Essien Udim Multi-purpose TRC Secretariat, Remodelled Police Station ready for Commissioning
…As Aluko presents his administration’s scorecard
The Chairman of Essien Udim Local Government Council, Dr Anthony Luke has stated that the Ultra-modern Multi-purpose Traditional Rulers Council Secretariat and the Remodeled Police Station constructed by his administration are ready for Commissioning and handing over to the TRC and Nigeria Police Force
The Chairman who revealed this while interacting with some journalist who visited the area to assess some of the projects executed by the Anthony Luke’s administration hinted that the projects will be commissioned by the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno before the end of his tenure in December 2023.
The council boss explained that his administration decided to build a befitting secretariat to traditional rulers in recognition of their strategic role in local government administration and contributions to rural and grassroots development.
According to the chairman, the traditional rulers played significant role to the success of his administration by helping security operatives in the fight against crime.
He said: “I recognize the fact that no local government administration can succeed without the traditional rulers who are the custodians of the culture and traditions of the people. We cannot ignore their onerous tasks of providing intelligent to help in the fight against crime in Essien Udim. We also know that there’s no way they will function well without providing a befitting secretariat in the council for their activities. This is why we embarked on this project.”
While stating that his administration has “invested massively” in fighting insecurity due to the fact that Essien Udim is a border community with different security challenges, the Chairman said his administration decided to remodeled the Essien Udim Police Divisional Headquarters which was set ablaze and razed down by unknown gunmen in 2021 to bring back police present in the area.
He noted that apart from remodeling the police station and furnishing it to taste, the administration has also provided portable water system, electricity and motorcycles for rural surveillance and a generating plant for soldiers manning Akwa Ibom and Abia State Boundary at Ikot Umo Essien. “The major challenge Essien Udim was facing before I assumed office as the chairman was insecurity. Essien Udim was almost the camping grounds of ‘unknown gunmen’ Criminals who invaded some villages and built their camp there for some years before I become local government chairman but my administration decided that we will not allow them to remain in Essien Udim and continue to perpetuate their evil agenda, so, we flushed them out of Essien Udim through the support of the state government during the Mr. Udom Emmanuel’s administration and Pastor Umo Eno is ready to sustain that peace in Essien Udim.”
Dr Luke enumerated other achievements of his administration to include payment of bursary to over 670 Essien Udim Students studying in different tertiary institutions and Purchase of 7 new vehicles for official use in the council as none was left for use when he assumed office
Others include provision of desks and other education materials to schools in Essien Udim, Payment of hospital bills to about 102 Essien Udim indigenes in different hospitals, massive empowerment of women and widows through the office of the wife of the Chairman and business support to small scale entrepreneurs in Essien Udim among others.
Also speaking, the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Power, Engr Camillus Umoh described the chairman as a focused, courageous and visionary leader who has greatly transformed Essien Udim during his administration
He commended the chairman for recognizing the traditional rulers and giving them a befitting secretariat and for ensuring that Essien Udim remains peaceful and is crime free.