HoS Lauds ANPA for Sustaining ARISE Agenda Narrative, Assures Partnership for ANPA Week 2025 

The Head of Civil Service, Akwa Ibom State, Elder Effiong Essien, has applauded the Amalgamated Newspaper Publishers, Akwa Ibom State (ANPA), for using their platforms to consistently project and promote the ARISE Agenda of Governor Umo Eno, describing newspapers as the most credible and enduring medium for shaping public perception and preserving history.

Speaking on Tuesday, when he received members of the Central Planning Committee of the ANPA Week 2025 in his office, Elder Essien said he was delighted to host the team, noting that no media platform makes a more lasting impression on the public than the print media.

According to him, “There’s no media platform that creates the kind of impact as newspapers, especially through their headlines. When people see a newspaper headline, they don’t just scroll past it like they would on social media. Newspapers remain reference materials; I mean documents that preserve events and decisions for posterity.”

He commended ANPA for its sustained partnership with the State Government over the years and for what he described as the association’s consistent role in amplifying government programmes and policies, particularly under the present administration.

“I must appreciate the warm partnership we’ve enjoyed over the years,” he said. “I am especially pleased that ANPA has continued to project the components of the ARISE Agenda and the activities of the Office of the Head of Civil Service, which are central to the efficient running of the public service.”

Related: A’Ibom Newspapers Publishers Set To Hold ANPA Week 2025, Inaugurate Planning Committee

The Head of Civil Service assured that his office would partner with ANPA to ensure a successful ANPA Week 2025, pledging full participation in all scheduled activities, including the Thanksgiving service, football match, fitness walk, and symposium.

He added that the government values the contributions of local newspapers in bridging the gap between the people and the government and reaffirmed his commitment to sustaining cordial relations with the media.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Central Planning Committee of ANPA Week 2025, Elder Patrick Albert, in his address, expressed appreciation to Elder Essien for granting audience to the association and for his continued collaboration with the media. He explained that the forthcoming ANPA Week, themed “The Relevance of Newspaper Publishers in State Development: The Case of Akwa Ibom State under the ARISE Agenda,” will provide a platform to re-evaluate the role of newspaper publishers in state-building and governance.

The former NUJ Chairman, Akwa Ibom State, noted that community-based newspapers remain vital to democracy and development, as they connect government to the grassroots, promote civic engagement, and highlight issues often overlooked by national media.

Albert, who is also the managing editor of Crystal Express Newspapers, listed activities lined up for the week to include a Thanksgiving service, medical outreach, a visit to orphanage homes, a road walk, a novelty football match, an inspection of government projects, an evening with newspaper distributors, and an award/symposium and luncheon.

He further disclosed that Governor Umo Eno and Senate President Godswill Akpabio will be among eminent Nigerians to be honoured during the event for their exemplary contributions to state and national development.

In his remarks, the President-General of ANPA, Pastor OsuiniAbasi Alfred, commended Elder Essien for his pragmatic leadership of the State Civil Service, saying his tenure has restored discipline, efficiency, and renewed confidence in the system.

He noted that as publishers, ANPA members follow the workings of government closely and have observed the professionalism and reform-oriented drive of the current Head of Civil Service, which aligns with the Governor’s vision of an efficient, technology-driven public service.

“Your leadership has brought renewed discipline and professionalism to the civil service,” Alfred said. “We celebrate you today for your humility and dedication and look forward to partnering with you to further project the achievements of the ARISE Agenda.”

He reaffirmed ANPA’s commitment to supporting the administration of Governor Umo Eno through credible reportage and developmental journalism, noting that the association’s work continues to create jobs for reporters, vendors, and distributors, while promoting a positive narrative for the state.

Also present at the courtesy visit were members of the Central Planning Committee of ANPA Week 2025, the Permanent Secretary, and top management staff of the Office of the Head of Civil Service.

Directorate of Strategic Communication

ANPA

October 14, 2025