Wednesday May 28, 2025|
By Akan ESINWANG
The Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project, RAAMP is slowly assuming a domestic parlance across various communities in the state nay the country.
20 states including Akwa Ibom are currently participating in the tripartite project which is jointly funded by the World Bank, French Development Agency and the respective states, while the Federal Government serves as guarantor to all the participants.
There are strong indications that all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT may embrace the project in due course.From the erosion – prone hills and valleys of Ini and Ikono through the plane topographies of Ibesikpo Asutan and Nsit Ibom to the coastal areas of Okobo and Onna Local Government Areas, RAAMP must have either stamped her feet already or at an advanced stage of spreading some development glows to accommodate same in her determined quest to transform more communities for the better a reduce rural – urban drift at the long run.
It could be recalled that the State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, PhD had inherited the project from the immediate past administration and proceeded to adopt same as a flagship index of the ARISE agenda, following the rural development focus of RAAMP, which constitutes the epicenter of her development objectives.
The Governor had further demonstrated strong passion for rural development when he flagged – off the 11 – kilometer Owotuta – Nung Oku Ekere – Afaha Udo Eyop – Edeobom – Utuat market junction demonstration road only 36 days into his administration on July 04, 2023.
China Roads and Bridges Corporation, CRBC won the road construction job, while Yaroson Partnership Limited had earlier secured the design and supervision contract. The road traverses seven communities: Owotuta, Ikot Okubo, Ikot Ikerre, Itoko, Afaha Ikot Owop, Afaha Udo Eyop and Edeobom 1 in Ibesikpo Asutan and Nsit Ibom Local Government Areas; and has been completed, awaiting commissioning.
As the name implies, the demonstration road project was aimed at creating a framework for basic principles and establish a benchmark ahead of other jobs that would subsequently emerge under AKS-RAAMP. Over 202 kilometers of roads, three agro-logistics centers and cross – drainage structures have so far been contracted under the project.
These interventions cut across various typologies: Upgrading – which refers to earthen roads with no record of any intervention since inception; Backlog Maintenance – these are failed roads as a consequence of prolonged years of usage; Spot Improvement: which involves minimal scope of civil works – shallow excavation, grading, compacting and minor rehabilitation of drains (where applicable), as well as the physical improvement of three markets – one in each of the three senatorial districts of the state, which would be transformed into standard, ultra-modern agro-logistics centers.
The project also includes hydraulic structures, popularly known as culverts / river crossings of not more than 15 meters span.So far, work is ongoing on 16.09 kilometers of roads under the upgrading component; 64.81 kilometers under Backlog Maintenance (Phase 1& 2); and 110.9 kilometers under Spot Improvement (Initial Scope) out of which 69.54 kilometers of the spot improvement roads have been reviewed to upgrading. The three agro-logistics centers under intervention are: Ekponwa market in Nsit Ibom; Naira market in Ikono and Atabong beach market in Okobo Local Government Areas. When completed, the markets would be equipped generously with all paraphernalia of modern markets: lock-up stores, parking lots, banking facilities, cold storage, perimeter fencing, warehouses, water, uninterrupted power supply, etc.
28 kilometers of these roads traversing 15 communities have already been completed and awaiting commissioning. They include: 11- kilometer demonstration road in Ibesikpo Asutan and Nsit Ibom Local Government Areas which cut across seven communities as earlier noted; Ibiaku Obio Ndobo – Adadia road (7.11 kilometers ); and Okop Nko – Okop Ndua road (2.12 kilometers) in Uruan and Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Areas, which traverse eight villages: Okop Nko, Okop Ndua, Ibiaku Obio Ndobo, Ikot Akpa Ekang, Ikot Edun, Ikot Akan, Adadia and Issiet – all in Ibesikpo Asutan and Uruan Local Government Areas.Roads currently at various stages of progress under upgrading include: Nsie – Uruting road (12.67 kilometers) and Ananamong – Eboh road (3.42 kilometers) in Okobo and Ini Local Government Areas respectively.
Before Intervention.
