Akwa Ibom: Speaker Onofiok Luke Calls For Immediate Prosecution Of Govt. Officials Who Divert Public Funds

By Ifiok ITIABA 

The Speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Onofiok Luke, has stated the need to prosecute community leaders and government officials who divert funds through their hurried fraudulent ghost companies.

Hon Luke made this known while delivering a lecture at the Second Public Lecture of Ritman University, Ikot Ekpene, today.

Speaking on the topic: Governance and Community Development, Hon Luke pointed out that most of the leaders have failed in their responsibilities.

"It is also a fact that most leaders have failed their respective communities. Leaders abandon the oath of office and put their selfish interest above the communal interest.

"Some of these leaders are not altruistic but deploy the common wealth for their selfish gains".

Hon Luke who called on community leaders in the Niger Delta to come together to stop cases of brazen thievery stressed, "We must think more of building an efficient and empowered community rather than building personal empires from the common wealth"

While urging preachers to preach unity and not division, warned them not take advantage of the vulnerable population through deceit and false prophesies.

Continuing, Hon Luke maintained that altruism should be the guiding principle for leaders in the society.

 "Altruism shall be the guiding principle if our leaders must deliver the dividend of governance to the people who elected".

He stressed the need for academic institutions to be fair and discipline and advised students to be hard working in their academic pursuits.

He also urged the elders to partner with the youth both locally and internationally to deliver on the benefit of good governance and noted that the community and society can benefit from the experience of the elders and the energy of the youth to foster sustainable development

He therefore used the opportunity to called on the youths to rise above ethnic bigotry, vagaries of the past and positioned themselves to take over leadership.

Commenting on some of the bills passed so far by the 6th Assembly under his watch, Hon Luke said the house belongs to Akwa Ibom people which was why all the bills passed were subjected to public hearing for the public to contribute their ideas before it becomes a law.

He noted that the 6th Assembly is committed to the development of the state and wellbeing of the masses who voted them to be their representative.

March 29, 2017