By Isaiah Eka
Good road infrastructure plays critical role in the economic development of every society. They promote rapid growth, employment, urbanisation, poverty reduction, and equitable distribution of services.
Good roads provide the stimulus needed for business activities to thrive, it also aids urbanisation because the time spent for travels and movement of goods and services is drastically reduced.
Akwa Ibom is known for durable and clean road networks, especially within Uyo, the capital city.
The commitment to build good roads has remained visible in the policy thrusts of successive administrations.
Formers governors, Obong Victor Attah, Sen. Godswill Akpabio and Mr Udom Emmanuel, all played their roles in delivering good road infrastructure in the state.
While mounting the saddle on May 29, 2023, Gov. Umo Eno reiterated his administration’s resolve to implement road projects that will drive economic prosperity in the state.
Eno had assured Alwa Ibom people of his commitment to keep his campaign promise to build road infrastructure in order to tap into the state’s rich tourism potential.
The governor also promised to judiciously deploy state funds towards completing all road projects inherited from his predecessor.
Speaking to newsmen recently, Prof. Eno Ibanga, the Commissioner for Works and Fire Service, said Eno-led administration has covered an impressive mileage in its move to expand the frontiers of infrastructure and consolidate on existing ones.
Ibanga said the state government had spent N47.9 billion on 36 projects inherited from the immediate past administration.
“About N4 billion has also been injected into the completion of 51 of the emergency intervention projects inherited from the immediate past administration.
“I can confirm to you that a total of N51. 96 billion has been spent on this category of project”
The commissioner said that road infrastructure was pivotal to economic growth and development, adding that Eno was fully aware of such reality
He said that the governor had already awarded the contract for the construction of Tabernacle Road to improve business activities and the over all welfare of the residents.
“The governor will soon inaugurate road projects that have been completed across the 31 local government areas of the state”
He listed the roads lined up for inauguration to include, the 6.97km Ukpana-Akpabom-Ikwe Road with 30m bridge in Onna and Mkpat Enin, and the 2.45km Internal Roads at Block G, Anua Ifa Ikot Okpon Housing Estate, Uyo.
Others are, the 3.6km Ikot Obio Offong-Nung Ukana (Spur I to Ikot Obio Odongo) -Abaukpo – (Spur II to Afaha Ikot Owop)-Obetok- Obongntong-Enen Nsit- Afaha Udoeyop-Afaha Offong Road in Ibesikpo Asutan.
Also planned for inauguration are the 10.519km Mkpat Enin-Ikot Ubo-Ikot Ntot-Nkikara Road in Mkpat Enin/Ikot Abasi and the 9.76km Anciliary Roads with 60m Bridge in Nsit Ubium.
Ibanga said that the government was resolved to ensure quality implementation of road projects in the state.
He urged residents of the state to avoid acts capable of damaging the roads in the their communities.
“The government and the residents are partners in progress, it is the duty of the residents to protect road infrastructure in their communities by avoiding discriminate dumping of refuse in the drains.
“So, as we move ahead in our journey of road infrastructure expansion and consolidation as encapsulated in our arise agenda.
“We must remember that roads have lifespan, and that maintenance and remedial jobs are inevitable as the roads aged.
“We shall commence the repair of all failed portions of roads in the state. We are waiting for the rains to stop”, he said.
Dr Asha Ekpeyong, an Uyo-based public analyst and social commentator said good road infrastructure in the state had made it a preferred destination for many national and international conferences.
He said that good road network was a major point of attraction for public and private outfits who hold retreats in the state.
“So, the advantages of road infrastructure to the economy cannot be over emphasised. Hotels and restaurants make brisk businesses, whenever high magnitute retreats hold in the state.
“Even footballs clubs hold their camping in the state. Because the roads are good, it is easy to move from Ikot Ekpene to Uyo for their games”, he said.
Ekpeyong described the road infrastructure in the state as top notch and incomparable to any state in the nation.
Mr Ekerete Udoh, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, said that the quality of roads in the state was made possible through quality successive leaderships and commitment to service delivery.
“From the time of Obong Victor Attah to the current administration, governors of the state had given priority attention to road infrastructure.
“They understood the impact of good roads on security, economy and the general welfare of the people.
“It is not an understatement that the state has been lucky with the quality of governors it has produced since the return of democracy.
“The governors have also touched other key areas such as health, education, agriculture, industry and infrastructure’’, Udoh said.
Udoh said the Eno-led government was gearing up towards massive rural road infrastructure development as a way of tackling rural urban migration.
“As the administration moves towards the end of its second year, rural and intra-city roads will be given attention’’, he said.
Analysts say the road infrastructure effort should not be limited to major cities such as Uyo but extended to rural areas where local populations need the quality roads to enhance their socio-economic wellbeing. (NANFeatures)
