Nigeria gets Cross-river politician as Minister of Sport

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has finally attached portfolios to already cleared names of screened candidates for ministerial appointments, as Senator John Owan Enoh gets the Ministry of Sports.

Senator John Owan Ench was born 1966 into the family of Pa Owan Enoh, Agbokim Waterfalls in Etung Local Government Area of Cross River State.

He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Sociology from the University of Calabar, where he graduated as the best student in 1988 with 2nd Class Honours “Upper Division.” He furthered his education at the University of Calabar Graduate School, where he acquired his masters (Hans) in Demography and proceeded to obtain Postgraduate Diploma in Management (PGDM). The Senator also attended several courses abroad. These include a course in Public Financial Management, Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University (Executive Education). Telecoms Regulatory Master Class-Bath UK, Law Making for the Communication Sector-BMIT, Johannesburg, South Africa, Influence and Negotiation, Stanford Graduate School of Business and MBA, Master of Business Administration in Harvard University Graduate School amongst others.

As an accomplished educationist and politician, he lectured for 7 years in the University of Calabar, Calabar between 1991-1997, Senator Engh politically, started from the Cross River State House of Assembly, between 1997-2003, where he served as the Minority Leader and later Chairman, Committee of Information. He then proceeded to the National Assembly to represent Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency for a period of 12 years, 2003-2015, where he held so many positions including Chairman, Committee of Finance and Chairman, Committee of Budget and Appropriation. He then proceeded to Senate in 2015, and served as Chairman, Committee of Finance.

He was the All Progressives Congress Governorship Candidate of Cross River State in 2019. Member, APC 2019 Bayelsa Governorship Campaign Council, Secretary, APC National Reconciliation Committee, Member, APC Edo State Governorship Campaign, Member, APC National Registration Committee, Secretary, Anambra State APC Gubernatorial Primary Election Committee and Secretary, South-South Subcommittee Contact and Strategy, National APC Contact and Strategy Committee, Asst. Director, South South Zonal Contact and Mobilization Committee, Presidential Campaign Council, State Director, Contact and Mobilization Committee, Presidential Campaign Council, Chairman, Local Organizing Committee (LOC), Cross River State Presidential Campaign, Calabar.

He is a Fellow, Centre for Peace and Conflicts Studies, CEPACS, University of Ibadan. He was also listed as one of Nigeria’s 50 most Outstanding Legistative icons (1999-2010) a definitive book published by Parlia Consult, a Consortium of Legislative Historians.

Senator John is a recipient of several awards and honours, including 1988 Best Graduating Student Award, and others.