NAN-H-63
Role
Eket (Akwa Ibom) Nov. 25, 2016 (NAN) The paramount ruler of Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom, Edidem Etim Abia, has called on the Federal Government to give the traditional rulers constitutional role in the country.
Abia made the call at his coronation as the Paramount Ruler of Eket Local Government Area in Eket on Friday.
He said the maintenance of law and order in the communities cannot be effective without active participation of the traditional rulers.
He said the royal fathers should be assigned roles based on constitutional provisions.
“Security cannot be maintained without the active cooperation and participation of the traditional rulers”, Abia reiterated.
He also appealed to the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly to make law authorising the local government councils to fund the traditional institutions with some percentage of their revenue.
The monarch thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for appointing some Akwa Ibom
sons into his government at the federal level.
Gov. Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom described Abia as a man of integrity, character and great intellect.
“We need somebody who will lead us and understand the needs of the people for tomorrow, and the paramount ruler is one of them.
“We need people with analytical mind, professionals that can deliver, discipline people, people of high level of integrity and character”, Emmanuel said.
The governor said he shared the same professional calling of accountancy with Abia adding that accountants were people of high integrity.
““I am really very excited about the choice of the monarch in Eket and I am very sure once we join hands together so many things will be done”, he said.
The governor announced that he would inaugurate Eket-Ibeno road in March 2017 for easy access to the industrial area of ExxonMobil Corporation in the state.
Mr Frank Archibong, the transitional Chairman of Eket local government area, described Abia as a respected monarch.
Archibong said the monarch was well educated and had cognate working experience in government and the industrial world.
“Eket is lucky to have as our king this eminently distinguished and positively unique personality, who is well-groomed, well-trained, learned, highly cerebral and adequately equipped”, Archibong said.
The governor presented Abia with a jeep.
Abia was Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, South Eastern State in 1970 under the military administration of Late Brig.-Gen. Jacob Esuene.
He retired in 1974 and ventured into manufacturing and construction where he also became Chairman of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria in Akwa Ibom. (NAN)
IE/BB/IEA
========
Edited by Bassey Bassey/Idahosa Asowata