Reflections on Governor Udom Seven-Corner Performance (3)

By Tom FredFish

Three-Corner: Roads Construction

The intention to encourage influx of investors as well as build infrastructures that will make Akwa Ibom State a destination has led governor Udom Emmanuel to take road construction a major corner and priority of his government.

In doing so, governor Udom has ensured that no senatorial district is left out in the road construction plan of his administration. Thus, he has ensured the even spread of roads to the three senatorial districts of the state with the state capital, Uyo, the main harbinger of roads construction.

Consequently, towards the end of 2017, governor Udom kick-start the construction of a set of over 46 new roads within Uyo metropolis. This is directly admitting the importance of Uyo, the state capital. These roads which are currently under construction with some concluded are; Udotung Ubo Lane, off Udotung Ubo street; Ibiono street, off Ikot Abasi street; Etoi street, off Ikot Abasi street; Akpa Ube Close, off IBB way by AKEES office and Teacher’s House; Graceland school road, Shelter Afrique; Akparen street, off Ikot Abasi street; Afaha Etok Ibesikpo by Tropicana Entertainment; Prof Offiong Street, Shelter Afrique; Vision Close, Nsukkara Offot; Idongesit Crescent, Off Barracks road; Ebong Street, off Barracks road; Ebong Lane, off Barracks road; Asutan street, off Barracks road; Umoren Extension, Library Avenue; Nung Atai road, Akpaube Crescent Opposite Ibom Hall; Akwa Ima Extension road, off Goodluck Jonathan Boulevard; Aka Community School road; Youth Avenue, off Oron road Mbiabong; Stallion hotel road by Ediye street, Ewet Housing Estate; Akpan Ndem by Four Lane, Ewet Housing; Redeemed Christian Church road, Ibesikpo; Ukim close off D Line Ewet Housing Estate; Afaha Ikot Obio Nkan road, opposite Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio. Other are Ntiedo Udosen street, and roads around the state secretariat annex; Believers Assembly, Mbiabong Etoi; Ring road II which is the continuation of UdoUdoma Avenue down to Abak road; and several roads within Ewet Housing Extension covering about 5 kilometres.

Apart from these 46 newly initiated roads above, other roads this administration has intervened on are: 6.1 km Atan Offot roads; Information Drive and Internal roads at the Cornelia Cornelly College, Uyo, all constructed and commissioned.

Furthermore, governor Udom who is very sensitive and committed to the people’s concern in a swift response to the challenge of flood affecting key locations in the state capital, delivered an outfall drain system which has now ended the hazard of flooding in Uyo. The Nsikak Eduok / Oron Road / Akwa Efak / Tropicana Complex / Ibesikpo drains which was flagged off in August 2015 and handled by construction giants, Julius Berger was delivered to world class standards. It has a 1.5 km long underground drains and open water channels. There are also side drains, fencing to protect residents, mesh and asphalted roads to complement the project.

Other roads within the Uyo senatorial district that have also been commissioned earlier include the 3.5km Ikot Udom road; 6 km Idiaba –Nda Nsit road in Nsit Atai and Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Areas. The ongoing road projects include; 29km Etinan –Ndon Eyo road with 2 bridges where work has reached advanced stage and would be ready anytime soon. Work is also ongoing at the 14.5km Airport Junction, Uyo – Nsit Atai – Okopedi road dualization, and at the Uruan axis is the Anua – Mbak Ishiet road. Julius Berger is still working on the Ikot Oku Ikono – Etinan road dualization. And the 2nd runway of the Akwa Ibom International Airport is not left out.

In Ikot Ekpene senatorial district, roads constructions are visible in most parts of the district. Work is at its peak on the 14.1km Odoro Ikpe-Ikpe Ikot Nkon-Obotme-Arochukwu road with 110km bridge in Ini LGA. Work is also on at the 23.5km Ikot Ekaide-Ikot Okoro-Ikot Ibritam road in Oruk Anam LGA, in addition to the 18.5km Ikot Ibritam-Ekeffe-Ikot Akpan Afaha road with a bridge also in Oruk Anam and Ukanafun LGAs. The governor further consolidated road construction in the ISD with the construction of Abak-Nsekhe-Ikot Akpankuk-Ikot Etim-Ikot Ikara (Phase 3, Section A) – from Ikot Ikara to Ikot Ibritam.

