Construction of the dilapidated Ukpom Abak/Ediene Ikot Obio Imo Road cutting across many villages in Uyo and Abak Local Government Areas is underway.
The road destroyed by heavy duty trucks that plied the Trunk C road during the construction of Ikot Oku Ikono Flyover has cut off the link with many villages and hospital and secondary school.
The Chairman of Uyo Local Government Area, Dr. Uwemedimo Udo stated this during an interaction with Conference of Online Publishers in Akwa Ibom State (COOPA), as part of their annual engagements with relevant stakeholders to discuss matters pertaining to economic development and progression, in his office on Tuesday, September 12, 2023.
According to Dr. Udo, the Ukpom Road from Pepsi junction (by Idoro Road) has been awarded to a contractor and side drains have been constructed on it, awaiting the end of the rainy season.
“The contractors are on site. We hope that the rains will give the contractors a chance to continue the work. It is just a matter of time and it will be completed,” he assured.
Speaking on the survival of the local economy in the post subsidy removal era, the Chairman remarked that subsidy removal would have taken a gradual process, instead of happening the way it did.
“Perhaps, the government would have fashioned out ways to ameliorate the unexpected suffering of the people before subsidy removal. What we have now is that the high cost of transportation is not even commensurate with wages and other spending. The suffering is overbearing, because we didn’t have certain things on ground to take care of the removal”, he said.
On his part, the Chairman informed that his administration has been consciously committed to bettering the lots of the people by putting in place modalities to ease the effect of the harsh economy on them.
“We have graded rural roads in Ikono Ibom and Etoi Clans. We have fixed power in some communities. For instance, if you go to Winners Chapel at Ikot Ebido, we upgraded the transformer at that axis from 300KVA to 500KVA and it is working for that community.”
“We have done a lot in the Education Sector. Recently, we paid bursary to 392 students across 13 institutions. We needed to show that we recognise the students’ community. We have reactivated the Students’ Worldwide body in Uyo and paid Union dues to allow the students go home with their bursary in block. We also give regular assistance to our students.”
“We have done medical outreach in collaboration with Vision Africa and the focus was on eye challenges. Medicated glasses and drugs were given free and beneficiaries didn’t pay a dime,” he said.
When asked of the secret behind his smooth management of the Council vis-a-vis his success, Dr. Udo gave the answer to be effective collaboration between the three arms of his government.
“I run a collaborative administration. That is why I haven’t had issues with my Councillors and Supervisors. We get them involved and cross-fertilize ideas. It is not just during budget proposals. Regularly, I sit with my Councillors and it’s exciting. It is not a one-man show, so you allow the Councillors have a feel of government too.”
“I don’t implement policies without consulting with my people. I dialogue with my Exco and Councillors, while they go back, interact with the people and get to know their needs, then we put them down in a document and get things working.”
“I don’t neglect the Civil Service structure. We also invest in staff welfare. We have a deep relationship with our stakeholders and accord them all the recognition they deserve. So there is a balanced equation”, he stated. He noted.
“The local government level is where you learn leadership. I have the integrity that I came into government with. I don’t want to hear that I deprived anyone of anything. That is why I make sure that things are sorted out well.”
