The 12.5 km Ikot Oku Usung- Ikot Akpan Afaha in Ukanafun Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State was inaugurated by Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Duoye Diri on Friday.
Inaugurating the road with a spur at Ikot Akpan Afaha in Ukanafun Local Government Area, Senator Diri described the road project initiated and completed by the Governor Udom Emmanuel administration as a significant infrastructure to transform the socio-economic landscape of the area.
Sen. Diri said the 12.5km road remains a strategic project to promote economic and social development of the rural community.
The special guest described Governor Udom Emmanuel as a noiseless achiever, a pacesetter and a man of character, and thanked him for putting smiles on the faces of the people of Ukanafun, by extension the state.
“We are here to celebrate a man who has performed, a working governor for the people who hitherto had been denied a very significant infrastructure that is outstanding.
“The moment you link up a community with a road you have actually brought civilization to that community and you have also opened up that community for economic and social development. The governor of Akwa Ibom is doing these things noiselessly,” he remarked.
The Bayelsa State Governor who commended the people of Ukanafun and Akwa Ibom for supporting Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), urged the people to extend same support to the Governor-elect, Pastor Umo Eno.
Earlier, Governor Emmanuel had noted that the 12.5kmIkot Oku Usung- Ikot Akpan Afaha Road in Ukanafun is one of the projects executed in line with the eight-point agenda of his administration which gives priority to rural development.
On the Ukanafun General Hospital rehabilitation project, the Governor assured of it completion, saying his administration would provide the necessary logistics to ensure the successful completion of the hospital, and thanked the Ukanafun people for their support during the general elections.
The state Chief Executive particularly appreciated Sen. Douye Diri, for honouring the invitation to inaugurate the road project which he said is significant as it links many communities including that of the immediate past state party Chairman, the late Mr. Udo Ekpenyong.
“We promised that throughout this season we want to go into the rural areas specifically to appreciate and also let the world see that in our second term when we expanded to the 8-point agenda, rural development was a key in the agenda we had. Today, we have road infrastructure, electricity, cottage hospitals, water schemes, small food processing industries all over the rural areas,” Mr Emmanuel said.
Presenting an overview of the project, Commissioner for Works and Fire Service, Prof. Eno Ibanga, stated that the road with 12.5km stretch has side drains and is constructed in line with international standard.
Prof Ibanga also said the road has 150mm laterite stone base and 150mm crush stone base course, 50mm asphalt drains course, and six outfall drains that evacuated water from the road.
He thanked the governor for giving the people of Ukanafun a road infrastructure that will enhance their socio-economic well being.
In their goodwill messages, member representing Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Unyime Idem, former member, House of Representatives and the political leader of Ukanafun, Hon. Eno Akpan, State Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Elder Aniekan Akpan, and the Chairman of Ukanafun local government area, Mr Godwin Inyieng, thanked Governor Udom Emmanuel for providing the people of Ukanafun with essential infrastructure which will turn around the economy of the community.
Idem, who described the governor as a leader who has left an indelible mark in the annals of Ukanafun, pointed out that the road has given the community a facelift which will bolster economic activities, pledging their loyalty to the governor and the incoming administration.
The Managing Director of AYF Development Company, Mr. Fadi Aboulhosn, in a vote of thanks, appreciated Governor Emmanuel for giving them an opportunity to be part of history in Ukanafun and thanked the people for creating a friendly environment during the project execution.
