Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, has inaugurated a five-man Dakkada Luxury Estate Board, with an assurance that the state government will not rest on its oars in expanding the housing and educational facilities to accommodate the influx into the state occasioned by alluring government policies.

Performing the inauguration today on the floor of the Executive Council Chambers, Government House, Uyo, Governor Emmanuel observed that the Ewet Housing and Shelter Afrique estates in Uyo are already overstretched hence the Dakkada Luxury Estate becomes a necessity as a next point of call for a serene topnotch housing area.

Constituted into the Board were, Paul Usoro SAN as Chairman, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, Mr. Churchill Udo, Brig. Gen. Koko Essien (Rtd.) as members and Hillary Ekpo as Secretary.

According to the governor, the essence of the Dakkada Luxury Estate Board was to clarify its status as a Limited Liability Company that will not be running at government expense.

The governor assured that with the assurance of steady power, a reliable reticulation system for portable water, LPG duct, broadband internet service in the very low density housing estate, the demand for the estate is already high, hence the guarantee that it will be self sustaining and generate enough revenue for expansion before the 600 units are exhausted.

Expatiating on the importance of such a facility in the state, Governor Emmanuel said shelter was very key in any developing economy, adding that the free and compulsory education policy in the state has caused influx of people into Akwa Ibom, thus overstretching public facilities and raising the need to expand educational and shelter in time to avoid the state being overrun.

He disclosed that also in the offing were plans to develop a medium density and high density estates that will accommodate people who cannot afford the multimillion low density luxury estate adding that the government has also secured financing to develop housing estates for Civil servants.

To accommodate the influx of families with children of school age, the governor said his administration was considering setting up another big school in the outskirt of Uyo to ease the already overstretched schools in the Uyo metropolis.

He said, "the way the city is expanding is alarming, but it's a good problem. Nature has a way of creating these expansions so we have to deliberately expand to accommodate.

"So we are ready and I am sure within the next one year we should get set with high density and medium density housing estates.

"Even in terms of schools, all the schools in Uyo are overstretched. We are considering setting up a very big secondary school somewhere around Ikono Uyo"

The Board Chairman, Mr. Paul Usoro SAN, in his response, lauded the Governor's ingenuity in providing a development compass for the state, well beyond the period of his regime and thanked him for an opportunity to share in his vision.

Usoro assured the governor and the people of the state that the Board will walk as a team to deliver on the vision behind the establishment of the Dakkada Luxury Estate, make effort to achieve the second phase of the project and beyond.



Media Unit
Govt House, Uyo
Akwa Ibom State
05/04/22