Akwa Ibom State Government revisits Operation zero pothole
Akwa Ibom State Government says it would soon attain zero pothole status in the state, following the amount of interventions on roads within Uyo metropolis and some local government headquarters.
Chairman of the Akwa Ibom Road and Other Infrastructures Maintenance Agency (AKROIMA), Akparawa Godwin Ntuk Udeh, gave the assurance on Tuesday while on a routine inspection of ongoing and completed works at Ukana Offot and Port Harcourt streets, as well as Ewet and Osongama housing estates in Uyo.
Ntuk Udeh told reporters shortly after the inspection exercise that the agency had intervened in roads throughout Ewet Housing Estate, including Bentola Avenue linking Edet Akpan Avenue (4 Lanes) to Ewet Housing and a greater part of the service lane of the Four Lanes, and all the potholes along Nsikak Eduok Road (2 Lanes).
He said Governor Udom Emmanuel recently ordered the agency to embark on extensive intervention on roads ridden with potholes, with a view to attaining zero pothole in the state.
The agency, according to Ntuk Udeh, would move to Eket, Oron, and Etim Ekpo areas before other Local government headquarters, immediately it completes work in Uyo metropolis.
While giving his assessment of the level of work so far, Ntuk Udeh said: “Governor Emmanuel believes in maintenance culture. During our inspection, we spotted additional places that we must engage our operations team between today (Tuesday) and tomorrow (Wednesday) and clear them off.
He said, “We are satisfied that our men are at work sincerely and with commitment. The agency drives seriously with passion in ensuring, alongside the thinking of Governor Emmanuel, that Akwa Ibom State will soon attain zero pothole status by the grace of God”.
The Chairman identified the challenge of resources on the reason some roads are not completely overlaid with asphalt.
Commenting on the state of Ukpum Abak road, the AKROIMA boss disclosed that Governor Emmanuel has given approval for the road to be overlaid with asphalt to complete the final stage of the intervention.
He however expressed displeasure over the activities of heavy truck drivers who, he said, used the road against government directive and thus abused the intervention earlier carried out.
“We are not happy that heavy truck drivers disobeyed government directive on the use of the road while work was ongoing.
“While we were consolidating on the stone base level, believing that we would allow it to stabilize for a few days or weeks before we go back to do asphalting, truck drivers still flouted our orders. Heavy trucks still passed through the road.
“They have given us double expenditure because, by the time we went back to do asphalting, we discovered that we would need to do the stone base again.
“We are at home with the situation, and His Excellency is very concerned and has given approval. Very soon, we believe we’re going to access funds to finish the job”.
The AKROIMA Chairman called on Akwa Ibom people to disilt drains in their respective local government areas, stressing that stagnant water on the roads, as a result of blocked drains, would cause multiple potholes, thereby working against government’s effort to achieve the zero pothole campaign.