Eket Residents Laud Gov. Udom for East-West Road Intervention Project

By edet EDET.

Residents of Eket Local government has expressed appreciation to Governor Udom Emmanuel for feeling the pangs of the people, who ply the deplorable Eket-Oron road section of the East-West road, and coming to their aid with an intervention project to put the road in a motorable state, just to quell the hazards of road menace.

The intervention project, handled by the Akwa Ibom State Road Maintenance Agency (AKROIMA) is meant to wear the dilapidated sections of the road a new look on completion with a major professional touch of excavating before reconstruction.

According to the facilitator, Hon. Frank Archibong, Chairman, Eket LGA, he stated that he became worried with the deteriorating state of the road and had to approach the Governor to solicit for his help before the road becomes impassable.

Archibong, who doubles as the ALGON Chairman, AKS, emphasized that it was not the duty of the state government to interfere in already awarded projects of the FG, but due to the tardy and seeming abandonment of the road, he saw a need to call for help.

Frank stressed that it is only a governor who has the people at heart will be moved by the ills, eating deep into the fabric of his people’s life and as such, he is, on behalf of the good people of Eket LGA thankful to Governor Udom Emmanuel for his timely response.

He further extended the warm heart of appreciation to the Chairman of AKROIMA, Dr. Godwin Ntukudeh for aiding the realisation of the maintenance project.

“let me use this medium to thank His Excellency, Mr. Udom Emmanuel for the speedy response in salvaging the deplorable state of the Oron road axis of the east-west road.”

“Of truth, God is really with us through his son, His Excellency, Mr. Udom Emmanuel”

“It is only a Governor with a good heart that will veer into already awarded FG project, just for the sake of the people; it means the Governor feels their pulses” he added.

However, mixed reactions have trailed the discontinuance of the Oron road axis of the east-west road handled by an Italian company (Gitto Construction Company).

Majority says the contractors has fraudulently converted funds meant for the project for personal usage, some say the federal government has refused to fund the project to completion; from the peoples diverse views and suggestions, none has been able to identify the cause of the road abandonement.

According to Okon Etukudo, a motorist who spoke to iReportersng, he recalled that Chief Ndueso Essien in one of his granted interviews, had stated that there is no budgetary provisions for the East- West road project, awarded by the Obasanjo’s administration with focus in interjoining the west, east and southern nigeria in 2018; meaning that if the 2017 budget does not complete the project, the road will be abandoned.

Okon, who poured encomium on the Governor for making the road passable also prayed the governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel to speak to President Buhari for the completion of the East-West Road.