Don Urges Niger-Delta Governors to Declare ‘Day-of-Honour’ for Obong Victor Attah
By Dennis Udoma, Uyo
The Convener of Architect (Obong) Victor Attah 86th Birthday Colloquium, Dr. Udeme Nnana has called on the Niger-Delta state governments to declare November 20th of every year a work-free day in honour of the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State.
This is for fighting and winning the resource control war that led to the payment of 13 percent derivation funds without the On Shore – Offshore Oil Dichotomy for the region.
Dr. Nnana made the advocacy during this year’s 86th birthday of former Governor Attah in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital.
According to him, “States in the Niger – Delta region should declare a work free day on every November 20th to celebrate the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Victor Attah for fighting and winning the war for the payment of 13 % derivation funds to them without the onshore – offshore dichotomy.”
He said, the commemoration of Obong Attah’s birthday by Uyo Book Club has remained indelible in its calendar since 2019 as a mark of honour to him, in recognition of his untiring contributions to the development of the state and the Niger-Delta region, through the resource control struggle to emancipate states in the Delta region from undue marginalization.
Dr. Nnana, who is also the Founder of Uyo Book Club therefore, urged Akwa Ibom State government and the Niger-Delta Governors to declare every November 20th as public holidays in his honour.
He enumerated Obong Attah’s achievements to include Victor Attah International Airport, Ibom Power Plant, Le’ Meridien Hotel and Golf Resort, Ultra-Modern Motor Parks, 50 Units Housing Estates across the 31 Local Government Areas and sponsorship of indigent students on educational scholarships abroad among others.
He likened Obong Attah to late Western Premier, Chief Obafemi Awolowo for developing his people and the Western region infrastructurally.
He also called on governments at all levels to have a rethink in the composition of executives by having a good mixture of seasoned personnel with inexperienced ones, so that the convergence would bring about good policy formulation and programme implementation.
Chairman on the occasion, Abom Tony Esu described Obong Attah as one of Akwa Ibom best professionals and politician, who hates lies and could go naked to defend the truth.
He said, Attah’s wisdom and articulation is something to be celebrated; an institution needed for a longer time to talk to Akwa Ibom people.
Keynote speaker on the event and former Commissioner in Attah’s administration, Sir Sunday Udo Akpan in his presentation titled, “The legacies of His Excellency, Arc. (Obong) Victor Attah: Using IMDLCC to Check Impunity and Demise of Good Governance and Public Service Delivery in Nigeria ” said, using administrative device of IMDLCC to teemper power shared between different arms and organs of government can go a long way to check corruption in the system.
He noted that, it may not be full-proof antidote against abuse of power and authority to satisfy private interest, but by not concentrating all powers on one authority, it promotes inclusiveness, openess and accountability.
