Three Model Boarding Schools Underway In A’Ibom – Gov Eno
... As Govt. Is set To Complete, Rename Tropicana As Ibom International Conference Centre and Hotel
In furtherance of the educational advancement initiative as contained in the ARISE Agenda, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has announced readiness to establish a model secondary school with state-of-the-art boarding facilities in each of the three Senatorial Districts of the State.
The Governor, who announced the February 2025 edition of the Government House monthly Covenant Service at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Uyo, said this will involve adopting an existing secondary in each of the three Senatorial Districts and reconstructing them to suit the purpose.
He reiterated his commitment to completing the abandoned International Conference Centre (which, on completion, would be renamed Ibom International Conference Centre, IICC) and the 14-story Tropicana Hotels at the Tropicana Entertainment Centre to be completed within the same time frame.
He said this is geared towards realising the tourism potentials of the state as well as ensuring that projects initiated with the commonwealth of the people by his predecessors are made valuable to the people.
According to Governor Eno, the schools, which will be to Akwa Ibom State as Unity Schools are to the federal government, will be a model of an ideal boarding school, adding that he was constituting a delivery team to ensure timely implementation of the plan and intends to have a strong Parents Teachers Association and a special committee in place to ensure smooth operation of the schools.
He, however, stressed that parents will have to pay a prescribed fee for the feeding of the children, which must be done, and proof of payment presented as a precondition for a student to be granted access to the hostels.
On criteria for admission into the school, the governor stressed that a special consulting firm will be contracted to conduct a very transparent entrance examination that will ensure merit as the basis for the admissions.
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“We have several projects that must kick off, and we must finish as we go into 2026 and begin to prepare for the elections. Principal among them that God has touched my heart to do is to construct a replica of what a boarding school used to be in this state in those days and to adopt three secondary schools, one in each Senatorial District, to take them back. Let’s build those boarding houses and put everything there, and let’s make sure those three secondary schools are up and running.
“Admission will be by all our children gathering in a central place, writing exams and then the exams will be marked by computer, and only the best will be admitted.”
Speaking of the recent sad occurrence that befell the second family in the state, Governor Eno expressed grief over the untimely death of the Deputy Governor’s daughter and urged Christians to pray ceaselessly from their various altars for leaders and the government, that God may grant them grace to lead the state well.
The Governor also ceased the occasion to commend the gesture of a Nsit Ubium-based clergy and entrepreneur identified as Pastor Imoh Ime Ekpenyong, who, without government funding, has been undertaking training of villagers in the production of soap, paint, etc., calling on other citizens to use their privileged positions to better lives in their communities rather than constitute themselves into armchair critics of government.
The Akwa Ibom Chief Executive therefore announced the appointment of Pastor Ekpenyong as his Special Assistant Entrepreneurial Development, with directives that necessary evaluations be made towards refunding him of the cost of the training done so far and that he be gifted a car to aid the furtherance of his good deeds.
In his message on the theme “Mountain Conquering Grace,” taken from Zechariah 4:7, Bishop Mike Eduok of Life and Power Ministries noted that for those who believe, God has given them the grace to conquer mountains, and therefore urges everyone to pray for the state and its leaders for the grace to conquer every obstacle and deliver on their mandates.
