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| Akparawa Ephraim Inyangeyen |
Osondu Ahirika
It has been a remarkable, indeed historic week for Mr Ephraim Inyangeyen, immediate past Honourable Commissioner for Works Akwa Ibom State. On June 25, his name, against the mischievous projections of his detractors was conspicous in the list of Commissioners, renominated and fowarded to the State House of Assembly by Governor Udom Emmanuel for confirmation in line with section 192 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria - through a letter from His Exellency, Governor Udom Emmanuel.
Suffice it to say, that the noise of naysayers and the habitual pull-him-down antics of Petition writers to stop his reappointment ended in futility, as he was confirmed, alongside 18 others as Commissioners designate and two Special Advisers was ratified by the Legislature on July 4, 2019.
A day earlier, what will amount to this Second Missionary Journey as Commissioner begun on a rather sobering note. A 40 year old widow, and mother of three, Mrs Emem Emmanuel David, from Utu Ikot Ekpenyong, Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area, received the keys to a three-bedroom bungalow built for her by Inyangeyen.
Akwa Ibom State First Lady, Her Excellency, Deaconess Martha Udom Emmanuel inaugurated and handed over the keys of the fully furnished home which was built by Inyangeyen, to complement the Shelter of Hope programme, of the Family Empowerment and Youth Reorientation Path-initiative (FEYReP) - a pet project of the State's First Lady, to build homes for and empower distressed widows across the State.
It was a tears of joy provoking scene to see the Man, many erroneously believe, is a wicked man, deal in such charitable gesture with a total stranger.
I recall that day on March 19, 2019, when the Shanty which the widow, hitherto inhabited was to be pulled down to make way for the construction of the ongoing dualization of Uyo - Ikot Ekpene Road. Her three kids were playing around, ignorant of what fate was lurking, while their mother was weeping profusely.
Commissioner Inyangeyen invited her and after a brief interaction gave her two hundred thousand to rent a new apartment and pledged to build a home for her . He immediately directed that a portion of Land be purchased for the project to commence and barely four months after, the rest is history.
Folks', I took leave to narrate this incident because, the inescapable fact of demolition of structures that are caught up in the right of way for Road projects across the State is the sole reason, Inyangeyen, like the proverbial dog is given a bad name to justify it's hanging. Truth is, do many others have benefited from his kindness, in similar circumstances, including communities he ended up donating boreholes for pipe borne water for them, from personal resources.
Why does Ephraim Inyangeyen deserve a 'second term' as Commissioner? Why didn't his boss, Governor Emmanuel, heed calls from quarters to drop him. Simple answer is, his Reliability. Focus. Productivity. Integrity and Absolute Loyalty.
His staggering achievements in office in the last near four years as Commissioner for Works is an incredible attestation. Let's attempt an abbreviation of that scorecard.
Governor Udom Emmanuel on Friday, May 18, 2018, commissioned several roads in Uyo as part of activities marking his third anniversary in office. In Uyo roads commissioned included, Asutan Street, Ebong Street, Ebong Lane, Mbiakong Street, Bassey Attah Street and Efiong Udo Akpan Street.
Others were Udotung Ubo axis to inaugurate Udotung Ubo Lane, Ibiono Lane and Akparen Street, Prof Offiong Street and Justice Edet Nkop Street in Shelter Afrique, Youth Avenue in Mbiabong Etoi, Concrete Hotel Road in Ewet Housing and the Atlantic FM road at Akamba Nsukara, five adjoining roads totalling 6.1KM in Atan Offot, and the Information Drive.
There is also Usanga Udo / Emco Lane, Udokang Street, Utang Lane, Akwa Efak Extension and Ekpenyong Street, the 1.5km Akpasak Estate Extension, Graceland School Road, Reedemed Church Road and Emmanuel Bassey Avenue all in Uyo Local Government Area.
So far, about 8 selected streets totalling 5.8km were constructed and completed in Ewet Housing Extension off Edet Akpan Avenue, without forgetting the completion of the underground drainaige to deflood Nsikak Eduok Avenue linking up to the Tropicana, Inyangeyen has delivered to the pleasure of his boss and people, over 30 road projects in Uyo Local government Area alone. I should add that, the 25km Uyo - Ikot Ekpene Road dualization project is 87% complete and will soon hit the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel in Ikot Ekpene.
Again Governor Emmanuel commissioned five Roads, which for want of description were tagged A, B, C, D, and E Roads adding up to, 5.1km internal roads within the Akwa Ibom State University (AKSU), totally upgrading the Obio Akpa Campus in Oruk Anam Local Government Area of the state.
Charity was extended to the home front of Onna, where, providentially, Inyangeyen and his boss hail from. The construction and completion of the 1KLM Awa/Iman/Ikot Nkang Road with drainage, and the 85% construction of the dualized 29KM Etinan-Ndoneyo Road stretching to Awa Iman and linking to the East West Road is a feat that must be commended.
The 12.427km Awa Iman - Asong - Ikot Edim - Ikot Emem Road with two bridges has also been commissioned in Mkpat Enin, in addition to the 5KM Ikot Usop-Ikot Edeghe-Ikot Ekpuk Road and 30 metres span bridge in the same Local Government inaugurated earlier.
In Nsit Atai and Ibesikpo Asutan, the construction of the 6KM Idiaba-Nda Nsit-Nung Udoe Road has been completed, just as the Afaha Ikot Obio Nkan Road by Udo Udoma is completed.
That the Dualized of the 19.5KM Eket-Ibeno was commissioned to mark the first anniversary of Governor Emmanuel Road was a great breakthrough given the history of abandonment of that Road which is one of the most important in Nigeria, leading to the the oil belt of the State and operational base of Exxon Mobil and other ancillary oil companies.
Eket has good testimonies with the Remodelling of Eket Metropolis Phase 1 and 11 having reached at least, 70 percent completion stage. Governor Emmanuel has since taken delivery of and commissioned several roads in Eket including the Ikot Odion -Ikot Abasi Road, Heritage Polytechnic Road, Lucy Bassey Street, Frank Archibong Street among others.
At Obot Akara, the construction of 6.4km Nto-Edino-Ekwere Azu Road in Obot Akara Local Government Area with two bridges is a finished business, just as the 3.5KM Ikot Udom Road with 15m span bridge in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area has been completed.
In Oron Local Government Area, a total of six inter-connected roads, namely Mainland Avenue, Mary Annie School Road, Awana Esin Road, Market Road, Efiat Road and Bassey Street, have been constructed and commissioned in the first phase of Governor Udom Emmanuel's avowed intervention on roads in the hitherto neglected area.
In all these, Inyangeyen has delivered through responsive and prudent supervision. There is so much more which I will continue in the second and concluding edition of this essay, to touch on more roads in Uruan, Ini, Esit Eket Udung Ukor, Mbo, Nsit Ibom, Nsit Ubium, Abak, Ukanafun, Oruk Anam, Ibeno, Itu, Essien Udim and others.
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