By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
The Akwa Ibom State Government has said that 20 indigenes of the state have been sponsored for pilot studies while 54 are undergoing training in aviation security.
It has also said that plans are underway for the recruitment of operations and rescue personnel as well as fighting personnel for the airline.
The efforts were made to ensure the sustainability of Ibom Air operations and service delivery as well as maintain its position among leading airlines in the West African region.
The State Commissioner for Special Duties and Ibom Deep Seaport, Mr Bassey Okon disclosed this on Friday in Uyo, during inter-ministerial briefing tagged, “Tracking the Promise” .
Okon, who said the recruitment exercise which would be done within the next two months, urged Akwa Ibom people to available themselves of opportunity and applied once the vacancies are opened.
“Within the airport, we have 54 Akwa Ibomites who are on training for aviation security and 20 for pilot studies. Between now and next month, there’s going to be a recruitment for operation and rescue personnel as well as fire fighting personnel for Ibom Airline.
“The development is made towards ensuring the sustainability of Ibom Airline and to maintain its position as the leading airlines in the region when the expatriates would signed out their contracts, besides boosting the current manpower.” He stated.
On construction of the Maintenance, Repairs and Overhaul (MRO) components of Ibom Airline, the Commissioner said work has reached 95 per cent and would alongside the international wing of the airport be commissioned before May 29, this year.
On his part, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Augustine Umoh said that government has disbursed about One Hundred and Thirty Two Million Naira (N132 Million) to 231 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) across the state.
He said the gesture is part of the activities of the PHC development agency in implementation of the National health Act of 2014 that establishes the basic health provision fund which provides funding to critical health sectors across the country.
According to Prof Umoh, “We have provided funding to 231 PHCs in the State. At the last disbursement, about N132Million was given to them so if you pass around and see some PHCs bear new look, just know where it is coming from.”
The Commissioner further disclosed that since there was acute shortage of health personnel in the PHCs especially the midwives, the state government had approved the recruitment of retired midwives who have wealth of experience and are willing to render their services noting that the midwives would be paid stipend at the end of the month
Prof Umoh also said the Governor Udom Emmanuel having known the importance of the state health insurance scheme had signed the bill passed by the House of Assembly into law and executive Secretary appointed thereafter.
His words, “Staffing in PHC will come up especially the midwives. We have gotten approval to bring in some retired midwives who are willing to render such services and we will pay them stipends. More health personnel would be employed to ensure efficient health care delivery in the state.
“His Excellency, the Governor has done so much in the health sector such as renovation of hospitals and construction of new ones, remodelling of General Hospitals in Ikot Abasi, Eket, Anua as well as the procurement of medical equipments.”
Setting the tone for the parley, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Comrade Ini Ememobong had said that the briefing was done to open up flanks for public engagements and clarification on issues, as well as clear and refute negative notions on some activities and projects of the state government by respective ministries and agencies.
According to Ememobong, it was worrisome that, after seven and half years of governance with numerous record of achievements in all sectors, some sordid and disparaging news items still cropped up, which negate the true position of the Governor Udom Emmanuel-led administration.
“It became necessary to sensitize the public on the true position of government’s projects, programmes and activities, inorder to put paid to some nagging and negative stories being peddled against government by some cynics and unscrupulous members of the public.
“We have therefore brought every section of the Society together here to find out the reason the stories and reports sent out do not correspond with we have on ground in the State”, Ememobong stressed.
He therefore urged the participants drawn from Labour organizations, Professional bodies, Traditional institutions, Religious bodies, Women and Youth groups to openly ask questions for clarification on any sector during the two days confab.
