Hon. Nsidibe Akata’s 2 Year Milestone: A Testament to Effective Representation 

Hon. Nsidibe Akata’s 2 Year Milestone: A Testament to Effective Representation 

By Daniel Edon

The performance of a lawmaker is not only measured on the number of Bills and Motions presented on the floor of the Assembly but also on Oversight, Representation and empowerment.

Hon. Nsidibe Akata, Phd, marked his 2 years as a Lawmaker on 10th. June 2025. In assessing his performance during the period under review, in terms of number of Bills and Motions, he has an impressive record. Though representation goes beyond the number of Bills and Motions presented on the floor. His dedication to Oversight and Empowerment has equally made significant impact on his Constituency.

At this point, it is pertinent to also let us know that, it would make nonsense of the entire effort, if Bills presented and passed at the Assembly are not assented to by the Governor. So the Eket Representative ensures that the Bills he presented are such that it would meet Governor’s assent and he pushed most of his Bills to meet the Governor’s Assent. Unfortunately, There are Bills some members present in the House, that doesn’t add up, I am sorry to say.

At the 8th Assembly Hon. Nsidibe Akata PhD has sponsored bills, co-sponsored bills, raised motions, raised matters of public important, organised public hearing and also organised stakeholders meeting.

MOTIONS:

Dr. Akata has been able to move Motions that are of immense important to his Constituency. To wit:

•Motion For The Resolution To Investigate The Reactivation, Upgrade and Repositioning of Qua River Hotel, Eket

• Motion On The Need To Comprehensively Regulate The Activities Of Traditional Birth Attendants In The State

Aside the Motions he has successfully Organised one public hearing on ” A bill For A Law To Establish The Akwa Ibom State Bureau of Statistics And Akwa Ibom State Statistical System And Other Matters Connected Therewith.

BILLS:
• A Bill for a Law to Establish The Akwa Ibom State Public Complaints Anti-Corruption Commission And For Other Matters Connected Thereto.

• A Bill for A Law to Provide For The Establishment And Composition Of The Akwa Ibom State Agricultural Development Trust Fund And For Other Matters Connected Thereto.

BILL PASSED INTO LAW:

• A Bill For A Law To Provide For The Establishment Of The Akwa Ibom State University Of Education, Afaha Nsit, And To Make Provision For It’s Administration And for Other Purposes Connected Thereto.

Co-sponsored Bills:
• A Bill For A for a Law to establish the Akwa Ibom State School of Culinary Studies/Hospitality Management and a Board, and for other Matters Connected Thereto.

• A Bill for a Law to establish the Akwa Ibom State Economic Stabilisation Reserve Fund and for other Matters Connected Thereto 2023.

• A Bill for a Law to establish the Ibom Oil and Gas Corporation and for other purposes Connected Thereto 2023.

• A Bill for a Law to provide for the Development and regulations of fishery in Akwa Ibom State and for other purposes Connected Thereto.

• A Bill to Establish the Akwa Ibom State Geographic Information System and for other matters Connected Thereto.

• A Bill for Akwa Ibom State College of Health Science and Technology 2023.

• A Bill for a Law to make provision for electricity generation, transmission, and distribution within and for the residents of Akwa Ibom State.

• A Bill for a Law to provide for the promotion, use and preservation of Akwa Ibom State local Dialects in Akwa Ibom State and for connected Purposes.

CONSTITUENCY PROJECTS:

Within the 2 years as a lawmaker, Hon. Akata has impacted his immediate community. He has built a 400 seating capacity town hall in Okon-Eket. A project that initially designed for 180 seating capacity. This is however completed with solar powered Borehole facilities.

Recently, I have heard about people trying to talk about House of Assembly Budget and how much a House of Assembly member collects for Constituency project, and vilifying the House member alongside. As someone who worked at House of Assembly I know the difference between budgetary provision and actual releases. It’s not always what is budgeted for that gets approval and not what is always approved is released. I know how this things works, and I don’t expect outsiders to know everything. Some won’t believe even when you tell them. So I can excuse them for that.

OVERSIGHT:

One of the legislative powers given to a legislator both at the National and the State Assemblies is the power of Oversight function. The power to monitor, review and supervise Government Agency’s projects, programmes, activities and policy implementation.

The aim of oversight function is to enhance coordination and efficiency within the government Agencies; improve the quality of relevant information and provide it in a more meaningful and useful format for the Assembly, the Governor and the public. This makes for check and balances.

An oversight function therefore is a critical component of good governance, it is germane to government actions.

Dr. Nsidibe has facilitated an oversight visit by the House Committee on Industry and Tourism to the abandoned facility, for facts finding on the cause (s) of the abandonment as directed by Speaker of the House of Assembly. The overall intent is to reactivate, upgrade and reposition the facility.

He also participated actively in five (5) other oversight functions by House Committees on Boundary and Conflicts Resolution, Environment and Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs. In Constituency Affairs, he has set up a constituency office in Eket for close and regular engagements with his constituents. The office is awaiting an official opening.

He also organised stakeholders’ meeting on 2024-2026 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF),

EMPOWERMENT:

Hon (Dr) Akata has fourteen (14) constituency members placed on monthly allowance as compensation for partisan loyalty. He intends to double the number in his second year. He is currently paying full tuition fees for three (3) students from his state constituency, in tertiary institutions.

He has provided, and still provides succor in many ways – food items, medical bills, school fees etc., to his constituents.

The Eket Lawmaker also, is part of success stories of some students of tertiary institutions, as he oftentimes openly and secretly assist students financially through scholarship and welfare money. Many he can’t keep records of.

In the aspect of general representation, Hon (Dr) Nsidibe Akata, as Chairman, House Committee on Economic Planning and Development, worked closely with the Focus Person in the Ministry of Economic Planning to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in the process of:

1. Presidential Conditional Grant to over 33,000 Nano Business owners in Akwa Ibom State.

2. Conditional Cash Transfer to over 300 SMEs in the State under AK-Cares Programme In the aspect of oversight functions, Hon (Dr) Nsidibe Akata led the Chairman of Eket LGA, Supervisors in the LGA and community leaders to the site of the abandoned Qua River Hotel, Eket, for a preliminary investigation on the abandoned facility.

Dr. Nsidibe Akata is the Deputy House Leader and Chairman, House Committee on Economic Planning and Development, Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Boundary and Conflicts Resolution, and a member of eleven (11) other House Committees.

With the remaining 2 years before the end of his 1st. term in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, the expectations from his Constituents are high.