UYO
It was celebration extraordinaire as the Akwa Ibom commissioner for information and strategy took out time to fete the National Productivity of Merit (NPOM) award winner, Mr Edem Okon and other staff of the ministry.
The occasion was the monthly birthday celebration ritual of staff, which Comrade Ememobong introduced to the ministryon assumption of office, as a way of giving the staff a sense of belonging and boosting their morale for enhanced performance and efficient service delivery.
On June 30, all June-born staff of the ministry converged on the NUJ Press Centre, Information Drive, Uyo, for celebration organised by the state information helmsman, who has been consistent with the celebration of staff and indeed peoplewithin and outside the ministry, especially stakeholders of the information subsector of government.
Ememobong said on the occasion that “It has become our tradition to celebrate staff on their birthdays and today is special because we will also celebrate our information officer,who won the covetous National Productivity Of Merit(NPOM) Award, Edem Okon and also staff who successfully completed a NIPR programme in the state.
“I urge all to embrace the culture of celebrating people and encouraging them on their worthy achievements as this will boost their morale and inspire them for higher productivity,” he said.
The information commissioner congratulated the NPOM award winner, Okon, who is information officer in the Office of the Head of Civil Service, on the feat, emphasising that his choice for the award by the ministry was based on merit.
And, in line with his pragmatic leadership, Ememobong announced a redemption of pledge made by the ministry to Okon during his book launch some years back, stressing thatthe monetary settlement would be made within 14 days.
Also for presenting copies of her father’s book to him, little Miss Imidaraima Edem Okon, who is keying into the writing skills of her father, received cash award from the information boss.
Ememobong congratulated the staff who successfully completed an NIPR training at the e-Library, reiterating that the ministry would stop at nothing in ensuring the training and re-training of staff in line with the availability of funds and charged all to take the training exercises very seriously whenever the opportunity knocks.
He expressed appreciation to the head of civil service, Elder Effiong Essien, for honouring the ministry’s invitation to attend the tripartite loaded celebration, the permanent secretary of the ministry, Akparawa James Edet, for the successful coordination of the event and all the directors who contributed to the success of the event.
June-born staff of the ministry did not go without smiles, as Ememobong showered on them cards and cash gifts in addition to cutting the birthday cake with them and singing birthday songs to the listening pleasure of all.
Essien expressed gratitude to the commissioner for all the training programmes sponsorship within and outside the country for staff of the ministry and for the reception organised in honour of Okon, the information officer serving in his office.
Represented by the director of administration in his office, Ms Doris Ikpuhu, the head of civil service congratulated all the celebrators for the honour bestowed on them by the ministry and urged them to reciprocate the gesture through increased performance, saying, “to whom much is given, much is also expected.”
The permanent secretary in the ministry, Edet, expressed gratitude to the commissioner for gathering staff of the ministry in their different categories for the celebration and for sustaining the monthly birthday celebration of staff of the ministry.
Edet noted that without love and the will power, the commissioner would not have been able to push on the laudable initiative and prayed God to continue to keep, bless and strengthen the commissioner for greater achievements for staff of the ministry.
The state chairman of the NUJ, Comrade Amos Etuk, described Ememobong as the most approachable and media-friendly commissioner and prayed God to keep him in good health for a continued cordial relationship with the press.
Etuk commended Okon on the covetous award, hoping thatmany more laurels would be attracted to him through his humility, diligence and hard work.
The NPOM award winner, Okon, who was accompanied to the event by his wife, Imaobong and daughter, Imidaraima,appreciated Ememobong for the honour done him by the ministry and the head of civil service, for being a supportive boss.
Highpoint of the event, witnessed by directors of the ministry, was the presentation of a deep freezer gift to Okon in recognition of his NPOM award by the commissioner.
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