Work has been flagged off on a new 28-kilometre road to link Ikot Ikara-Ikot Ibritam in Oruk Anam Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

Performing the ceremony on Wednesday during his town hall visit to Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency, Governor Godswill Akpabio expressed disappointment with the state of roads in the two local government areas. He attributed this to persistent neglects by successive governments in the state.

Chief Akpabio who harped on the importance of the road, announced that the Utu Nsehe axis of the road was to be awarded to Setraco Construction Company for immediate completion.

The governor had previously commissioned the Abak – Obio Akpa – Nsehe Road with three bridges, and also later commissioned the Nsehe – Ikot Akpa Nkuk axis of the road with another massive bridge.

He said he was happy with the support he has always enjoyed from the people of the federal constituency which accounted for the overwhelming victory he got in the last general elections, and promised to do more to open up the area and boost more economic activities.

While harping on the disadvantage of blackmail and betrayal, Akpabio called on Akwa Ibom people to forgo their personal ambitions at the expense of the collective harmony and unity of the state. He warned the few self-seeking individuals who are plotting to use their wealth to scuttle the collective wish of the people of the state to have a rethink or meet the wrath of God.

Governor Akpabio frowned at the alleged ethnic media campaigns by some politicians, maintaining that if the state is thrown into ethnic chaos, even those who ferment the crises would be unable to live in it and enjoy their wealth.

The governor expressed disappointment at the shortfall in revenue accruable to the state, which he said accounted for his inability to achieve more for the Ukanafun Federal Constituency.

In their reactions, the stakeholders from the area expressed deep appreciation to Chief Akpabio for reconnecting them with the other part of the state.

The member representing Oruk Anam State Constituency and Deputy Speaker of the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Udo Kierian Akpan, thanked the governor for making Ukanafun a priority to his administration. He said the people are happy that apart from completing the major road with four bridges to link Ukanafun/Oruk Anam with Abak, the governor has embarked on the Ikot Ikara – Ikot Ibritam Road that will link the new road with the East Way Road and make movement to Port Harcourt and Aba easier for the people.

He maintained that it was the wish of the people that Akpabio should represent them in the Senate in 2015, and told the governor: “We saw you as a man who has not exhausted his capacity and we appealed to you to accept to go and represent us in the Senate in 2015.”

Sir Akpan maintained that the people of the constituency had also routed in support of the next governorship position being zoned to Eket senatorial district.

Others who spoke insisted that Governor Akpabio owed them nothing other than to accept their mandate for the Senate seat of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District in 2015.

Former Council Chairman Chief Vitalis Unang, former state lawmaker, Mr. Saturday Akpan, and a youth activist, Prince Ikim, also lauded Akpabio and affirmed their support for him to be the spokesman of not just the district, but the entire state in the next Senate. They maintained that for justice and equity, it was proper to encourage Eket Senatorial District to produce the next governor of the state.

Governor Akpabio has so far visited eight federal constituencies where the general opinion among stakeholders has been in support of equity and justice, and that Eket senatorial district which has never produced a governor since the state’s creation, should produce the next governor in 2015.

•Photo shows Gov. Godswill Akpabio, during another official function, cutting the tape to commission Examination Block at the Cornelia Cornelly College, Afaha Oku, Uyo.

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