A’Ibom spends over N208.16bn on development projects in 17 months _ Umo Eno
Akwa Ibom State government said it has injected over N208.16bn on roads and other infrastructural development projects in the State since the inception of governor Umo Eno’s administration in May 29, 2023.
The state commissioner of Works and Fire Service, Prof Eno Ibanga disclosed this while briefing journalists in Uyo, the state capital on Sunday.
Prof Ibanga who was flanked by the commissioner of Information and Strategy, Ini Ememobong, and chairman Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency, Prince Ikim, stated that out of the amount, the sum of N47.93bn was injected on 36 projects inherited from Finance and General Purpose Committee, another N4.04bn on 51 spent on emergency intervention projects inherited from the immediate past administration, giving a total of 51.96bn already spent in this category.
He added that the sum of N151.96bn had been injected into 61 ARISE Agenda projects of the present administration.
“Governor Umo Eno has so far injected N47.93bn into 36 of the inherited FGPC projects and N4.04bn on 51 of the emergency intervention projects inherited from the immediate past administration. A total of 51.96 Billion has been spent in this category.
“The Governor has initiated/flagged off 61 Arise Agenda Projects. These projects have already been completed and commissioned while others are at various stages of completion.
“N151.66bn has been released by this administration to finance 50 of the FGPC ARISE Agenda Projects while N4.54bn has been spent on the 11 emergency intervention ARISE Agenda Projects. In all, a total of N156.20bn has been spent on the ARISE Agenda Projects.
“For both the initiated and inherited projects, this administration has spent an accumulative sum of N208.16bn as at October 18th 2024″the commissioner said
He listed the projects already completed under the ARISE projects to include the Akpan Andem Market project, the Amphitheatre Christmas Village Arena , the Atiku Abubakar underground tunnel and the Goretti secondary school road among others.
Giving an update on the road infrastructure in the State, prof Ibanga said greater part of the work needed for the completion of the Tabernacle road project has been the excavation, adding that according to professional advice from certified civil Engineers the excavation would go up to at least 11 meters deep.
However he lamented that the work has been slowed down due to perennial rainfall in the state
The commissioner of Information and Strategy Ini Ememobong had while setting the tone of the event said that the present administration places high premium on information adding “that is the reason the governor has directed his media managers to make information available to journalists at all times”
