By Isaiah Eka
Uyo – The Akwa Ibom Government says it will open up rural areas through massive road construction, grading and maintenance after the rainy season.
The Commissioner for Rural Development, Mr Ekong Sampson, disclosed this in Uyo on Thursday in an interview with newsmen.
Sampson said that the plan when actualised, would boost and harness the potential of local communities toward achieving sustainable socio-economic growth and development.
He said that the Rural Development Master Plan prepared by his ministry had identified over 411 rural roads for intervention.
He lamented that heavy rains had rendered many rural roads in the state impassable.
The commissioner said the state government would embark on realistic palliative intervention campaign of grading rural roads to make them usable pending when full construction would begin.
He described Gov. Udom Emmanuel’s approach to infrastructure development as “strategic and well integrated”.
“The state government is doing remarkably well in road construction and rehabilitation. We intend to create access to remotest parts of the state,” he said.
Sampson called on communities to partner with the state government in the maintenance of rural roads.