AKITA Declares Dividend

    CALGARY, March 18 /CNW/ - AKITA Drilling Ltd.'s Board of Directors
approved the payment of a quarterly dividend to shareholders.
    AKITA Drilling Ltd.'s Board of Directors approved an ordinary cash
dividend of seven cents ($0.07) per share on the Outstanding Class A
Non-Voting and Class B Common shares of the Corporation for payment on April
1, 2009 to shareholders of record at the close of business March 20, 2009.
This dividend is an eligible dividend for Canadian Income Tax Purposes.

    AKITA is an Alberta corporation engaged in the contract drilling business
and is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol AKT.

    %SEDAR: 00002868E