By Emmanuel Abi Couson
There is general excitement in the air as Akwa Ibom state Governor Pst. Umo Eno storms Ikot Ekpene to commission a1.1km access road and drainage project at Gorreti Girls Secondary School Road.
The bridge linking the college had collapsed more than 7 years ago while the entire road collapsed four years ago, forcing parents to pull of their children from the only all girls’ public college in the oldest local government in West Africa.
Governor Umo Eno in August last year had awarded the contract for the road to an indigenous contractor, U&K, suing for a reclamation of the road and restoration of a standard road in line with his ARISE Agenda.
Conducting journalists around the project, Senior Special Assistant on Research and Documentation, Dr Essien Ndueso said Governor Eno had to intervene on the project to save both students and the community from danger.
“With the collapse of the bridge, reported incidents of students and even school teachers, sliding into the ravine, was a common sight.
“Economic and agricultural developments suffered a great deal and the largely agrarian adjoining communities were deserted.
” This road project links up with the ARISE Agenda, as it addresses the Agriculture, rural development, infrastructural maintenance and educational advancement.
” Apart from the project itself, the governor is encouraging local contractors in the state .
” The Contractor U&K Limited is an indigenous contractor and they are doing a good job here. The governor will commission this road with the bridges tomorrow .
The project contractor and Managing Director of U&K Limited Engr Ukeme Eyo Peters said the road was beyond deplorable at the time the contract was awarded to his company adding that he was happy as the road has been transformed through his engineering skills displayed during execution of the project.
” The dimension of the road is 1.1km while the outfalls of the drain is 0.81. The road is transformed and we now have a brand new access road for both the community and students of Goretti Girls Secondary School , Ikot Ekpene.
Narrating their experiences when the road was in deplorable condition, the compound Master of Goretti Girls Secondary School Mr Itoro Moses said the school had no access road for more than 5 years.
Moses explained that the absence of access road had caused parents to withdraw their children from the school in the past adding that the population of the school is now increasing .
” There was no access road for some years now . Parents withdrew their children but now we are sure that the population is increasing as the road has been constructed by Governor Umo Eno .
” We thank the governor for constructing this road. God bless him . ”
One of the students Miss Esther John who said she aspires to study law after her secondary School appreciated Governor Umo Eno for constructing access road to the college .
” I’m from Abia state . My parents almost withdrew me from this college for lack of access road to this school but I insisted that they should allow me . My hope was that one day, this road will be constructed and I thank the governor for making my hope to be alive . God bless him ” she said
