GOVERNANCE CHALLENGE II

“How can we make oil pipelines that we have in the state safe? (Source: CHIDI OBINECHE, “My challenges in office.” by Gov. Akpabio. 8/6/08. http://odili.net/news/source/2008/aug/7/503.html)

Suggested Solutions:

Enlist the cooperation of the community leaders to help maintain order among restive youths within the villages and areas through which oil pipelines pass. Create employment opportunities for youths to engage them in activities that would make them productive members of the community. Educate youths about long term impact of destruction of oil pipe lines to the economic progress of the state. Ensure that young people attend schools or are gainfully employed to feel the full impact of the benefit of democracy.

GOVERNANCE CHALLENGE III:

Proliferation of Bore holes in the state as the primary source of water supply

Short term benefits include
 

1. Readily available water to most households Short term concerns:    2. Unsanitary water quality    3. Water borne diseases

Long term Concerns with so many people digging boreholes
 

The level of water will be low Scarcity of water in the long run due to water depletion Abandoned bore holes may create breeding habitats for mosquitoes Malaria disease will become rampant

GOVERNANCE CHALLENGE IV:

 Increased use of electric generators

Short term concerns:
  1. Citizens who can afford generators will have lights in their homes and offices.

Short and long term concerns:
  2. Very costly to maintain by families and businesses
  3. Environmental hazards caused by carbon dioxide emission into the atmosphere
  4. Health hazards such as bronchitis and asthma as a result of pollutants in the air.
  5. Increased cost of disposal of broken generators as we do not have adequate means of recycling trash, garbage, and
      junks

Suggested Solutions

I think the government should discourage the proliferations of boreholes and electric generators by:
 

Building large water supply and treatment plants at strategic locations in the state to ensure constant supply of water to the citizens of Akwa Ibom State. Speed up the building of dependable electric power generating plants capable of supplying electricity efficiently throughout the state. Contract with local/private Sanitation Company to handle garbage and junks disposal in the state. Encourage citizens especially children to have regular medical checkups for malaria, asthma, and dysenteries caused by drinking non-disinfected water and breathing polluted air.

GOVERNANCE CHALLENGE V.

Inadequate Funding for education to Ensure Quality Education

Our public schools and tertiary institutions suffer from inadequate funding and dilapidated physical structures such as buildings.

Suggested solutions for School Improvement

All public schools including UBE, Secondary schools and the Tertiary institutions of higher learning must be adequately funded and equipped. Effort must be mounted to recruit and retain qualified teachers and administrators for all public schools. Teachers must be paid competitive salaries and provided with health benefits They must be paid on time to promote efficiency and productivity and increase morale. Empower headmasters and principals to manage schools effectively. Schools must be required to provide qualitative education for all students. The State Ministry of Education should put in place accountability system to evaluate school performances annually and be prepared to deny accreditations to nonperforming schools and institutions. Performing schools and institutions should be rewarded for exemplary performance. The State Ministry of Education should establish Akwa Ibom State Performance Assessment Tests (ASPAT) benchmarked to or aligned with the West African Examination (WAE) or the National Examination Council (NECO) for all public secondary schools students in the state. Students who pass the ASPAT would be considered candidates for the WAE or NECO Examinations.

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