Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has sworn in four new Commissioners and five Permanent Secretaries in a move seen by observers as part of efforts to strengthen governance in the civil service and ensure prompt delivery of programmes under his ‘completion agenda.’
The commissioners are Uko Udom, a lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), John James Etim, one-time president of Akwa Ibom State Association in the US (AKISAN), Idongesit Etiebet, former senior special assistant to the governor on education monitoring and Umo Eno, a hotelier and businessman.
The permanent secretaries are Ini James Ikie, Ini Jackson Etukudo, Esther Aniekan Inyang, Grace Paulinus Jim and Abasiekeme Victor Essien.
Speaking, the governor urged them to create ideas and work as a team to ensure “success in a critical time” adding that there should be a paradigm shift in the governance of the state to fast-track development.
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“It is a critical time, , we need ideas and a paradigm shift that would ensure success, we must prepare our people to forge ahead at this tough time,’’ he said.
The governor who acknowledged that he has been criticized by indigenes of the state in Diaspora said he had to appoint one of them as a commissioner urged the appointees to serve the people diligently without any fear of criticism..
Meanwhile, the governor has effected minor changes in the state executive council with the sacking of two commissioners following the assignment of portfolios to the newly appointed commissioners.
They are Nkereuwem Nwoko, former commissioner for justice and attorney general and Imeh Ekpo, former commissioner for lands and water resources who have all been dropped.
According to a statement by Emmanuel Ekuwem, secretary to the state government, a new ministry of power and petroleum development has been created with John Etim as the new commissioner
In the same vein, the erstwhile commissioner for education, Enobong Mbobo has been reassigned to the ministry of rural development and cooperatives while former senior special assistant to the governor on education monitoring, Idongesit Etiebet, is the new commissioner for education.
Also, Umo Eno has been assigned the ministry of lands and water resources, taking over from the former commissioner, Imeh Ekpo who has been dropped. Uko Udom took over as the new commissioner for justice and attorney general taking over from Nwoko.co
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