Idongesit Ashameri, Uyo
The people of Oku Iboku, Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, host community of the moribund Nigeria Newsprint Manufacturing Company (NNMC), recently had reason to once again feel a federal government presence with the construction of a 4.9km road around the community.
The 100 percent completed road with drainages was awarded for construction by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), as part of the present administration of the commission’s determination to touch all nooks and crannies of the Niger Delta Region.
The newly constructed road which borders at one end, the Itu river and at the other end, Cross River State was, according to Engr. Theophilus Allagoa, the commission’s Assistant  Director project, was designed to enable the people access their economic base as well as transport their goods to other states with ease.
Another such intervention by the Obong Nsima Ekere- led NDDC in rural Akwa Ibom is the ongoing 38km road around Ididep and other communities across Ibiono Ibom Local government area of the state.
Allagoa who took members of the Correspondent Chapel round completed and ongoing projects by the NDDC said the commission’s determination is to ensure that every part of the Niger Delta region is touch with projects, ranging from roads to  streetlights, transformers, potable water sources and mini stadia. Some of these, he took journalists round.
Other projects inspected were  the ongoing rehabilitation/ pipeline extention of Iwuochang water project at Ukpenekang, Ibeno, handled by Messrs Umak Ventures, Construction of the 34km Ikot Ekong Ntafre -Opolom – Ikot Inioang road which cuts across Mkpat Enin, Ikot Abasi and Ibeno LGAs, and the construction of the 4km Eket -James town road, Etebi- Oruko road Alignment Lot 2, Esit Eket/ Orue Offong LGA, Akwa Ibom state which is 60percent completed, among others.
The commission said it has also taken on uncountable number of maintenance of waterways at various locations including the Okoro- Itak Channel in Ibeno and other locations within the state. A 4.1 Kilometer road in Mbo Local Government Area of the state.
Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital has not been left out of this massive intervention by the NDDC as over 30 service roads have witnessed an overwhelming turn around within Ekere’s few months on the saddle.
Commenting on the NDDC intervention within the federal housing estate off Abak road, Uyo,
the National President, Akwa Ibom Oil Producing community development network (AKIPCON) Dr Ufot Phenson, said never in the history of the Niger Delta Development Commission has the state been so holistically touched as witnessed within the first year of Ekere as Managing Director.
His words “You saw how bad the streets within the federal housing estate were, it was as though we had been completely forgotten. go round the estate now, you will not see even one road that is not either completed or ongoing. I want to use this medium to say a very big thank you to our brother and former Deputy Governor, Obong Nsima Ekere, for remembering not only where he comes from, but the entire Akwa Ibom state”.
Another beneficiary and resident of Abak road, Mr Inyang Dick applauded the commission for intervening on the deplorable situation on roads within Aka, Abak road, surroundings of the former Uyo market, Ukana Offot Street and its environs.
“For eight years, we cried, we wrote letters, we made petitions, appealing to the state government and other interventionist to come to our aid, but to no avail. Then, you’ll drive through our major road, very clean and shinny, but when you branch to service roads, it was as though you were in another state entirely, but within just six months, the story has changed. For once, I have seen an Akwa Ibomite who has not restricted his love to his village”. He said.
A tricycle rider who said he was not sure if the NDDC has touched his village as he has not been there in the last couple of years, however confessed that his rate of involvement in accident has drastically reduced if not eliminated.
“Some roads inside this Uyo were so bad that if you drive at night while it’s raining, you would not be able to differentiate a gutter from gallop, I can’t think of a week I did not fall due to potholes. You’ll be out of mechanic workshop today, and tomorrow you are back again. This is how government should be”. He said
When contacted at the Mechanic village, Mr. Victor Isang, a Mechanic, reported that cases of damaged shocks, steering, exhaust systems and tires due to potholes have drastically reduced within the last one year.
Isang disclosed that some of his colleagues who relocated their workshops to areas with high concentration of potholes have relocated back to the mechanic village as NDDC interventions in such areas had put a stop to frequent cases of breakdown and even damage of vehicle parts.
Also extending his appreciation to the commission, the 70 year old Edet Effiong Akpan of Ikot Esia, Oku Iboku, Itu local government area of Akwa Ibom state said the flag off of the construction marked a turning point for his community and many hitherto idle youths were once again given employment opportunities.
The grandfather however used the occasion to appeal to the federal government through NDDC to sustain the life brought back to the area by reactivating the moribund NNMC as many who lost their jobs due to the fold up have lost their lives and other rendered useless due to frustrations of losing their only means of livelihood.
“As a community, we may not fully understand the controversies and debates surrounding the NNMC but we strongly believe the federal government had reason for setting up this place, there are very sophisticated machines here, and the Federal Government cannot afford to waste its resources in such manner. They should think of the people who have been rendered jobless and put this place back to life. I am pleading, not commanding”. He appealed.
