A’Ibom Flays Critics over Closure of Syringe Factory, Construction of Worship Centre
in Port Harcourt
The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Jamil Abdussalam, has revealed that last year, the division arrested 112 suspects and destroyed 233 illegal refineries within the area of its coverage.
It came as the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, commended the efforts of the Nigerian Army in tackling the diverse security challenges bedevilling the nation.
Fubara gave the commendation, during the 6 Division Combined West African Social Activities (WASA), held at the 29 Battalion Parade Ground, Port Harcourt Barracks.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, Fubara said civilian-military cooperation was a sure way to foster and strengthen a healthy society.
He noted that the ideals of WASA in strengthening regimentation and promotion of family values in the Nigerian Army were enormous.
The governor also acknowledged the zeal and dedication with which the Army confronts identified security challenges within the state.
“Let me seize this opportunity to commend the officers and soldiers of this division for your sacrificial contributions in the maintenance in Uyo
The Senior Special Assistant to Akwa Ibom State Governor on Research and Documentation, Essien Ndueso, has said it is wrong for anyone to criticise Governor Umo Eno or his predecessor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, for the temporary suspension of operations at the Jubilee Syringe Manufacturing (JSM) company in the state.
Ndueso, while speaking in Uyo at the weekend, blamed the current Nigeria's business of peace and order in Rivers State.
“The state will continue to support and collaborate with the Nigerian Army in all its activities. Be assured of our full support in all your operations,” the governor stressed.
Meanwhile, the GOC of 6 Division, environment for the continuous exit of multinational companies in the country. The company was the largest syringe manufacturing company in Africa.
It was inaugurated in 2017 by former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. The firm, while announcing temporary suspension of operations on January 3, 2024, cited unforeseen circumstances affecting its business operations as the major reason for its decision to leave Nigeria.
Ndueso frowned on some critics for attempting to score
Abdussalam, has explained that the WASA was established to strengthen relationship and social interactions between officers, their families and the display of cultural heritage.
He said that the 2023 training activities were well designed to cheap political points from the unfortunate situation, stressing that the current national economic crisis was the major reason for the company's temporary setback.
“We all know that since the removal of fuel subsidy, Nigeria is undergoing a serious economic crisis. Foreign exchange, import duties, and interest rates are basically the reasons companies are closing down in Nigeria.
“Outside Akwa Ibom state, several small and medium enterprises, according to reports, have sharpen the capacity of officers and obtain positive gains.
“In the course of the year, we were able to make 112 arrests, destroyed 233 illegal refineries, and recovered over 356 arms and ammunition. We will continue to perform our constitutional roles completely shutdown operations while several big names have also scaled back operations," he stated.
He said reports indicate that companies like GSK Plc, Nigeria's second-biggest drug producer, GlaxoSmithKline, and Unilever, producers of famous brands like OMO, Sunlight and Lux have also announced stoppage of operations.
Reacting to some critics who described the international worship centre as a misplaced priority, Ndueso dismissed the assertions, stressing that there is to defend democratic values in the country,” he said.
He assured of maintaining a proactive and result oriented attitude among officers and soldiers of 6 division for sustainable operational tempo in the joint environment. nothing wrong in having a befitting central place of worship in Akwa Ibom State which is 99 per cent dominated by Christians.
“While prayers move mountains, praises move God. Before the Worship Centre was built, Akwa Ibom people, who are devoted Christians, used to gather under the sun at Ibom Hall grounds to praise God and for all other religious activities.
“For those who say that the money used to build a befitting temple of God would have been channelled into other things, let me ask; those states that haven't built international worship centres, do they have free and compulsory education?
“Do they have better roads than Akwa Ibom State? Do they have more peace than our dear Akwa Ibom State? In what way are they better than Akwa Ibom State?
“When people talk about generation of revenue, have they told us how the Statue of Liberty in US generates revenue?
“The same people who gather every year to source for funds and visas to travel to the Middle East to go and worship God, are now turning around to criticise a befitting centre of worship that would engender religious tourism by our people,” he said.