Monday September 22, 2025
By TheNewsDESK |
OVERVIEW:
About 68 percent of Local Government Areas across the state have so far been touched. Multiple scores of communities and thousands of families have been impacted – following the construction of roads, improvement of markets or provision of cross drainage structures in their respective domains. The soothing relief often derived among stakeholders, as a result of such interventions could best be imagined than described. From inception to completion and delivery of these projects, several testimonies attest to the general embrace, support and endorsement of AKS-RAAMP, as a solid boost to grassroots development and an effective complement of the ARISE agenda.
Above is a synoptic review of interventions under the Akwa Ibom State Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project, AKS-RAAMP: a jointly funded development platform by the World Bank, French Development Agency and the Akwa Ibom State Government – aimed at developing rural roads and markets infrastructure across the state.
Over 202 km, traversing forty-seven road projects, across multiple clans and villages in 21 Local Government Areas are currently being intervened upon by AKS-RAAMP. