A/Ibom Assembly Seeks Probe Of Road Project Awarded By Ex- Govs

Worried by the inability of successive administrations to complete the 29 kilometer stretch of road spanning Nsit Atai, Okobo and Oron local government areas of Akwa Ibom State, the House of Assembly has tasked Governor Umo Eno, to direct a thorough investigation with a view to ascertaining the bottlenecks stalling the completion of the project.

Besides, the 26-member House led by the Speaker, Hon. Udeme Otong, directed its Committee on Works and Transport to invoke oversight powers and undertake an on-the-spot assessment of the road project, and as well interface with the Ministry of Works and Fire Service led by the Commissioner, Prof. Eno Ibanga,

The resolution of the House, LEADERSHIP Friday learnt, is sequel to a motion brought before it by the Chief Whip of the House, and member representing Mbo State Constituency, Rt. Hon. Effiong Johnson, during the plenary.

The Mbo lawmaker of Oron extraction drew the attention of the Speaker and members to the non-completion of work on the road about 17 years after the contract was awarded.

He recalled that “the decision to construct the Nsit-Atai-Oron road was taken following the closing of the traditional route to Oron through the Ituk Mbang-Ekpene Ukim-Ndon Ebom road, which became inevitable as a result of the construction of an Airport on the outlay of farmland belonging to Nsit-Atai, Uruan, and Okobo LGAs, as was conceptualized during the administration of former Governor Victor Attah.”

He further hinted that “the initial contract for the road project was awarded by the Godswill Akpabio-led administration in 2006, and later re-awarded by the Udom Emmanuel’s administration.”

According to the lawmaker, “Governor Udom Emmanuel had revoked the contract for the construction of the 29km road awarded to Renaissance Construction Company (RCC), following its failure to commence work 10 months after the contract had been awarded, and later re-awarded same to another construction firm in 2021, with the resolve of the government to complete the road before the end of the administration in 2023,”

The Mbo lawmaker, however, regretted that the good plans of the Udom Emmanuel administration in ensuring the completion of works on the said road could not be achieved.

He lamented that “the road has currently been rendered almost impassable due to excavation by the construction firm, and has turned into a death trap, and vehicles plying the road daily have been badly affected.