Backlog Maintenance also has other roads under construction. These include: Ikot Ekan – Ediene Abak road (8.396 kilometers); Efa Junction – Ikot Ibok – Ikot Mfon road (3.92 kilometers); Ikot Itina – Oniong road with a spur to Nsemeke Ikpe market in Ikot Inyang (2.87 kilometers) – all in Etinan Local Government Area; Nung Udoe – Ibiaku Issiet road (5.65 kilometers); Ikot Ambon – Nung Ette Shelter Afrique road (1.23 kilometers); Obot Idim – Afaha Atai road (2.65 kilometers) in Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area; and Eyesana – Ikot Idem – Afaha Iman road (6.27 kilometers); Ikot Akan – Ikot Iyire road with a spur to the beach (4.38 kilometers); Idiaba – Adia Nsit – Ndukpuise road (7.84 kilometers); Ikot Otu – Idiaba road (2.60 kilometers ); Ikot Imo – Ikot Ekpene Udo – Okon Eket road (12.096 kilometers); Ikot Isong – Edeobom II road (3.31 kilometers) in Nsit Ibom, Nsit Atai and Nsit Ubium Local Government Areas.
Others are: Ikot Obio Akwa – Ikot Umiang road (7.96 kilometers); Ukam – Ikot Obio Okoi – Ikot Abia road (3.33 kilometers ); Nung Ita Urua Anwa – Obo Ntayam – Ikot Akpan – Ikot Okoro road (10.32 kilometers) in Mkpat Enin and Oruk Anam Local Government Areas; Nkim Itam – Ikot Anie Itam – Ita Uruan road (10.19 kilometers); Adadia market road – Ekim Enen – Esuk Odu beach road (3.96 kilometers); and Ikpa Ikot Akpan / Ikot Uneke – Ikot Ukana – Ikot Ntung – Obot Odung – Ono Ikot Okpon road (1.28 kilometers) in Uruan and Ibiono Ibom Local Government Areas.
Furthermore, Mbiafun Ikot Abasi – Fiong Aran road in Ini Local Government Area (4.0 kilometers); Nung Ukim – Ukwok – Ibam Edet road with a spur from Aba Itiat – Usuk Ukwok road (6.19 kilometers); Ibiaku Ntok Okpo road (1.136 kilometers); Ikot Onwon Ediene – Ikot Nkwo – Ikot Idomo Ikot Abia Nkwot road (6.68 kilometers) – all in Ikono Local Government Area are currently under construction just as Uruting road in Okobo (1.75 kilometers); and Ikot Obio Eket – Ikot Mbong road (1.142 kilometers) in Onna Local Government Area.
Also under construction are Ifuho Mickon – Nyaraenyin – Ikot Nkpo bridge road (4.771 kilometers) and Obo Annang – Ikot Akpakpan – Ikot Akpan Ikpong – Uyo / Ikot Ekpene road (2.75 kilometers) in Ikot Ekpene and Essien Udim Local Government Areas, while the cross drainage structure linking Ikot Abasi 1- Ikot Inyang Ossom – Afaha Iman with a spur to the Leprosy Hospital in Etinan Local Government Area has been completed and promptly put to usage by the public.
However, beyond the palpable construction of roads are the silent mass of employment opportunities generated across our hinterlands vis-a-vis the human capital empowerment index of the project which cannot be underestimated.
No fewer than 32 road projects lumped into 15 – lot contract packages and three multi-dimensional market improvement jobs have so far been awarded under AKS-RAAMP. Four design / supervision consultancy firms and 12 engineering companies are currently delivering on these tasks, with an estimated 1,500 direct employments to our youths vis-a-vis a colossal number of sundry indirect jobs generated in 21 Local Government Areas across the state. The socio-economic impacts of this development across our rural family lives, wealth – creation, provision of food, education, health and indeed the general wellbeing of our rural communities could better be imagined than described.
In the words of the State Project Coordinator of AKS-RAAMP, Pastor Gideon Akpan, “our humble heights in RAAMP is facilitated by the intentional support, encouragement and fillip of His Excellency, the State Governor – Pastor Umo Eno, PhD without which these feats would have remained a mirage. We also owe our depth of gratitude to the leadership acumen of the Hon. Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Mrs. Offiong Offor and the effective oversight of the State Project Monitoring Committee, SPMC. Ours in the project is a collective resolve and determination to justify the confidence reposed in us by ensuring that the huge investments of government in this project yields multiplier dividends for the overall benefit of the state. In fact, our commitment is total.”
As implementation of the project continues towards her five – year tenure, it is certain that more opportunities; more wealth; more road and market projects; more education; and indeed much more joy will spread to more communities across the state in line with the Project Development Objectives of RAAMP and the ARISE agenda.
The Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project, RAAMP is slowly assuming a domestic parlance across various communities in the state nay the country.
20 states including Akwa Ibom are currently participating in the tripartite project which is jointly funded by the World Bank, French Development Agency and the respective states, while the Federal Government serves as guarantor to all the participants. There are strong indications that all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT may embrace the project in due course.From the erosion – prone hills and valleys of Ini and Ikono through the plane topographies of Ibesikpo Asutan and Nsit Ibom to the coastal areas of Okobo and Onna Local Government Areas, RAAMP must have either stamped her feet already or at an advanced stage of spreading some development glows to accommodate same in her determined quest to transform more communities for the better and reduce rural – urban drift at the long run.It could be recalled that the State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, PhD had inherited the project from the immediate past administration and proceeded to adopt same as a flagship index of the ARISE agenda, following the rural development focus of RAAMP, which constitutes the epicenter of her development objectives.
The Governor had further demonstrated strong passion for rural development when he flagged – off the 11 – kilometer Owotuta – Nung Oku Ekere – Afaha Udo Eyop – Edeobom – Utuat market junction demonstration road only 36 days into his administration on July 04, 2023.
China Roads and Bridges Corporation, CRBC won the road construction job, while Yaroson Partnership Limited had earlier secured the design and supervision contract. The road traverses seven communities: Owotuta, Ikot Okubo, Ikot Ikerre, Itoko, Afaha Ikot Owop, Afaha Udo Eyop and Edeobom 1 in Ibesikpo Asutan and Nsit Ibom Local Government Areas; and has been completed, awaiting commissioning.
As the name implies, the demonstration road project was aimed at creating a framework for basic principles and establish a benchmark ahead of other jobs that would subsequently emerge under AKS-RAAMP. Over 202 kilometers of roads, three agro-logistics centers and cross – drainage structures have so far been contracted under the project.
These interventions cut across various typologies: Upgrading – which refers to earthen roads with no record of any intervention since inception; Backlog Maintenance – these are failed roads as a consequence of prolonged years of usage; Spot Improvement: which involves minimal scope of civil works – shallow excavation, grading, compacting and minor rehabilitation of drains (where applicable), as well as the physical improvement of three markets – one in each of the three senatorial districts of the state, which would be transformed into standard, ultra-modern agro-logistics centers. The project also includes hydraulic structures, popularly known as culverts / river crossings of not more than 15 meters span.
So far, work is ongoing on 16.09 kilometers of roads under the upgrading component; 64.81 kilometers under Backlog Maintenance (Phase 1& 2); and 110.9 kilometers under Spot Improvement (Initial Scope) out of which 69.54 kilometers of the spot improvement roads have been reviewed to upgrading. The three agro-logistics centers under intervention are: Ekponwa market in Nsit Ibom; Naira market in Ikono and Atabong beach market in Okobo Local Government Areas. When completed, the markets would be equipped generously with all paraphernalia of modern markets: lock-up stores, parking lots, banking facilities, cold storage, perimeter fencing, warehouses, water supply, uninterrupted power, etc.
28 kilometers of these roads traversing 15 communities have already been completed and awaiting commissioning. They include: 11- kilometer demonstration road in Ibesikpo Asutan and Nsit Ibom Local Government Areas which cut across seven communities as earlier noted; Ibiaku Obio Ndobo – Adadia road (7.11 kilometers ); and Okop Nko – Okop Ndua road (2.12 kilometers) in Uruan and Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Areas, which traverse eight villages: Okop Nko, Okop Ndua, Ibiaku Obio Ndobo, Ikot Akpa Ekang, Ikot Edun, Ikot Akan, Adadia and Issiet – all in Ibesikpo Asutan and Uruan Local Government Areas.Roads currently at various stages of progress under upgrading include: Nsie – Uruting road (12.67 kilometers) and Ananamong – Eboh road (3.42 kilometers) in Okobo and Ini Local Government Areas respectively.
