speaking during the exercise, Dr Idongesit Ndaeyo Itaketo who is the Vice Chairman - Infection prevention and control (IPC), a sub Committee of the Akwa Ibom State COVID- 19 incident management committee, described the exercise as a step in the right direction.

The Traumatology Surgeon and Orthopedic Consultant who disclosed that the liquid used for the decontamination exercise contains a minimum of 0.5 percent hydro chloride capable of killing the virus, added that the exercise was one of the measures recommended by the COVID-19 incident Management Committee of the State Government to prevent further spread of the disease.

On his part, the AKSEPWMA Boss - Prince Ikim, who reiterated that the public places and private residents visited during the first phase of the exercise were on recommendation by the incident committee, reassured all Akwa Ibom residents of Governor Udom Emmanuel's commitment to stop the spread of COVID-19.

In entirety, local governments areas visited in the first phase of the exercise include Eket, Uyo, Itu, Essien Udim, Oron, Ikot Ekpene, Ikot Abasi and Oruk Anam. However, the award-winning waste Management boss stated that the second phase of the exercise will commence on Monday, April 27, 2020.

Speaker after speaker, some Environmental Consultants and medical Practitioners who reacted to the exercise, commended Governor Emmanuel's effort in fighting COVID-19, imploring residents and citizens of the State not to see the Government's restriction order as a punishment, but an important sacrifice that must be made to stop the spread of the virus.

We know him. He was the administrative Vice President of the Federal Republic

By UduakAbasi Ikpat, Joseph Atainyang & Ofonime Honesty

A drive into the present day Methodist General Hospital, Ituk Mbang in Uruan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State will open people's minds into a vista of hope for the survival of Akwa Ibom people, beyond this period of the scourge of COVID-19.

While residents of Akwa Ibom State may be feeling the demoralizing pains of hunger as an accomplice of the nearly 21-day lockdown currently being observed, government appears to be working round the clock to put an end to possible explosion of the disease.

Of course, the agreement being reached by the Nigeria Governor's Forum implies an extension of the state's lockdown throughout April and the first seven days of May.

The simplest way of containing the spread of the virus remains the stay at home order, maintenance of social distancing, use of protective kits like hand gloves and nose mask, even as frequent use of hand sanitizers or washing of hands with soap on running water are also being advised, especially when people get in contact with public utilities.

But to get the state properly equipped with the facility to handle possible community spread of the dreaded virus, the state government led by Governor Udom Emmanuel set out to construct a 300 bed capacity Isolation Centre at the Methodist General Hospital, Ituk Mbang. The decision was reached on Monday, April 6, 2020, after a record of five COVID-19 index case in the state.

A temporary Isolation Centre, with few bed spaces had initially been sited at the Infectious Disease Hospital in Ikot Ekpene. There is also a make-shift isolation at the Ibom Specialist Hospital in the outskirts of Uyo metropolis. But these, government presumed, would not be enough to take care of multiple case of community infections.

This prompted the authorities to commit the new Isolation Centre into the ministry of works to be delivered in 30 days. The Works Commissioner, Ephraim Inyang-Eyen, seems very confident that the project would be delivered according to specifications.

The 300 bed space Isolation Centre is planted on a 240 square metre area. With just a frontal entrance and a deeper exit at the left hand corner of the building, the Isolation Centre is being designed with a laboratory for full testing capacity.

Just a sight from the gate, technically detached from the main entrance of the Hospital, one sees a well mapped situation as three giant structures would greet the eyes. At the central position, is the actual Isolation Centre, which is flanked by the Laboratory, the residence of the Medical Director and the Secretary, as well as the Canteen on the right; and a storey building billed to serve as Doctors' Quarters for about 20 doctors on the left.

Conducting these reporters round the building, the Works Commissioner, Mr Ephraim Inyang-Eyen noted that the facility is being painstakingly designed to meet architectural and health demands.
He explained that there were doctors' dressing room, doctors' consulting room, a reception space and a shower, all by the entrance of the main building. He pointed out that the closed circuit television and intercom services would make it possible for nurses and doctors to freely communicate without physical contacts.

The large hall, he said would be partitioned into four sections with women and men's wards separately dissected.
Accordingly, there is an intersect of wide spaces between the main structure and the Laboratory/canteen and doctors' quarters at both wings. Inyang-Eyen says these areas of land are meant to allow ventilation and free movement of vehicles, especially the conveyance of critically ill patients directly to the Laboratory for testing. There are also two large spaces which he said are carefully left behind for possible expansion.

His words, "Each of the doctors' quarters is made up of a sitting room, a kitchen, a store, a bedroom and a toilet facility. We are careful to ensure that medical experts will live here so there will be no room for excuses.

