Itoro Bassey
Ahead of the 2023 general elections, Saviour Akpan, the Executive Director of COMPPART Foundation for Justice and Peace Building, has said he would donate a live cow to appreciate Governor UDOM Emmanuel if he (governor) commissions the Atim Akpeke Eto, Ikot Okoro-Ikot Ibritam Road in Oruk Anam local government area of Akwa Ibom State.
Atim Akpeke Eto, Ikot Okoro-Ikot Ibritam road project, which was said to have started during Governor Emmanuel’s first term, was designed to be furnished with two bridges at Mbiakot and Ikot Okoro.Since Governor Emmanuel awarded the road for construction, the project has somewhat remained abandoned while the supposed beneficiaries have continued to lament deaths, loss of livelihoods and increasing poverty due to the deplorable state of the road.Mr. Akpan, who was a guest at Passion FM’s ‘Security, Human Rights and You’ programme, on Friday, last week, said “we will roll out the drums to celebrate our son-in-law” when the road is finally completed and commissioned.
He also hinted that an Oruk Anam indigene by the name Friday Esenam has pledged to provide N50,000 as transport fare that the governor would use to take the cow gift home.
According to the human rights activist, another indigene has promised to donate a carton of wine for the merriment which is expected following the donation of the cow to His Excellency the Governor.
“The governor should not forget his promise on the Oruk Anam road projects. We are waiting for him. He said he would commission the road in December 2022.
“In December 2022, I will give the governor a cow if he commissions Oruk Anam road. Somebody has already added one carton of wine, while another person, Friday Esenam, one pastor who called me said he would add N50,000 for transport when he is coming to collect the cow.
“The road is one project this present administration will come back and complete at the appropriate time”, he said.
The governor had, in early November, reassured the people that all ongoing road construction projects in Oruk Anam local government area would be completed before the end of 2022.
Governor Emmanuel, who spoke at the burial of Late Architect Idongesit Udoffa, from Oruk Anam, had said that the road projects in Oruk Anam were among the longest road projects being executed by the state government.
The ogoing Ikot Ekaide-Ikot Okoro-Ikot Ibritam Road, Ibesit Okpokoro-Ikot Ibritam Road, and the Ikot Ibritam-Inen-Ekeffe, Odoro Ikot Ukanfun Road are some of the major road projects of the government in Oruk Anam.
Mr Saviour Akpan said that the neglect of the roads has not only resulted in untold hardship but has also continued to impact negatively on the livelihood of the people of Oruk Anam.
When this reporter visited some of the communities within the local government area on Wednesday, the residents and motorists were unanimous in the demand for the construction of the roads in and around the local government area.
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