Governor Godswill O. Akpabio has formally flagged off the dualisation of\u00a0 a 75-kilometre Federal Road- Eket-Etinan Road costing\u00a0 about N26 billion.<\/p>\n
The dualised road with parking lots and three bridges is to be constructed by CCECC Nigeria Ltd. and would be completed in 36 months.<\/p>\n
Akpabio, who performed the flag-off ceremony Wednesday\u00a0 at Okon Village in Eket Local Government Area, said \u201cI am not starting a job to abandon. I am starting a job to complete by 2015. I have directed that the construction company should start from three locations: One from Eket, another in the middle and the other to start from Etinan Town and the three will join. We have three bridges along this road, and the company will make sure that as much a possible, we have street lights all over\u201d.<\/p>\n
The Governor said the road would be completed within the tenure of his administration, and urged people of the area to cooperate with the construction firm so that they can deliver the job within the stipulated time.<\/p>\n
The Commissioner for Works, Mr. Don Etim said the road when completed would reduce traveling time, enhance traffic decongestion, eliminate road fatality and promote economic activities.<\/p>\n
Etim said Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Works would supervise and monitor the project to ensure it was done according to specification- using the best materials, adding that he had no doubt in the competence of the contractor.<\/p>\n
At the inauguration of urban roads in Etinan (Nsit Street, Stadium Road, Iman Street and Nkana Road) measuring 11.7 kilometres, Governor Akpabio said \u201cIt is a great thing that we are now leaving Uyo, the capital city to begin to touch local government area.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am aware that this place used to be like forest and nobody thought that there could be tarred road here. That is why the people of Etinan and particularly those who live along this stretch will know that this is uncommon Transformation. I am happy to be here and I have already assured Etinan people that I am not through with you yet. We will go into other urban Etinan roads that were done by the military government and resurface them so that we can turn the town around. That is when the beauty of what we are doing will come out\u201d, he posited.<\/p>\n
The Governor said the good news was that Etinan people had\u00a0 their\u00a0 representatives in his administration, remarking \u201cThe story is that we are now opening roads to progress; we are opening roads to major infrastructure; we are opening roads to industries; and above all we are opening roads for peace. I want you to remain united and to love one another.<\/p>\n
”’It is on this note that I say that anybody that passes this road will not see action, whosoever passes along this road will see progress and whosoever lives along here will have peace of mind, I dedicate this and all the adjoining roads to God Almighty\u201d.<\/p>\n
The speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Elder Sam Ikon, who hails from the area, thanked Governor Akpabio for providing the area with access roads, hinting that for over 30 years Etinan had only one major road traversing the area with a spur to Afaha Nsit.<\/p>\n
Ikon said \u201cWhen I came into office in 2007, our greatest problem was road and over the years, the Governor has promised he would do it. I want to thank our dear Governor for giving us roads and to assure him of our continuous support\u201d.<\/p>\n
Otuekong Sunny Jackson, a prominent\u00a0 community leader\/politician from\u00a0 the area recalled that for over 70 years,\u00a0 the roads in the area were foot\u00a0 tracks, affirming the Governor as a promise keeper because construction of the roads in the area was one of the things he requested the Governor to do.<\/p>\n
Similarly, the Paramount Ruler of Etinan, Edidem Dickson Umoette lauded Governor Akpabio for transforming the area, and assured him of their support at all times.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Governor Akpabi has inaugurated Security Villages worth about N6 billion built and completed by his administration in Eket Senatorial District comprising 12 local government areas and had officially handed them over to the local government councils.<\/p>\n
Akpabio who inaugurated the security village at Urue Offong in Urue Offong\/Oruko Local Government Area said the security villages were complete estate for all local\u00a0 government functionaries providing security in the\u00a0 local government areas.<\/p>\n
Akpabio stated that \u201cThe vision was given to us from God. We did not want to leak this secret to other Nigerians, but now we have commissioned this estate. They can now emulate us. In those days, chairmen of local government councils used to live in the state headquarters but we have made it possible for people at the grassroots who want to see their chairmen to have a place they can report\u201d.<\/p>\n
Each village has 14 buildings, 250 KVA generator, 300 KVA transformer, integrated water treatment plant, lawn tennis court, 300 kilometres of tarred roads, street lights and perimeter fence, among others, on three hectares of land, meant to be occupied by Chairmen, Vice Chairmen, Heads of Local Government Service,\u00a0 Treasurers, Heads of State Security Service, Divisional Police Officers, Divisional Crime Officers and Leaders of legislature in the area.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Governor Godswill O. Akpabio has formally flagged off the dualisation of\u00a0 a 75-kilometre Federal Road- Eket-Etinan Road costing\u00a0 about N26 billion. The dualised road with parking lots and three bridges…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6883,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14188","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n