2023: Politicians have abandoned COVID-19 Vaccines to chase delegates- Ekong Sampson
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Says Listen carefully to the prayer point before you chorus ‘Amen!’ – Ekong Sampson
…Reiterates calls for value driven politics, youths-traditional rulers collaboration for security
By Samuel Udoma
Amidst increasing drumbeats about the 2023 power games, a frontline politician and immediate past Honourable Commissioner for Environment and Petroleum Resources, Akwa Ibom State, Rt Hon. (Barr) Ekong Sampson has called for proper reading of the political environment to avoid costly mistakes.
Dr. Sampson stated this on Easter Sunday during the quarterly dinner of the influential group, Mkpat Enin Congress of Village Youth Presidents (MELCOVY-P) held in Ikot Ekong, Mkpat Enin Local Government Area.
Addressing the strong crowd of the major village youth leaders in the area, Dr Sampson called for restrain against what he described as ‘full throttle’ preparations for the elections which are well over two years away.
He rather urged that politicians and their followers should support Governor Udom Emmanuel to actualize the well intended Completion Agenda.
Dr Sampson, a notable lawyer and poet, then took out to time to advise about the 2023 elections stating philosophically: ‘Listen carefully to the prayer point before you chorus, Amen!’, drawing parallels to the fact that the electorates must be well aware of any carrot dangled before them by politicians who might only be interested in elections.
The former Mkpat Enin Lawmaker called on politicians to rather channel their energies towards further sensitization on the Covid crisis which is still posing a serious global threat, adding:
‘Maybe because Pele and Ronaldinho are safe, we do not seem to appreciate the enormity of the Covid-19 crisis in Brazil today’.
To further boost public health at the well attended dinner, Dr Ekong Sampson donated Covid-19 items to the youth leaders urging them to take the Covid awareness message to their respective localities.
It would be recalled that last year, Dr Sampson, through his pet project, the Ekong Sampson Empowerment Programme(ESEP), had donated Covid-19 materials and intervention measures worth over five million naira to Mkpat Enin people. Part of these interventions was the provision of a brand new water facility at Ikot Akpa Ekop and the rehabilitation of a water facility in Ukam market, which is the busiest market in the Local Government, to promote hand washing and personal hygiene. He also championed numerous Covid awareness outreaches in the entire council area.
The former Mkpat Enin Council Helmsman also took out time to charge the village youth presidents not to usurp the responsibilities of their village heads but to work closely with the traditional institution to promote security and development, calling for unity within the group. He equally paid tributes to the key roles that the MELCOVY-P regularly plays in ensuring that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) continuously sweeps every election in the area over the years, adding that they remain the ‘energy base’ of the local government.
Dr. Sampson, who has been a major supporter and backer of the MELCOVY-P as well as other youth groups in Mkpat Enin, at the dinner, announced a donation of one million naira in addition to the initial one million he earlier donated to the group.
Earlier in his remarks, the founder of the group, Barr. Imo Ekpo was full of praise for Dr Sampson’s steadfast support to the development of youths in the local government, saying that since the formation of MELCOVY-P, he has never turned his back on them.
The group’s supremo further highlighted that MELCOVY-P was a conglomeration of the Mkpat Enin Unity Project over the years and again hailed Dr Sampson for always aligning with the group and indeed other youth groups in the area.
Also remarking, the Village Head of Ikot Ekong, His Highness, Eteidung Udia commended the youths for being united in purpose, urging that they should always work in tandem with their village heads to heighten peace and security in their communities. The royal father also poured encomiums on Barr. Ekong Sampson for his non-clanish superior impacts he has left all around Mkpat Enin, believing that he was of the right ilk to be saddled with greater responsibilities.
The host of the dinner and current PDP Ikpa Ibom Ward IV Chairman, Comrade Unwana Etukudo expressed delight at the huge turn out at the event and added that the youths of Mkpat Enin will continue to work in unity of purpose. Others who equally offered goodwill messages and words of thanks to the Governor of the feast included a former president of MELCOVY-P, Comrade Ubong Ekot, PDP Ikpa Ibom Ward III Chairman, Mr Emmanuel Udoma, Comrade Okon Ekim, Comrade Pastor Emaeyak, Comrade Inemesit Robert, among others.
