Gov Eno Warns Host Communities Against Disrupting Smooth Operations Of Ibom Icon Hotel

By Bassey Nkponam 
UYO
Gov Umo Eno has warned host communities of Ibom Icon Hotel and Golf Resort, against disrupting the smooth operations of the facility.
The Akwa Ibom governor, who stated this, Wednesday, during the April edition of Government House Covenant Service, which took place at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Uyo, urged the host communities of  Nwaniba to steer clear from disrupting the smooth running of the facility, as the community cannot dictate how government runs the facility.
“Before government built the hotel there, it bought the land and the necessary compensation was fully paid to the people. So, no community has any right to direct the government on how it should run its business on its facilities.
“The community cannot dictate how government runs the facility but the project will certainly benefit the community through employment of qualified people from the community”, Eno said, noting that the era of running the hotel without profit was over.
According to him, “government has continued to fund the facility but has not made profit to sustain itself. That has to stop. The hotel has to be self-sustaining as expected”.
The governor, once again, encouraged women throughout the State to participate in the upcoming ward cooperative initiative designed by his administration to enhance their economic well-being and expand empowerment opportunities.
Eno said the initiative was non-partisan and will be ward based with the aim of empowering women and boosting the economy of rural areas.
He cautioned that if, during the registration process, any official asked the women to present a party membership card, the individual should be reported promptly for appropriate action, and urged all women to go to their wards for the registration as that was where they are known.
“This registration will not be done based on any interest group or political party but based on individual wards.
“This is a programme basically done to help stimulate the economy of our wards in the rural areas.
“It is not a party thing, and if anybody ask you about party before you could be registered, please report the person. As long as you are from that ward, you are qualified to register”, he said.
   Eno used the occasion to announced the proposed Unity Concert scheduled to take place today, Monday, at the International Christian Worship Centre, noting that the concert aims to unite people through music and worship and, therefore, invited Akwa Ibom citizens and residents to come, gather, and have an evening of worshiping God through varieties of music ministration.
Ministering on the theme, “Jesus is Alive”, with text taken from Luke 24:19-23, the chairman of Conference Emeritus, United Evangelical Church, Uyo, Reverend Samuel Ebukiba, charged Christians to rejoice because Jesus is alive, removing shame, disappointment and destruction from everyone’s lives.
Ebukiba admonished believers to rejoice exceedingly, remember God’s words, remind others of Jesus, be reassured of victory through Jesus, renew their relationship with Jesus, and reflect on the reality that Jesus is alive.