Arise and build Ika, Ukekpe charges youths, Stakeholders
The Rector Federal Polytechnic, Ukana Dr. Uduak Sunday Ukekpe has charged youths and stakeholders of Ika LGA to arise and build Ika for the betterment of it’s indigenes and the Country at large.
The Polytechnic boss gave this charged, during the Ika Builders Forum (IBF) Convention 2022 with the theme: Arise and Build 2 held on Thursday 22nd December, 2022 at the Unity Hall , Urua Inyang , Ika LGA.
Dr Ukekpe while delivering a colloquium at the event on the topic Concept of Rural Development relating to Ika LGA said , there is hope for Ika to be transformed to a developed land or city but with the consent of the Ika people who through their willingness and effort can make it work.
“Ika is a rural area because there is absence of electricity, no financial institutions and people are subjected to poor standard of living but all these are subject to change” he said.
He further explained that the concept of rural development is the course to improve the living standard of the people by reducing poverty, providing infrastructure, medical facilities and electricity.
In his lecture, he identified that one way to improve Ika is to encourage commitment of citizens to develop the area. ” lack of commitment of indigenes of Ika has posed as a huge bottleneck to the development of Ika.For instance in all the communities schools in Ika , their teachers are Ika indigenes but when you visits those schools, you find out that teachers are hardly in the classrooms to teach which makes students result to malpractice during examinations to pass which is very bad. So if we can be committed to Ika, we can develop Ika” he said .
Dr. Ukekpe also advised that for Ika to become developed, the leaders must be elected by the people and not hand picked by few citizens. He also stressed that administration of the Local Government from outside the domain other than within should be discouraged.
Dr Ukekpe finally submitted that Ika can be great again if it’s representatives can attract development project by lobbying the government, secure the locality from vandalization, strengthen community participation and protect her natural resources like forest, water land etc.
Earlier, the Director General of Ika Builders Forum (IBF) Pastor Emmanuel Udowoima in this address welcomed all guests to the occasion and used the opportunity to appeal to the Ika leaders to lead well, represent the Ika people well wherever they find themselves.
“” Ika appears to be the least developed of all the Local Government in Akwa Ibom yet it has all the big names you can think of in several areas of life. It is not late to start to contribute for the development of Ika” he added.
The high point of the event was the award of honour and recognition presented to Dr. Uduak S. Ukekpe in recognition to his development of Ika and commissioning of the Ika Builders Forum ICT Centre by the Commissioner of Science and Technology Akwa Ibom State Hon. Imo Moffat .
In a vote of thanks, the BOT chairman of Ika Builders Forum, Pastor Ini Nwoko appreciated everyone who came out to grace the occasion especially those who contributed their time, ideas and resources to make the event a success, praying God to bless everyone abundantly.
