Sunday June 15, 2025|
Stakeholders of Ekponwa market and Edeobom 1 group of communities in Nsit Ibom Local Government Area have pledged their utmost best to promote peace, co-operation and support for the speedy transformation of the age-long communal market from her currently rustic setting to a standard, ultra-modern agro-logistic center, under the Akwa Ibom State Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project, AKS-RAAMP.
The State Project Coordinator of AKS-RAAMP, Pastor Gideon Akpan had prompted a round table engagement of stakeholders at the palace of Chief Joseph Ekponwa – village head of Edeobom 1 to extract essential commitments and guarantee seamless progress for the project as a prerequisite for the formal commencement of civil works in line with standard protocols, having secured appropriate “No Objection” clearances from the World Bank to proceed with the project.
Three markets: Ekponwa market in Nsit Ibom; Naira market in Ikono; and Atabong beach market in Okobo Local Government areas – one in each senatorial district, are to be constructed across the state. When completed, the markets would be generously equipped with all the paraphernalia of any ultra-modern market: perimeter fencing, gate houses, parking lots, open and lock-up stores, banking, storage, storage and restaurant facilities, water, uninterrupted power supply, security posts, etc.
Pastor Akpan maintained that engagements with stakeholders would be a regular feature throughout the duration of the project and recalled similar routine exercises while the 11- kilometer Owotuta – Nung Oku Ekere – Afaha Udo Eyop – Edeobom1 – Utuat market junction demonstration road lasted, pointing out that such meetings went a long way to addressing several grey issues which facilitated the hitch-free completion of the project, now awaiting commissioning. “On behalf of the Hon. Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Mrs. Offiong Offor and by extension the Akwa Ibom State Government, I encourage all stakeholders – men, women, youths and even our children to be peaceful and supportive of this project so as to bring back the lost glory of this market and complement the noble objectives of the ARISE agenda for the benefit of our rural people in particular and the state at large.”
He used the medium to canvass support for the current administration of the state, as he thanked His Excellency – the Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, PhD for his enormous investment in AKS-RAAMP and pledged that his team would live above board to realize the desired results of these investments.
In their various remarks, the village head of Edeobom 1, Chief Joseph Ekponwa; a former member of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly – Hon. Ifiok OS Udoh; one of the family heads – Pastor Effiong Jones; the Community Laison Officer for AKS-RAAMP demonstration road (Nsit Ibom), representing the youths, Hon. Inyene Bassey, among others assured concerted cooperation from all and sundry across the area to ensure prompt completion of the project, pointing out that “the market used to be a beehive of activities not only for the community but neighboring local government areas across the state and even beyond but had crumbled due to the deplorable condition of the access road.”
In another development, Pastor Gideon Akpan has cautioned contractors handling various projects under AKS-RAAMP to demonstrate special commitments to safeguard issues in their various project sites.
He gave the charge during an unscheduled inspection visit to the 12.67 – kilometer Nsie – utine – uruting – Obufi Okobo road in Okobo Local Government area and the 2.65 – kilometer Obot Idim – Afaha Atai road in Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area, currently under construction by Roshes Nigeria Limited and AYF Development Nigeria Limited respectively.
At Okobo, Pastor Akpan ordered the immediate backfilling and stabilization of the top soil to enable smooth access to staff, students and other stakeholders of Union Secondary School, Nsie; while at Ibesikpo Asutan, he supervised and physically participated in the provision of temporary wooden slabs to ease the plights of pedestrians and other road users over a section of the road which had been excavated for construction of side drains.
He also emphasized on the importance of caution tapes and other safety precautionary practices for best results, pointing out that “certain hardships often experienced by members of the public in the course road constructions could be avoidable if these little precautionary applications are often taken seriously.”
