Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has reiterated that government projects must be executed for the benefit of the people, rather than for political considerations, saying development should transcend party lines and personal interests.
Governor Eno stated this during the inauguration of the 6.475-kilometre road network in Amanyam Community, Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area, stressing that government has a responsibility to complete projects inherited from previous administrations whenever such projects are considered beneficial to the people.
The Governor, who said he was impressed by the development initiatives recorded under the Ikot Ekpene Local Government administration, also reaffirmed his belief in local government autonomy as a means of taking development closer to rural communities.
“We don’t build roads because we want to please one person. What is good is good and what is not good is not good.”
Governor Eno explained that the Amanyam road was not constructed because it led to the residence of a particular political figure, but because it was important to the wider community.
He noted that although the project was initiated by the immediate past administration, his administration had to revalidate and complete it because abandoning it would deny residents the full benefits of the investment.
Governor Eno likened governance to the biblical principle of planting and watering, noting that different administrations could contribute to the completion of a project, while the ultimate beneficiary remained the people.
“There is no need for anyone to begin to struggle about who started or who finished. For me, it is for the people to have projects.”
The Governor said the 6.475-kilometre road, which provides access to the Comprehensive Health Centre and connects surrounding communities, was particularly significant because of its impact on healthcare, transportation and economic activities.
Governor Eno disclosed that his administration would continue to complete viable projects inherited from previous governments, regardless of who initiated them, insisting that public service should be delivered without political coloration.
“When you are called to serve, let us serve without coloration. Serve the people.”
Governor Eno also announced plans to return to the area for the commissioning of more projects, including the development of the Ikot Ekpene International Market, which he said would create a platform for residents to expand trade, import goods and increase their earnings.
The Governor said the market, when completed, would help unlock the economic potentials of Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State and the wider region.
The road project comprises an eight-metre-wide single carriageway, 150-millimetre compacted sub-base and base courses, a 50-millimetre wearing course, six culverts and 12.95 kilometres of side drains.
Commissioner for Works, Professor Eno Ibanga, said the road was constructed to specification and designed to withstand heavy traffic, describing it as one of the projects completed by the present administration after being inherited from the previous government.
Professor Ibanga said the road, which links the Ifuho Road axis to other communities, would open up Amanyam and improve access to the community health centre, which was previously difficult to reach.
He said the project had transformed what was formerly an inaccessible earth-road environment into a more habitable community.
The Chairman of Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area, Mr Aniefiok Nkom, commended Governor Eno for what he described as unprecedented attention to infrastructure and healthcare development in the area.
He recalled that residents previously faced serious challenges accessing healthcare, particularly pregnant women who had to travel long distances to seek medical attention.
The chairman expressed appreciation to the Governor for providing a health facility and road infrastructure for the community, describing the projects as evidence of the administration’s commitment to improving the lives of rural dwellers.
The inauguration of the Amanyam roads forms part of the State Government’s broader infrastructure drive under the ARISE Agenda, with emphasis on connecting communities, improving access to essential services and stimulating economic activities