Backlog Maintenance also has other roads under construction. These include: Ikot Ekan – Ediene Abak road (8.396 kilometers); Efa Junction – Ikot Ibok – Ikot Mfon road (3.92 kilometers); Ikot Itina – Oniong road with a spur to Nsemeke Ikpe market in Ikot Inyang (2.87 kilometers) – all in Etinan Local Government Area; Nung Udoe – Ibiaku Issiet road (5.65 kilometers); Ikot Ambon – Nung Ette Shelter Afrique road (1.23 kilometers); Obot Idim – Afaha Atai road (2.65 kilometers) in Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area; and Eyesana – Ikot Idem – Afaha Iman road (6.27 kilometers); Ikot Akan – Ikot Iyire road with a spur to the beach (4.38 kilometers); Idiaba – Adia Nsit – Ndukpuise road (7.84 kilometers); Ikot Otu – Idiaba road (2.60 kilometers ); Ikot Imo – Ikot Ekpene Udo – Okon Eket road (12.096 kilometers); Ikot Isong – Edeobom II road (3.31 kilometers) in Nsit Ibom, Nsit Atai and Nsit Ubium Local Government Areas.
Others are: Ikot Obio Akwa – Ikot Umiang road (7.96 kilometers); Ukam – Ikot Obio Okoi – Ikot Abia road (3.33 kilometers ); Nung Ita Urua Anwa – Obo Ntayam – Ikot Akpan – Ikot Okoro road (10.32 kilometers) in Mkpat Enin and Oruk Anam Local Government Areas; Nkim Itam – Ikot Anie Itam – Ita Uruan road (10.19 kilometers); Adadia market road – Ekim Enen – Esuk Odu beach road (3.96 kilometers); and Ikpa Ikot Akpan / Ikot Uneke – Ikot Ukana – Ikot Ntung – Obot Odung – Ono Ikot Okpon road (1.28 kilometers) in Uruan and Ibiono Ibom Local Government Areas.
Furthermore, Mbiafun Ikot Abasi – Fiong Aran road in Ini Local Government Area (4.0 kilometers); Nung Ukim – Ukwok – Ibam Edet road with a spur from Aba Itiat – Usuk Ukwok road (6.19 kilometers); Ibiaku Ntok Okpo road (1.136 kilometers); Ikot Onwon Ediene – Ikot Nkwo – Ikot Idomo Ikot Abia Nkwot road (6.68 kilometers) – all in Ikono Local Government Area are currently under construction just as Uruting road in Okobo (1.75 kilometers); and Ikot Obio Eket – Ikot Mbong road (1.142 kilometers) in Onna Local Government Area.
Also under construction are Ifuho Mickon – Nyaraenyin – Ikot Nkpo bridge road (4.771 kilometers) and Obo Annang – Ikot Akpakpan – Ikot Akpan Ikpong – Uyo / Ikot Ekpene road (2.75 kilometers) in Ikot Ekpene and Essien Udim Local Government Areas, while the cross drainage structure linking Ikot Abasi 1- Ikot Inyang Ossom – Afaha Iman with a spur to the Leprosy Hospital in Etinan Local Government Area has been completed and promptly put to usage by the public.
However, beyond the palpable construction of roads are the silent mass of employment opportunities generated across our hinterlands vis-a-vis the human capital empowerment index of the project which cannot be underestimated.
No fewer than 32 road projects lumped into 15 – lot contract packages and three multi-dimensional market improvement jobs have so far been awarded under AKS-RAAMP. Four design / supervision consultancy firms and 12 engineering companies are currently delivering on these tasks, with an estimated 1,500 direct employments to our youths vis-a-vis a colossal number of sundry indirect jobs generated in 21 Local Government Areas across the state. The socio-economic impacts of this development across our rural family lives, wealth – creation, provision of food, education, health and indeed the general wellbeing of our rural communities could better be imagined than described. K
In the words of the State Project Coordinator of AKS-RAAMP, Pastor Gideon Akpan, “our humble heights in RAAMP is facilitated by the intentional support, encouragement and fillip of His Excellency, the State Governor – Pastor Umo Eno, PhD without which these feats would have remained a mirage. We also owe our depth of gratitude to the leadership acumen of the Hon. Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Mrs. Offiong Offor and the effective oversight of the State Project Monitoring Committee, SPMC. Ours in the project is a collective resolve and determination to justify the confidence reposed in us by ensuring that the huge investments of government in this project yields multiplier dividends for the overall benefit of the state. In fact, our commitment is total.”
As implementation of the project continues towards her five – year tenure, it is certain that more opportunities; more wealth; more road and market projects; more education; and indeed much more joy will spread to other communities across the state in line with the Project Development Objectives of RAAMP and the ARISE agenda.
