Board

Engr. (Pst) Unwana Jacob hails from Iton Odoro in Ikono Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. He is happily married and the marriage is blessed with three children. Engr. (Pst) Jacob is a Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) registered Mechanical Engineer, a corporate member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, an astute Project Manager and a Public Service Administrator. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from the Federal University of Technology, Yola, Nigeria (2000) and Master of Science in Industrial Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (2012) with research focus on “Solutions to Projects Delays in the Niger Delta Region, Nigeria” which has attracted interests from researchers in China, Europe, USA, Kuwait, UAE, Pakistan, etc. Engr. (Pst.) Jacob is one of the reviewers of some research papers for Southern African Institute of Industrial Engineers (SAIIE) and for other international research based organizations. He equally attended conferences in Atlanta (USA); Bucharest (Romania); Zurich (Switzerland) and has visited many more countries for tourism purpose such as South Africa, Ghana, Cote de Ivo ire; Togo; Kenya, UAE and Norway. Engr. (Pst.) Jacob, was appointed into the Board of Ministers, Diplomats’ Assembly in 2006. He has served in various capacities and presently is the International Coordinator for the Global Missions Initiatives of the church, supervising churches in Tema (Ghana); Nairobi (Kenya) and Blantyre (Malawi). Engr. (Pst) Jacob is the Pioneer Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Jacob’s Well Foundation Inc. (CAC Reg. No.:75364), established on 12th February, 2015. The Foundation has objectives of providing educational services, youths’ empowerment, provision of potable water, food supply, helping of the less privileged and engagement in philanthropic services. Engr. (Pst) Jacob is a solution driven, God-fearing, practicing Christian that has deep passion for quality education and quality delivery of infrastructural projects to the benefit of humanity. His major believe is that, with God, all things are possible and that men should act honestly at all times, use their resources and gifts to the service of God and humanity. Engr.(Pst.) Jacob has successfully worked above board, locally and internationally as a Project Engineer with the Niger Delta Development Commission, an astute Administrator and a Pastor.

Prof Uko obtained a BSc (First Class Honours) in Civil Engineering in 1978 at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and was the best graduating student in the department for that year. After completing his National Youth Service at Kwara Polytechnic in 1979, he joined MRT Consulting Engineers at Maiduguri for a one year stint during which he was engaged in the supervision of power stations, pump stations and power transmission lines. In 1980 Prof Uko won a Commonwealth Scholarship to pursue an MSc programme in Construction Engineering at the University of Leeds (UK) and completed the course with Distinction in 1981. He was awarded a University Scholarship to do a doctoral degree in Structural Engineering. He completed the PhD programme in 1984 under Professor A. R. Cusens of Leeds University. Between 1984 and June 1988, Prof. Uko worked as a Lecturer in the Department of Civil engineering at the University of Port Harcourt. During those years he was involved in a number of teaching, design and supervision engagements. In July 1988 he was appointed Commissioner for Lands and Housing in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State where he served under Col. J. T. Ogbeha, Col. G. O. Abbe and Group Captain Idongesit Nkanga. Prof Uko returned to the University of Port Harcourt in 1992 and by 1993 he was promoted Senior Lecturer. In 1995, Prof. Uko joined the University of Uyo as the pioneer lecturer in the Faculty of Engineering. In February 1998, he joined the Petroleum (Special) Trust Fund [PTF] and worked there till August 1999 when he joined the Special Projects Unit of the Presidency, from where he moved to serve as the Technical Assistant to the Executive Director [PROJECTS] in the Niger Delta Development Commission, [NDDC], a position he held until May 2002. Prof. Uko returned to the University of Uyo in June 2002 and served as the Acting Head of Department of Civil Engineering until September 2009. In 2003, he was promoted Associate Professor and in 2007 he became a Professor of Structural Engineering. He was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Engineering in 2010. He has to his credit two books and a number of publications in local and international journals. Prof Uko is a registered engineer with the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria [COREN]. He is also a member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers and the American Concrete Institute. He is married to Mrs Patricia Charles Uko and they both have five (5) children. He served as the Deputy Vice Chancellor [ADMIN] of the University of Uyo between 2011 and 2012. He has served as consultant on many road, building and bridge projects and has also developed a computer software for Concrete Mix Design [COMBA] using the Nigerian Concrete Mix Design Manual published by COREN. Professor Uko was the Vice President of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria [COREN] from 2013 to 2016. Prof Uko has been involved in the design and supervision of a number of erosion and flood control projects including the Oko Ita Erosion Project, the Ikot Edor Flood Control Project, the University of Uyo Annexe Flood Control Project and the University of Uyo Ravine Control Project among others.

Solomon Abai has demonstrated a commitment to expanding transformative development in the area of Education and Infrastructure across rural communities in Akwa Ibom State and some parts of Nigeria. Abai is a dedicated community leader with extensive history of service to his immediate community, Iton Odoro in Ikono Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. He has been in the services of the National Assembly for over twenty years and has served in many capacities such as Clerk (Senate Committee on Appropriation from 2001 to 2011). Presently, he is the Director, Management Services in the Nigerian Senate where he leads Human Resources Department with extraordinary records of comprehensive and up-to-date personal data of nearly seven hundred (700) staff. He is an astute and dedicated public servant who has been recognized by the top Management for exceptional ethical integrity and accountability. Abai is an Alumina of Harvard Kennedy School of Boston (2010), Duke University of North Carolina, USA (2008). He has a National Certificate of Education (College of Education, Uyo in 1983), Bachelor of Education (University of Calabar, 1989), Bachelor of Law (University of Uyo, 1997) and Masters of Law (University of Abuja, 2018). Barr. Abai is happily married to Deaconess Mercy Abai. Their marriage is blessed with children.