OH yes, the dry season is here! A season in which everyone is experiencing huge relief from heavy rainfalls that most times hinder us from embarking on, or realizing set targets, projects or journeys. We all have our various tales of ‘mission stagnancy’, courtesy of the dry season. While some may have put their weddings on hold in order not to experience flops/halts,, others also postponed burials of their loved ones or other special occasions, to fix them appropriately during the dry season, so that the rains would not be an excuse against the success of their targets.
Yes, we all had our fair share of experiences with the rainy season. Personally, I see the season as that which slows down plans. It keeps people’s clothes outside for long, as against what obtains during the dry season. These and many more, ginger my love for the dry season (despite its accompanying heats, anyways).
I know that I am not alone in this love for the dry season, there are others that are also in my clique of “dry season fans” as construction and gas-flaring companies are not left out in the chain because the dry season is unarguably their season of exploits.
AKROIMA is not left out in the list of companies and agencies that line up in wait for the wake of the dry season, to enable them efficiently and effectively carry out their corporate social responsibilities for citizens.
AKROIMA had its own share of tales of woe during the rainy season, which stalled their efforts in providing a pleasurable driving experience on roads for motorists and other road users in the state through her “Operation zero potholes” mantra.
The works supervisor, Engineer Idorenyin Usanga who recounted their unpleasant experience in the course of carrying out rehabilitation on the road that hosts Ikot Isong, Ishiet Erong and Afaha Iman in Etinan Local Government Area during the period of the rainy season, narrated that his team were held hostage by the rain for more than two hours. As the rain kept pouring in its pool, one could liken that to the days of Noah and the Ark, the many truck-loads of Asphalts which were taken to the site to fill up the failed portions of the road had to be kept on hold, waiting for the rain to at least go on a short break to enable the engineers pour the asphalts on the failed portions to curb incessant accidents usually experienced by road users in the area. Of course, the rains had gone on break that night, the engineers did the work but by that time, things had already fallen apart and the centre could no longer hold because asphalts and cold weather (as the rainy season) are not good companions.
In every struggle, you win some and loose some. As the case was on that Etinan road, AKROIMA must admit, they lost it to rainfall because the asphalts which were already affected by excessive rainfall, could not properly settle, hence, a portion of the road returned to its “square one”.
However, AKROIMA did not rest on its resolve to meet its “operation zero potholes” target. The Agency swung into action, utilized the dry season and remobilized into salvaging not only the Etinan roads, but other failed portions and potholes on roads in the state.
Presently, that road, a portion of Etinan junction in Etinan LGA and other streets within Uyo metropolis, including Robert Udo Ekpo Street off Two Lane, Aka Itiam street, Udeme Simon Avenue, Osongama road, Ikot Abasi Street (ongoing), Edem Akai street, Ewet housing estate, Aka Etinan and many other roads have so far benefitted from AKROIMA’s “Operation zero potholes” revolution in the dry season.
The Agency is still not resting in its oars of tapping into the dry season to fill potholes and mend failed portions of roads to the best of its capacity.
Nelson Mandela road which has been in the news as one of the roads badly ridden with potholes, has experienced AKROIMA’s midas touch.
Other roads earmarked for quick intervention by the Agency are: Uyo Road by Stadium road in Etinan LGA, Anen Nsit in Nsit Ibom LGA and many others.
With the speed of road rehabilitation work so far carried out by AKROIMA, there is every possibility that if properly boosted and empowered, the Agency would maximally utilize the dry season, fill potholes and bad spots on roads within the state, and then citizens would be cruising on roads without limitations during the rainy season.
