Date Published: 11/01/11

Governor Akpabio receives National Honour for Uncommon Dev

For setting the pace in uncommon transformation and people oriented leadership, Governor Godswill Akpabio of   Akwa Ibom   State will on November 14, 2011 be conferred with a national honour by President Goodluck Jonathan.

The event billed for the International conference Center, Abuja will witness the conferment of the award of Commander of the order of Niger(CON) on Chief Akpabio.

According to the Secretary, National Honours Merit Award Committee, Mr Adeyemi Tunde, President Jonathan would bestow the award on the Akwa Ibom State Governor and other recipients, for having distinguished themselves in various areas of human endeavours.

Reacting, the Commissioner for Information and Communications in Akwa Ibom State, Mr Aniekan Umanah said the award on Governor Akpabio was well deserved and a confirmation of the uncommon transformation which the Governor has brought to the state.

“This is an honour well deserved because Governor Godswill Akpabio has distinguished himself in the transformation drive which has positioned Akwa Ibom as a model state in   Nigeria.

“The people of Akwa Ibom State are grateful to the President for this honour done Governor Akpabio. It shows that the giant strides recorded by Governor Akpabio in infrastructural and human capital development is being recognized and appreciated by Nigerians,” Umanah said.

He used the opportunity to invite all Akwa Ibom people both at home and in the diaspora, notably the United States, United Kingdom, South Africa, and the Akwa Ibom Diaspora Network as well as the Akwa Ibom State Association of Nigeria(AKISAN) to join in the celebration.

The national honours for Governor Akpabio comes few weeks after he was similarly honoured by Nigeria’s elite military institution, the Nigerian Defence Academy,   Kaduna   with an award of a honourary degree of Doctor of Management Science  during the 22 nd   convocation ceremony of the institution.

Before then, the Akwa Ibom State Governor had received a Congressional Certificate of Recognition of the United States Congress which was presented by US Congresswoman, Sheila Jackson Lee.

He had also bagged the highest national honour of the   republic of Niger, The Gold Humanitarian Services Award which was presented by Niger’s Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency, Alhaji Moussa Ibrahim.

Also from foreign lands, Exam Ethics International,   Ghana   had honoured Governor Akpabio for his strides in declaring free and compulsory education in Akwa Ibom State with the award of Exam Ethic Marshal, while Ben TV,   London   in 2009 named Governor Akpabio as the Best Governor in Infrastructure Development.

It is also instructive that at a time the whole world was under trepidation about the secret information leaked about government malfeasances all over the world by the whistle blowing online network Wikileaks, what was ‘leaked’ about the Akwa Ibom State government under Governor Akpabio was that there was infrastructural revolution going on in the state.

The Akwa Ibom State Governor has been variously celebrated by academic institutions across the country for the giant strides he has recorded in the state. Nigeria’s premier university, University of Nigeria,   Nsukka   had bestowed on Governor Akpabio the award of the Doctor of Law, just as the University of Calabar and the University of Uyo had in like manner also awarded him the Doctor of Law, Honoris Causa.

He had also bagged honourary doctorate degree in Public Administration from Nnamdi Azikiwe University,   Awka, and   Madonna University, Okija,   AnambraState. Governor Akpabio is also a fellow of Federal Polytechnic   Kazaure   and College of Education, Bichi.

Similarly, the media has honoured Governor Akpabio with several awards. In 2009, Thisday named him an “Emerging Tiger” while he was named “Man of the Year” by Daily Independent in 2010 and “Governor of the Year” by The Tribune newspaper. He was named National Daily “Man of the Year” in 2009 and 2010. He had also been honoured by the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) with Award of Excellence for Outstanding performance 2010.

Just recently, Security Watch   Africa   in far away   Banjul, the Gambia   in an event witnessed by the Gambian Vice President, Mrs Istook Ngie – Saidy also honoured the performing Governor for his contributions to security and safety in Akwa Ibom State and the sub region. The Governor was particularly praised for the matured and effective approach he had adopted in managing the March 22, 2011 pre-election violence that had threatened the peace in the State.

The numerous awards bestowed on Chief Akpabio by these organizations seem to confirm the assertion by President Goodluck Jonathan when he had visited the state and declared that the growth of Akwa Ibom in this couple of years passed has been quite significant. According to the President, “the nature of the projects are the ones that will not change the face of the State capital alone but will also change the face of this State.”

Mr Umanah said it was good the President had visited the state to see things for himself which may have informed the national award for Governor Akpabio and called on the ‘doubting Thomases’ to visit the state and see the revolution which is taking place there.

“It is gratifying that critics who had engaged in pernicious propaganda and lies to obfuscate the superlative performance of Governor Akpabio have agreed that indeed a lot of developmental projects are going on in Akwa Ibom State ”