Akwa Ibom state Governor Pastor Umo Bassey Eno, has asked the leadership of Eket through the President of the Eket Union, to give him a full brief about the situation of Qua River Hotel.
“There is no reason why it should be like that, We need to develop that Hotel,” Eno said.
Governor Eno made the request at the commissioning of the reconstructed 3.3km Idua road and the emergency intervention works at the collapsed Afia Nsit Road in Eket Local Government Area.
He has also directed a review of the Afia Nsit gully reclamation project to ensure that the outfall drains are properly channeled into a river.
“I have directed that the contractor extends the outfall drain and make sure they connect them to a river.”
“if we terminate them where they are, in another few years, we will be facing another problem.”
“We will continue and take them to a river so that we can have that project last for a long time,” he assured.
In addition, he thanked the leadership of Eket including the Paramount Ruler for all of the work that they have assisted him to do in the LGA.
“I promised our people that we will continue with projects done by the immediate past administration, and we are keeping to it.”
While noting that some of these projects were at various stages of completion, he expressed commitment to taking them to a logical conclusion.
The Governor therefore announced his approval for the construction of a bridge to connect Ikot Ekpene Udo in Nsit Ubium to Eket through the South-end of Idua road.
The Chief Press Secretary to Governor Mr Ekerete Udoh said in a Facebook post that he has approved extension of the road on the North-end to join the Udom Emmanuel Boulevard.
He has also given approval for an intervention work on the collapsed portion of Grace Bill road in Eket.
Governor Eno also announced intention to unbundle the Ministry of Youths and Sports to create a designated ministry for youth development.
He said he is not satisfied with the level of attention given to youths development under the current structure of the Ministry.
Recall that the Governor has recently disbursed N500,000 start up grant each to 800 trainees of Entrepreneurship Accelerator Programme (EAP).
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Works and Fire Service, Professor Eno Ibanga, said the Afia Nsit gully reclamation has a 3 metre double cell culvert, with 200m road.
While presenting an overview of the projects, he noted that the work on Idua road has treated the root problem of excessive volumes of water causing incessant road collapse.
Some stakeholders in Eket, including the Local Government Transition Committee Chairman, Hon Akaniyene Tommy, Paramount Ruler, Edidem E. C. D. Abia, Ambassador Assam Assam,SAN, Senator Helen Esuene, President of Eket People’s Union, Dr. Samuel Udonsak attended the Commissioning.
They spoke in glowing tribute to the governor, affirming that the Eket people have been impressed by his strides in less than a year in office.