The Akwa Ibom government’s ongoing 680m span Ikot Oku Ikono flyover project within Uyo Capital City will not be hindered despite the harsh global economic effect caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The state’s commissioner for information, Sir Charles Udoh, who made this known while leading the Government Information Management team on an on-the-spot assessment of the ongoing project, assured that COVID-19 pandemic will not affect the timely completion of the flyover.
The tour is part of the team’s activities towards heightening publicity on the life-touching projects of Governor Udom Emmanuel within his five years’ administration.
Udoh expressed the optimism that with the magnitude of work so far attained and the commitment of workers of Julius Berger, the construction firm handling the project, there is no doubt that the flyover which commenced in July 2019 will meet its specified two years completion work term.
The state information helmsman and chairman of the State Government Information Management Team further led the team to other ongoing road projects along the Uyo- Ekom-Iman – Etinan – Ndon Eyo axis, where the team inspected the 29.0km dualization of Etinan – Ndon Eyo Road with 2No Cable Bridges, dualization of 20.0km Uyo-Etinan Road (Ikot Oku Ikono) and the construction of 12.742km Awa Iman – Asong – Ikot Edim-Ikot Emem Road with 2 bridges in ONNA, among others.
Interacting with the team, Iniobong Tommy Udoh, a cyclist, expressed appreciation to Governor Emmanuel for the road construction projects, which he said have opened up easy linkages among the local government areas in that axis.
Also speaking, Goodnews Friday, a food vendor, said the road has made the movement of her wares very comfortable when considering the past deplorable condition of the road which hindered smooth movement before Governor Emmanuel’s intervention and prayed God to bless the governor.
On his part, a commercial bus driver, Elder Nsikan Umonda, said the road has reduced the rate of accidents which hitherto was commonplace in the area and expressed deep gratitude to Governor Udom Emmanuel for coming to the aid of the people.
Others who also reacted on the construction of the intra/ inter-local government roads in the state included a sachet water seller, Imaobong Duff Okon from Nsit Ubium, who said the expansion of the road from single to dual carriage has given a face-lift to Etinan LGA and given the people a sense of belonging; Aniefiok Abraham, an electrician who was full of praises to Governor Emmanuel for making the people see in Akwa Ibom what was only found in Lagos and other big cities;and Ekong Etukudo, a grocery trader who said buyers now have easy access to his shop, thereby increasing his sales.
It would be recalled that since assumption of office, Governor Udom Emmanuel has demonstrated his determination to link up the state with economically viable roads network for easy evacuation of agricultural produce from the hinterland to the economic nerve centres of the state and for easy movement of people and transportation of goods and services.
Among members of the team on the roads project tour were the director of information, Akparawa James Edet; the secretary of the government information management team, Mr. Aniekeme Finbarr; the SA Print Media, Mr. Aniefiok Macaulay; SA ICT, Mr. Solomon Eyo; SA Research and Documentation, Mr. Essien Ndueso and SA Media, Rev’d Richard Peters.
Others included: the director, Public Relations in the Ministry of Information, Mrs. Grace Akpan; the SA Media to the commissioner for information, Mr. Godwin Ibok; assistant director in-charge of Ikot Ekpene Zonal Office, Mr. Aniekan Ukpong and a chief information officer, Mr. Idris Mabadeje.
The team continues the on-the-spot assessment tour of government projects toward enlightening the populace on the giant strides of Governor Udom Emmanuel in all sectors and sections of the state.
