By Ubong Sampson – Uyo
The Managing Director of Watbridge Hotels and Suites– one of the leading hospitality outfits in Akwa Ibom state, Barr. Ekong Sampson has charged citizens on the need to be conscious of societal development by contributing within their means towards meeting the developmental needs of their immediate environments.
Sampson made the charge, Tuesday, while addressing teachers and students of public schools in Mkpat Enin local government area, his place of origin.
Speaking while commissioning rehabilitated borehole facilities sponsored by him in some of the schools to mark his birthday for the year, he noted that the gesture was his way of exemplifying the consciousness and also complementing the efforts of government in developing the education sector to an enviable height.
Sampson who represented the area in the state legislature between 2007 to 2015, also stressed that since the burden of development on government is too heavy and requires long term efforts to get to the desired height, able and prominent citizens in the society should see need to share in the burden by intermittently contributing within their means towards fast tracking the process.
Commending the principals and management of the schools for their commitment to the job of training the students whom he referred to as future leaders, and for keeping the school active despite the challenges, Sampson advised the students to read harder, as it is the easiest way to gaining the knowledge that will enable them compete favourably and excel in the macro world, while hinting that past students of the schools are presently soaring in different fields of life.
He also charged them to strive towards being good ambassadors of the school by cultivating good habits and behaviour, avoid social vices like cultism and contribute to building the school in moral and academic standards.
He further noted that he was moved to meet some needs of the school, especially water supply which is very strategic in this era of COVID, to encourage the regular hand washing COVID protocol.
Among the staff who reacted was Dr. (Mrs) Udosen, principal of Excellent College in Ikot Unya, who said that her arrival to the school met very discouraging sights that initially threatened to cut her stay in the school short, until she met Sampson who boosted her courage through his passion and strong will towards his people and the educational needs of the younger generation in his community.
She added that her boosted courage informed her decision to stay and make the school a paradise.
On her part, the Principal of Government Secondary School, Mkpat Enin town, Mrs Ima Etukudo, while appreciating the Sampson’s gesture towards her school, also used the medium to appeal to the government in the state to come to the aid of the school, especially in facilitating the renovation of the assembly hall which she said, also serves as venue for graduating students’ senior school certificate examinations.
Also reacting, a senior lecturer with the University of Uyo, Dr. Udeme Nnana who accompanied Sampson to the schools, described the act as motivating and inspiring, noting that it is the way to go for people who are seen as role models in the society.
The Mass Communication Don who is also the founder and coordinator of Uyo Book Club urged others to do same, as according to him, such acts have a way of energising young students to strive harder in the pursuit of the educational dreams.
“I’ve seen him donate academic support materials, renovated boreholes and generating sets and even some leisure materials. This is for me a good sight and very motivating. It has a way of energising the students, especially when they get to meet face to face with the prominent and famous names they have been hearing in the news.
“We can’t continue to depend on government to provide us with everything. More prominent citizens should emulate this gesture by contributing to complement government efforts”, Nnana added.
