Briefing on Mr. President's visit to AKS

TEXT OF PRESS BRIEFING BY THE HON. COMMISSIONER FOR INFORMATION AND SOCIAL RE-ORIENTATION AKWA IBOM STATE, MR. ANIEKAN UMANAH ON THE VISIT OF THE PRESIDENT, COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, HIS EXCELLENCY DR. GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN, GCFR TO AKWA IBOM STATE.

Gentlemen of the Press

It is with a deep sense of responsibility that I address you this morning. According to an age-long adage, “a toad does not run in the day time for nothing”. My calling you out today is therefore not without reason.

As members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm (Journalists), I would not be surprised if you are already aware, from the grapevine though, the subject of our meeting.

Gentlemen, let me on behalf of the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, His Excellency, Chief (Dr) Godswill Akpabio announce to you and through you to all citizens and residents of our state that the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Dr, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR has graciously decided to pay a two-day working visit to our state from Thursday 15th - Friday 16th July 2010.

As a people, we are most gratefully to the Almighty God and to Mr. President for his decision to visit us at this time to see things for himself. For us, the visit of Mr. President is a home coming. He is our son, brother and friend.

During the visit, President Jonathan will commission a number of projects executed by the State Government including: Phase One of the Ibom International Airport and will perform the Ground-Breaking ceremony of the Main Terminal Building of the airport. The President is also billed to commission the newly constructed Ultra Modern Governor's Lodge and Flyovers.

Also to be commissioned are the 29 Km Ekid-Itam – Idoro - Ikot Oku Ikono dual Carriage Way, Nung Udoe Itak-Okoita Road, the 56 km Afaha Obong-Etim Ekpo-Iwukem Road, the 25 Km Abak - Ikot Ekpene dual carriage way, urban roads and formal switch-on of Ibom Independent Power Plant at Ikot Abasi. Other projects to be commissioned by the President include: the new Police Secondary School and Mobile Police Base built by the State Government.

Mr. President will also inspect several on-going projects in the State and will thereafter be treated to a civic reception by the people of the State at the Uyo Township Stadium. A State banquet will also be held in his honour.

In-view of the importance the state government attaches to this visit and the love our people have for Mr. President, we use this opportunity to invite all citizens, stakeholders and friends of the state to the events lined up by the state government to receive this great son of Nigeria. The Press is equally invited and urged to give wide publicity to this epochal visit of our dear President.

Attached here is scheduled of activities during the visit for your guidance.

Thank you and God bless.

Mr. Aniekan Umanah

Commissioner for Information

& Chairman Sub-Planning Committee

PROGRAMME OF MR PRESIDENT’S

VISIT TO AKWA IBOM STATE

THURSDAY 15TH – FRIDAY 16TH JULY, 2010

THURSDAY: 15TH JULY

TIME EVENTS

8. 00 am - Departs Presidential Villa for Nnamdi Azikiwe

International Airport

8. 30 am - Arrives Nnamdi Azikiwe Intl. Airport

8. 40 am - Departs Nnamdi Azikiwe Intl. Airport

- for Ibom International Airport, Uyo

9.40 am - Arrives Ibom International Airport

- Arrival Ceremonies

10.00 am - Commissions Ibom International

Airport, Phase I

- Performs Ground breaking of Main Terminal

- Inspects the MRO facilities

- Commissions the Airport Road

11. 00 am - Departs Ibom International Airport for

Banking District Layout, Udo Udoma Avenue

11. 20 am - Arrives Banking District

- Commissions Banking District Road Network

11. 25 am - Departs Banking District for E- Library, IBB

Way

11. 35 am - Arrives E- Library

- Inspects E- Library

- Commissions Text books for the State’s Free &

Compulsory Education Programme.

11.50 am - Departs E- Library for Atiku Abubakar Avenue

11.55 am - Arrives Atiku Abubakar Avenue

- Commissions Fly- Overs II and III

12. 00 pm - Departs Flyover III for Itam Junction

12. 05 pm - Arrives Itam Junction

- Commissions Waste Management Maintenance

Equipment & Workshop

12. 10 pm - Departs Itam Junction for Drainage Project Site,

Ekid Itam

12.15 pm - Arrives Drainage Project Site

- Inspects the Drainage Project.

