Akwa Ibom has pledged to complete all ongoing road projects initiated by the Governor Udom Emmanuel-led administration with the aim to providing quality physical infrastructure in the state.
Eno Ibanga, commissioner for Works and Fire Service who gave the assurance during a recent inspection of some ongoing projects in the state, also promised to ensure that contractors deliver according to approved specifications and quality.
Among the projects inspected were the Ikot Eka Ide-Ikot Okoro-Ikot Ibritam road and Ikot Eka Ide-Ikot Okoro-Ikot Ibritam road, with two bridges, in Oruk Anam local government area; 14km Abak Nsekhe-Ikot Akpan Nkuk-Ikot Etim-Ikot Ikara, to Ibesit Okpokoro road and the dualisation of Etinan-Eket road, with three bridges.
Others include the remodeling of select roads, strategic roundabout/junctions in Eket metropolis; dualisation of Uyo/Etinan road; 8.5km Nduetong Oku-Ibiaku Uruan-Ekritam road in Uyo senatorial district with 40m span bridge and a spur in Itu/Uruan local government area. The commissioner had earlier inspected projects in Oron local government area of the state.
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Ibanga urged the contractors to pay more attention to areas of work that cannot be done under the approaching rainy season, urging them to re-double their efforts to increase the percentage of work done, before the rainy season sets in. He assured that the government would be releasing more funds to further sustain the tempo of work.
The commissioner said the ministry has given the contractors timelines to complete and some of them were already meeting with the timelines, adding that by this time next year, most of the projects would have been completed and commissioned.
On the Ikot Oku Ikono flyover bridge, he said what was yet to be done was the roundabout which, according to him, needed to be completed along with the flyover for commissioning.
At the Nduetong Oku road project, the project, Enang Okon said compensation for demolished structures had been paid to some people with the hope it would be paid to all persons affected as work progresses. According to checks, construction of drainage and earthworks were in top gear.
Another project visited was the Eket remodelling project. He assured that phase one of the project would soon be ready for commissioning, while work intensifies on phase two.
“In any business, it is pertinent to appraise the work done in comparison to monies invested; and this is just part of the reasons we are embarking on these visits.
“We are going to other areas in the next few weeks to check the level of work done, so as to notify Governor Udom Emmanuel where to put more money or less money, as the case may be.
Responding on behalf of the contractors, the project, Nayef Nayef, thanked the government for the regular inspection of projects and the release of funds to the contractors.
