By Chioma Onuegbu, Uyo
The Akwa Ibom State Government has approved the establishment of a Department of Occupational Safety within its public service, which will be headed by a Permanent Secretary under the Office of the Head of Civil Service.
The approval was granted during the State Executive Council (EXCO) meeting held on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, and presided over by Governor Umo Eno.
In a statement released on Thursday by the Commissioner for Information, Hon. Aniekan Umanah, the council also directed Sterling Global to halt further encroachment and closure of creeks in the state.
The decision followed complaints from oil-bearing communities, particularly those within the company’s area of operations.
According to the statement, the Executive Council, after reviewing various memos and deliberations, made the following resolutions: The council approved that the Office of the Secretary to the State Government will now oversee the Akwa Ibom State Infrastructure and Asset Management and Maintenance Agency.
This decision aims to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the agency’s operations.
Based on a memo presented by the Head of Civil Service, the council approved the establishment of the Department of Occupational Safety in the Akwa Ibom State Public Service.
This follows the governor’s directive for the recruitment of safety officers and the issuance of Establishment Circular No.1 of 2024 to domesticate the federal policy on Occupational Safety Officers Cadre in the public sector.
The council directed Sterling Global to limit its operations to the 1,000 hectares of land originally allocated to them and the additional 700-hectare buffer zone.
The company must cease any further encroachment or closure of creeks in the state.
The council instructed the Ministry of Lands to assess the status of all previous approvals to ensure compliance with legal provisions.
The statement reaffirmed the government’s commitment to enforcing regulatory measures that protect public safety, land use integrity, and the interests of affected communities.
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