12.30 pm - Departs Drainage Project for Ekid Itam Dual

Carriage Way, Phase I

12.40 pm - Arrives Ekid Itam Dual Carriage Way Phase 1

- Commissions the 21 km Ekid Itam – Idoro –

Ekom Iman Dual Carriage Way, Phase I

12. 45 pm - Departs Ekid Itam for Nung Udoe Itak – Okoita

Use Ikot Amama – Ibiaku Ikot Esifa Road

01. 00 pm - Arrives Ibiaku Ikot Esifa

- Commissions Nung Udoe Itak – Okoita – Use

Ikot Amama - Ibiaku Ikot Esifa Road, Section I

1.05 pm - Departs Ibiaku Ikot Esifa for the State Fire

Service Hqrts. Dominic Utuk Avenue

1. 25 pm - Arrives the State Fire Service Headquarters

- Commissions Fire Fighting Equipment

1. 40 pm - Departs Fire Service Headquarters for the State

Council of Chiefs Chambers, Wellington Bassey

Way

1.45 pm - Arrives the State Council of Chiefs’ Chambers

- Courtesy Call on the Chairman, State Council of

Chiefs

2. 10 pm - Departs State Council of Chiefs for the

Governor’s Lodge

2. 15 pm - Arrives Governor’s Lodge

- Commissions the Governor’s Lodge

2. 20 pm - Presentation of Ibom Industrial City Master Plan

2. 35 pm - Lunch Break

3. 20 pm - Departs Governor’s Lodge for the Presidential

Lodge

3. 25 pm - Arrives the Presidential Lodge

- Settling In

4. 25pm - Departs Presidential Lodge for Uyo Sports

Stadium

4. 35 pm - Arrives Uyo Sports Stadium

- CIVIC RECEPTION

5. 35 pm - Departs Uyo Sports Stadium for Presidential

Lodge

5. 45 pm - Arrives Presidential Lodge

- Private Dinner

7. 30 pm - Departs Presidential Lodge for Le Meridien

Ibom Hotels

7. 50 pm - Arrives Le Meridien Ibom Hotels

8. 00 pm - State Banquet

9. 05 pm - Departs Le Meridien Ibom Hotel for Presiden

tial Lodge

9. 25 pm - Arrives Presidential Lodge

FRIDAY, 16TH JULY, 2010

08. 00 am - Private Breakfast

08. 50 am - Departs Presidential Lodge for Govt. House

Ground

08. 55 am - Arrives Govt. House Ground

09. 00 am - Town Hall Meeting

10. 00 am - Departs Govt House Ground for Abak

10. 20 am - Arrives Abak

- Commissions the 25 km Abak – Ikot Ekpene

Dual Carriage Way

10. 25 am - Departs Abak for Afaha Obong Junction

10. 30 am - Arrives Afaha Obong Junction

Commissions the 56 km Afaha Obong – Etim

Ekpo - Iwukem Road

10. 35 am - Departs Afaha Obong Junction for Etim Ekpo

Bridge

10. 45 am - Arrives Etim Ekpo Bridge

- Commissions Etim Ekpo Bridge

10. 50 am - Departs Etim Ekpo for Eka Offiong Market

Junction

11.00 am - Arrives Top Faith Road

- Commissions the 12 kmTop Faith Road

11. 05 am - Departs Top Faith Road for Police Secondary

School, Ukana, Essien Udim LGA

11. 10 am - Arrives Ukana

- Commissions the Police Secondary School

11.20 am - Departs Police Secondary School for Mobile

Police Base, Udim

11. 30 pm - Arrives the Mobile Police Base

- Commissions the Mobile Police Base

12. 00 pm - Departs the Police Base for Ikot Abasi

1. 00 pm - Arrives Ikot Abasi

- Commissions selected urban roads

1. 05 pm - Departs for Ibom Power Plant Site (IPP)

1. 10 pm - Arrives Ibom IPP Site

- Commissions IPP Access Road

1. 20 pm - Inspects IPP Facilities

- Presentation of Gas Pipeline Project

- Formally Switches on Ibom Power Plant

2. 15 pm - LUNCH

3. 00 pm - Departs IPP Site for the Gas Pipeline Site

3. 05 pm - Arrives the Pipeline Site

- Performs Ground breaking of Gas

Pipeline Project

3. 20 pm - Departs Gas Pipeline Site for Cottage

Hospital, Ibeno

4. 00 pm - Arrives Cottage Hospital, Ibeno

- Commissions the Hospital

4. 10 pm - Departs Cottage Hospital Ibeno for Ibom

- International Airport

5. 30 pm - Arrives Ibom International Airport

5. 40 pm - Departs Ibom Ibom Intl. Airport for Abuja