…Assures on Completion of Urban Renewal, Other Projects.
Governor Udom Emmanuel has assured Eket people that he will commission all the projects embarked upon in the area by his administration. He explained that since Eket was the headquarters of the senatorial district, his intention to give the area a facelift was nonnegotiable.
Governor Emmanuel gave the assurances while inaugurating some new internal roads and a remodeled, digitized General Hospital in the area.
“I will not leave office without completing all the projects I started in Eket,” he said at Osiok, were he commissioned some network of roads.
“There were over 28 roads ready for commissioning, but we chose to use the roads in Eket to symbolically represent other roads.
On the delay in the completion of the urbane remodeling of Eket, Mr Emmanuel explained that, “the founder of the construction firm, Nigerpet, had died last year, and the person who took over from him, died three months ago. That really affected them.
“It would be unfair to revoke that contract at this point,but I have gotten the commitment of the management of the firm that they will complete that project to specification,” the Governor assured.
Roads commissioned include 3km Ebe Ekpe- Osiok – Iko Eket road, 2.7km Ikot Afaha – Osiok Road and 1.5km Iko Ekwa- Afaha Ukwa- Obok Idim Road, Ibok street and Akpaisang street.
The leaders from that locality, Chief Nduese Essien and Elder Ben Udobia commended the Governor for linking the neglected communities with development.
Chief Essien said campaigning for the support in Osiok and its neighbouring communities was usually difficult because of the inaccessible roads, adding that the new network of roads there means the Governor has opened a new development area in Eket.
The former Minister of Lands and Housing said his people were impressed with the numerous roads embarked upon by the Governor in the area, and prayed for strength to enable their completion.
“By the time you complete all those projects, Eket would not be the same again,” Essien said.
The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Frank Archibong,flanked by the PDP chairmanship candidate Akan Tommey and the party chairman in the area, Emman Mbong, said the young people in the area have been so inspired by the leadership and presented the Governor with a cow gift .
Earlier the Commissioner for Works and Fire Service Prof. Eno Ibanga had explained that the roads were complete with side drains on either sides and durable asphalt, and promised to supervise projects in line with the drive of the state chief executive.
In a thank you message, the chairman of Esit Eket said the Governor’s achievements have made local government administration to be a lot easier for him and his colleagues.
At the remodeled and reequipped Immanuel General Hospital, Eket, the Governor assured that six more containers of modern medical equipment are still being expected from the high sea.
He said the hospital was now digitized to cater for healthcare challenges in line with the current times.
The Governor maintained that he was equipping the hospital with the most modern intensive care unit facilities and added that he was going to extend same to Ikot Abasi and Ikot Ekpene Hospitals were remodeling is currently ongoing.
He said that the projects executed are for the benefit of all, and hence required everyone to be vigilante to help secure them.
He used the occasion to also explain that the ultra modern market project and the stadium complex in Eket would have been completed and commissioned but for the pandemic which made it impossible for the expatriates handling the respective projects to return from their countries.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Augustine Umoh said, “Though previous administrations had tried to intervene in the rehabilitation and renovation of the hospital, never had it been taken to the level and scope undertaken by the present administration.
“The hospital has witnessed a holistic remodeling, reconstruction and re-equipping in line with current medical best practices”
Also speaking at the Hospital, the Paramount Ruler of Eket, Obong Etim C.D. Abia, commended the Governor for the intervention, just as Honorable David Lawrence who represents Eket in the House of Assembly, also called on the people to be patient as the Governor’s completion agenda was on course in the area.
The commissioning exercise continues on Friday with a visit to Onna where the Governor will commission a 9.5km Ikot Ebekpo – Ikot Ebidang Road and a new General Hospital.