More so, about 5.1 km length of internal roads was constructed at the Akwa Ibom State University, Obio Akpa; 4km internal roads in Obong University, Etim Ekpo L.G.A; 32km roads in Ika L.G.A, including the 4.95km Ibesit Okpokoro /Ikot Ibritam roads. Governor Udom is very conscious of the importance of the Uyo-Ikot Ekpene road and is doing everything necessary to ensure the completion of the remaining 25 kilometres Uyo-Ikot Ekpene road handled by Julius Berger.

The Eket senatorial district is not left out in the road construction bonanza of governor Udom with Oron Federal constituency taking the lead and becoming the centre of attraction. Quality roads such as: Bassey Lane; Mainland Avenue; Effiat Lane; Mary Hanny Street; Post Office Road; Convent Street; Ebo Street; Murtala Street; Atta Street; Oron Road; Market Street; Ekpenyong-Abasi street; and other have been constructed. Also constructed is the 9km Secretariat –Eyotai Ulliong Edikor – Udue Eta Road in UdungUko Local Government Area. Work is still on to complete the 19km Etebi – Enwang Road with 2 bridges extending through many communities.

The dualization of the 14.5km Airport Road – Okopedi Oron – Oron Road by East West Road cutting across Ekpene Ukim, Ikot Asua, Ikot Etieidung, Nung Atai Eta, and Okopedi Okobo axing Nsit Atai and Okobo Local Government Areas is ongoing as well as the dualization of the 13.5km Okopedi Okobo – Oron Road proceeding from Nung Atai Eta, Itak, Uyatie, Edeghi Awa Ikpi, Otti Oro and Uya Oro villages in Okobo and Oron Local Government Areas.
Other roads are the 2. 5km Mkpok -Okat Road, Onna; Dualization Of 20km Eket-Ibeno Road; construction/Remodeling Of Selected Roads, Strategic Roundabouts / Junctions In Eket Metropolis (Phase I & II), Construction Of 9.5km Ikot Ebekpo-Ikot Ebidang Road In Onna Local Govt. Area, construction Of 12.742km Awa Iman –Asong-Ikot Edim –Ikot Emem road with 2no Bridges in Onna / MkpatEnin L.G.As, construction Of 47.5km Abak-Ekparakwa Ete junction by East West road in Ikot Abasi, construction Of 36 roads in Eket Metropolis, construction Of 4.0km Nung Atai Eta-Atabong road with landing jetty in Okobo L.G.A, construction Of 22.19km Ikot Akpaden-Okoroete-Iko, Okoroete-Irile-AmadakaKampa road and spur in Eastern Obolo L.G.A; construction of 13km Ukat Aran-Obio Ubium-IkotUbo road with spur-EdemIdimOkpot with 2 No. Bridges, construction of 13.1km Ibekwe-Ikot Mkpeye-Ikot Unya road And bridge in MkpatEnin L.G.A. These roads exempt many other roads which has been completed and commission in the first year of governor Udom as Governor of Akwa Ibom state.

Thus, one can authoritatively conclude that the widespread roads construction currently going on in Akwa Ibom state is a small douse compared to what governor Udom has in stock for Akwa Ibom people when reelected for a second term in 2019 says Aniekeme Finbar, a public affairs analyst and aide to the governor.

From every verifiable indications no corner of the Udom led-administration can be more reflected on, than roads construction which has converted the state to a perpetual construction site and given it a facelift. For many close observers, its almost midnight for most state governors in Nigeria, yet daybreak for governor Udom Emmanuel whose performance has left the opposition genuflected.

To be continued…

Tom Fredfish is a public affair analyst