AKHA Considers 5 Bills To Create Jobs, Boost Transparency, Improve On Citizens’ Livelihood

By Uduak Akai 
UYO 
In its avowed commitment to improving the lives of Akwa Ibom citizens, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly (AKHA) has ushered in five tangible bills aimed at creating jobs, strengthening healthcare delivery, promoting fiscal accountability and modernising the State’s broadcasting architecture.
At a joint Public Hearing held on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at Luton Park Hotel, Uyo, stakeholders considered five Executive Bills seeking to establish a Fiscal Responsibility Board, the Dakkada Skills Acquisition Centre (DASAC), the Ibom Broadcasting Corporation, Zonal Hospital Management Boards and an Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance Systems Agency.
Declaring the hearing open, the speaker, Elder Udeme Otong, described the proposed legislations as strategic interventions designed to improve governance, enhance service delivery and accelerate economic growth across the State, noting that the measures would strengthen public institutions while ensuring that government resources are managed responsibly for the benefit of present and future generations.
  Otong said the proposed Fiscal Responsibility Board would promote prudent financial management, transparency and accountability, while ensuring responsible borrowing and long-term fiscal sustainability, noting that the board would strengthen public confidence in government finances, improve revenue management and reduce wastage.
On human capital development, Otong said the Bill establishing the Dakkada Skills Acquisition Centre would institutionalise vocational training and equip young people, women, artisans and entrepreneurs with practical and marketable skills required for self-employment, wealth creation and meaningful participation in the modern economy.
He explained further that the proposed Ibom Broadcasting Corporation would serve as a modern and innovative public broadcasting institution, enhancing government-citizen communication, promoting transparency and civic engagement, preserving the state’s cultural heritage and strengthening media infrastructure in the digital age.
  The speaker added that the proposed decentralisation of the Hospital Management Board into three zonal boards, one for each senatorial district, would bring healthcare administration closer to the people, improve decision-making processes, reduce bureaucratic delays and ensure more efficient supervision of hospitals and healthcare facilities across the State.
Otong, who was represented by the member representing Ikono State Constituency, Mr Asuquo Nana, also disclosed that the proposed Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance Systems Agency would coordinate emergency response services and ambulance operations, providing prompt medical assistance during accidents, disasters and other life-threatening situations.
According to him, the agency would improve emergency preparedness, reduce avoidable deaths and strengthen the overall healthcare delivery system in the state.
The chairman, House Committee on Education and member for Oron/Udung Uko State Constituency, Mrs Kenim Onofiok, described the proposed Dakkada Skills Acquisition Centre as a strategic investment in human capital development and workforce preparedness, saying it would lay the foundation for a skills-driven economy capable of promoting productivity, entrepreneurship, employment generation and sustainable development.
Also speaking, the chairman, House Committee on Information and member representing Ikot Ekpene/Obot Akara State Constituency, Mr Jerry Otu, said the proposed Ibom Broadcasting Corporation would provide a legal framework for a modern broadcasting institution that would drive public enlightenment, cultural preservation and socio-economic development.
In his remark, the commissioner for information, Dr Aniekan Umanah, said the transformation of AKBC into the Ibom Broadcasting Corporation would reposition the State-owned media outfit into a professional and commercially viable institution with greater capacity for innovation and global competitiveness.
Umanah noted that the new corporation would create opportunities for media professionals, content creators and other players in the creative economy while promoting tourism, investment opportunities and Akwa Ibom’s rich cultural heritage.
The chairman, House Committee on Health and member for Ibiono Ibom State Constituency, Mr Moses Essien, said the proposed decentralisation of hospital management would enhance efficiency and create more opportunities for citizens to participate in governance, while the Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance Systems Agency Bill would provide the legal framework needed to strengthen emergency healthcare delivery in line with Governor Umo Eno’s ARISE Agenda.
In the same vein, the chairman, House Committee on Budget and Economic Planning and member for Eket State Constituency, Dr Nsidibe Akata, said the proposed amendments to the Fiscal Responsibility Law were intended to align the state’s fiscal framework with contemporary governance realities and international best practices.
The public hearing attracted some members of the State Executive Council, media practitioners, civil society organisations and other stakeholders.