"We are keeping a 150KVA sound proof generator, where smoke would be taken up to the sky. Apart from this for alternative, we are linking the facility to the national grid for effective power supply.

"As you can see, the roofing woods are all here. The rods for further works are still here. We have secured 50 trips of sharp sands for plastering which is happening instant.

"Zenith Bank has offered us some medica facilities. The state government has equally acquired some. All these will be fixed just two days after this project is completed.

"The National Centre for Disease Control, NCDC will come here for inspection. We expect them to certify the centre afterwards before sending their workers here so our laboratory would become a certified testing centre for the virus.

"We have the mandate of the Governor to work here day and night. We are not giving room for excuses. We've been able to link up with major companies to take delivery of building materials for this job to be completed", he said.

The works commissioner who gave the assurance that the project will be inaugurated by Governor Emmanuel exactly 30 days after its commencement, prevailed on citizens and residents of the state to remain at home and obey the Quarantine Order currently being implemented, so that the fight against the virus could be meaningful.

He divulged that the project is designed to solve today and future healthcare needs of Akwa Ibom State, that after COVID-19, the facility would be used for other healthcare concerns.

He further stated that just as China may have used 10 days with all its mechanised technologies to build a hospital for the purpose of containing the virus, Governor Emmanuel was poised to achieving the project in urgent response to the severity of the virus.

An indigene of Ituk Mbang, Mr Uwem Okon, who was at the site during our visit, said the community people were delighted that the project was cited in their domain.

Himself a former Chief Protocol Officer to a former Chairman of the Council, Okon stated that majority of workers were from the community and there was no fear of any kind that the centre was going to affect the people of the area.

"We know the virus will certainly end someday, and this facility will be converted to other wards to accommodate more patients in the hospital", he added.

Another Ituk Mbang indigene, Mr. Anthony Edem, told newsmen that the project is a welcome development and that they will support such initiatives for the good of the state.

"The Isolation Centre is likely to be ready in the coming days. This shows that the Udom Emmanuel administration is really interested in safeguarding the lives and properties of the people. Ituk Mbang people are happy, and we will continue supporting initiatives like this", Edem, a civil servant, noted.

He further commended the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Works, Mr. Ephraim Inyang-eyen, for devoting time to ensure that the project is delivered in record time.

"The Works Commissioner has really demonstrated his concern for the safety of Akwa Ibom people. The commitment exhibited by him will lead to the timely delivery of the project", he concluded.

Of course, as cases of COVID-19 astronomically rise globally, including Nigeria, citizens and residents of Akwa Ibom State are advised not to only see the lockdown as a punishment, but encourage government to completely restrict inter-state travels, while remaining disciplind to observe the precautionary measures of prevention.

Akwa Ibom people should remain hopeful that government is trying hard to give them hope of survival, through the construction of an exquisite ultramodern Isolation Centre.

According to Forbes, the outbreak of COVID-19 has caused many schools - companies to consider suggesting - even requiring - that more students - employees work - study from home.

This has brought about an unprecedented change in study and work behavior across board. Students from the federal tertiary institution in Akwa Ibom State took advantage of the break to try their hands on new learning methods, preparing them for adaptability into the new work models.

Under the siege of the global pandemic which has crippled both academic and economic activities, the University of Uyo community erupted with entrepreneurial adroitness.

Studying or working from home can be a lonely enterprise in this era of social distancing, but it doesn’t have to be. For those who are not used to working at home or who don’t have an organized work station, distractions can disrupt your productivity. After all, you’re in your personal space, not your usual professional environment, but in this case, measures are put in place to check performance, productivity and output, hereby guaranteeing returns on investment.

In Akwa Ibom today, even secondary schools have adopted the learn from home concept with the 'School On Radio' initiative launched by the Governor Udom Emmanuel administration, adapting to global trends in education using digital technology as well as traditional approaches.

The National Association of Akwa Ibom State Students (NAAKISS) under the watch of Comr. Obohoso partnered the Special Assistant to the Governor on Entrepreneurial Development, Mrs Meflyn Anwana and a United Kingdom based Academy to engage over 500 Student entrepreneurs during the COVID-19 lockdown, while productively crossbreeding students across various institutions and sharing innovative ideas in entrepreneurship essentials, business training and equipping them with the basic skills required to launch and run their businesses at the early stage of their growth.

The SEM model is designed to bring together the best tools and frameworks to teach and imbibe entrepreneurship skills. The multiplier effects of this, which would materialise in a couple of years, can never be over emphasized, as a new breed of entrepreneurs will be hatched to contribute largely to the expected boom in the Akwa Ibom economy