GOV EMMANUEL WILL LEAVE A'IBOM BETTER THAN HE MET IN 2015 - Inyang-Eyen

By Ubong Ntekim

The state Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel has reassured the good people of Akwa Ibom of his campaign promises, that he will leave the state far better than he met it in 2015.

The state Commissioner for Works, Mr Ephraim Inyang-Eyen made the disclosure, Tuesday, when he led the ministry's team which had the Permanent Secretary, Elder Effiong Essien, Directors and Engineers, on inspection tour of projects executed by the State government.

According to the Works boss, by the time Mr Emmanuel leaves office in 2023, the governor will be remembered as a leader who fulfilled all his campaign promises to his people.

Some of the projects inspected included, the 19.8Km Uyo-Etinan Road as well as the 25km Uyo- Ikot Ekpene Highway, handled by the construction giants, Julius Berger.

Answering a reporter's question on the new look of the Etinan roundabout which is now a cynosure of all eyes, InyangEyen recalled that, " as a student in 1979 to 1982, Etinan Local Government Area remained the same until Governor Udom Emmanuel took his transformation drive to the once neglected area".

He explained that when the road is completed, "the entire Etinan (Local Government Area) would be opened up for commercial and economic activities".

On the 25km Uyo - Ikot Ekpene Highway, Inyang-Eyen, stated that Governor Emmanuel, has shown commitment to completing the road for many reasons.

" This is the road that the former governor said he had completed and commissioned but today for the first time, we are less than one kilometer away from the 4 Point by Sheraton. This is the first time one could access this area for so many years now", he said.

Explaining further, the Works boss said, "we have taken down this burial ground and I can assure that with another 800 metres, we will arrive at popular 4 Point by Sheraton.

" As I said earlier, we will get to the end point before the end of Governor Emmanuel's first term on May 29 this year. The total road may not be done, but we will definitely have access to the end point."

On some of intervention projects and major contracts where contractors have shown lackadaisical attitude, Commissioner Inyang-Eyen announced that State government will cancel those projects and re-award them.

"Every contract that has been given out to whosoever, who is, at this moment not at his site, when I get to that site, the Governor has given me permission to cancel those contract and re-award same.

" We are at the process of re-awarding Airport - Okopedi Road that we gave to Aquatic Construction Company because the governor is determined now that Akwa Ibom people without any godfather has given him a renewed mandate, to give to our people something they will remember him for, and that is absolute and perfect development of all the nooks and crannies of Akwa Ibom State"

Meanwhile, some buildings and structures that were cited on the main alignment of the ongoing road constructions were demolished after due compensation had been paid.