Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has reiterated his commitment to complete all the road projects he inherited from previous administrations.
Eno, who spoke through the Commissioner for Works and Fire Service, Prof Eno Ibanga, during a press conference at the NUJ Press Center in Uyo, said he would also complete the ones initiated by his administration.
Ibanga who was flanked by the commissioner for Information and Strategy, Ini Ememobong, and chairman, Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency, Prince Ikim, said so far, Eno has injected over N208.16bn on roads and other infrastructural development projects since the inception of his administration in May 29, 2023.
He said out of the sum, N47.93bn was injected on 36 projects inherited from Finance and General Purpose Committee, another N4.04bn on 51 spent on emergency intervention projects inherited from the immediate past administration, giving a total of 51.96bn already spent in this category.
He added that the sum of N151.96bn had been injected into 61 ARISE Agenda projects of the present administration.
He said, “Let’s reiterate the firm and sincere commitment by the administration of Pastor Umo Eno to complete the road infrastructure projects he inherited by previous administrations in Akwa Ibom State as well as completing the ones initiated by his administration.
“For both the initiated and inherited projects, this administration has spent an accumulative sum of N208.16 Billion as at October 18th 2024.”
Speaking on the slow pace of work at the Tabernacle road project, the commissioner attributed it to perennial rainfall, assuring that the project would be commissioned by January 2025 as the greater part of the work needed for the completion of the project has been the excavation that requires at least 11 meters deep.
The commissioner also warned against erecting structures on waterways, drainages and right of ways so as not to compound the issue of flooding in the state.
He further warned against initiating additional designs like speed breakers on the roads, saying such can cause early damage to the road infrastructure. According to him, the right thing to do is to approach the Ministry of Works with such requests.
