Ufot Ekaette
Encyclopedia
Ufot Ekaette was appointed the first Nigeria
n Minister of Niger Delta on 17 December 2008 by President Umaru Yar'Adua.
He left office in March 2010 when Acting President Goodluck Jonathan
dissolved his cabinet.
Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State.
He attended King’s College, Lagos, graduating in 1960, then went to University College, Ibadan where he earned a B.Sc in Economics in 1964.
He joined the Federal Civil Service on 28 July 1964.
Ekaette was principal secretary to Head of State General Yakubu Gowon
(1968–1975).
Later Ekaette served in the Federal Ministries of Industries (1975), Information (1977–1979), Education (1979) and National Planning (1979–1983).
He was secretary, Public Service Department and Head of Service (1984).
He was director, External Finance at the Federal Ministry of Finance (1985–86).
Ekaette was appointed Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industries in January 1986, then Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing in 1988.
He was Director-General, Directorate of Food, Roads and Rural Infrastructure (June 1988 - March 1989), Director-General, Federal Ministry of Social Development, Youth and Sports (1989) and Director-General (Planning), Federal Ministry of Budget and Planning (1990).
In 1990, he was appointed Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State under Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga
.
In 1996, he became a non-executive director of First Bank of Nigeria
, a post he held until May 1999.
In April 2007, his wife Eme Ufot Ekaette
was elected Senator for Akwa Ibom South on the People's Democratic Party
(PDP) platform.
On 24 December 2008 he was sworn in as Minister for Niger Delta Affairs.
His appointment was criticized by the militant Joint Revolutionary Council, who said that he lacked the drive and leadership required, and questioned the sincerity and commitment of Yar'Adua in making this choice.
Talking to oil company executives in February 2009, he said that the low level of development in the Niger Delta
region and the crisis in the Niger Delta could have been avoided if the local people had received benefits from oil and gas development. He pointed out that in many cases workers had been brought in from other areas of the country, while locals suffered from pollution and lack of basic facilities.
In March 2010 the Joint Revolutionary Council called for the removal of Ekaette for alleged duplication of development projects in the Niger Delta. A statement said among other things that "Chief Ufot Ekaette is incompetent and unqualified to lead a ministry as sensitive as the Ministry of Niger Delta."
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n Minister of Niger Delta on 17 December 2008 by President Umaru Yar'Adua.
He left office in March 2010 when Acting President Goodluck Jonathan
Goodluck Jonathan
Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, GCFR, BNER, GCON is the 14th Head of State and current President of Nigeria.He was Governor of Bayelsa State from 9 December 2005 to 28 May 2007, and was sworn in as Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on 29 May 2007. Jonathan is a member of the...
dissolved his cabinet.
Background
Ekaette was born in 1939 in Ikot Edor, OnnaOnna
Onna is a Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Its name comes from an acronym of the three predominant clans that live in the area: Oniong, Nnung Ndem, and Awa....
Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State.
He attended King’s College, Lagos, graduating in 1960, then went to University College, Ibadan where he earned a B.Sc in Economics in 1964.
He joined the Federal Civil Service on 28 July 1964.
Ekaette was principal secretary to Head of State General Yakubu Gowon
Yakubu Gowon
General Yakubu "Jack" Dan-Yumma Gowon was the head of state of Nigeria from 1966 to 1975. He took power after one military coup d'etat and was overthrown in another...
(1968–1975).
Later Ekaette served in the Federal Ministries of Industries (1975), Information (1977–1979), Education (1979) and National Planning (1979–1983).
He was secretary, Public Service Department and Head of Service (1984).
He was director, External Finance at the Federal Ministry of Finance (1985–86).
Ekaette was appointed Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industries in January 1986, then Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing in 1988.
He was Director-General, Directorate of Food, Roads and Rural Infrastructure (June 1988 - March 1989), Director-General, Federal Ministry of Social Development, Youth and Sports (1989) and Director-General (Planning), Federal Ministry of Budget and Planning (1990).
In 1990, he was appointed Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State under Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga
Idongesit Nkanga
Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga was governor of Akwa Ibom State in Nigeria from September 1990 to January 1992 during the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida, handing over to en elected civilian Governor at the start of the Nigerian Third Republic.When appointed in 1990, his deputy...
.
In 1996, he became a non-executive director of First Bank of Nigeria
First Bank of Nigeria
First Bank of Nigeria is a Nigerian bank and financial services firm.First Bank traces its ancestry back to the first major financial institution founded in Nigeria; hence the name. The current chairman is Dr. Ayoola Oba Otudeko, OFR...
, a post he held until May 1999.
Political career
Ekaette was appointed Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) on 29 May 1999 by President Olusegun Obasanjo, holding office until the end of Obasanjo's second term in May 2007.In April 2007, his wife Eme Ufot Ekaette
Eme Ufot Ekaette
Eme Ufot Ekaette was elected Senator for the Akwa Ibom South constituency of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, taking office on 29 May 2007...
was elected Senator for Akwa Ibom South on the People's Democratic Party
People's Democratic Party (Nigeria)
The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In...
(PDP) platform.
On 24 December 2008 he was sworn in as Minister for Niger Delta Affairs.
His appointment was criticized by the militant Joint Revolutionary Council, who said that he lacked the drive and leadership required, and questioned the sincerity and commitment of Yar'Adua in making this choice.
Talking to oil company executives in February 2009, he said that the low level of development in the Niger Delta
Niger Delta
The Niger Delta, the delta of the Niger River in Nigeria, is a densely populated region sometimes called the Oil Rivers because it was once a major producer of palm oil...
region and the crisis in the Niger Delta could have been avoided if the local people had received benefits from oil and gas development. He pointed out that in many cases workers had been brought in from other areas of the country, while locals suffered from pollution and lack of basic facilities.
In March 2010 the Joint Revolutionary Council called for the removal of Ekaette for alleged duplication of development projects in the Niger Delta. A statement said among other things that "Chief Ufot Ekaette is incompetent and unqualified to lead a ministry as sensitive as the Ministry of Niger Delta."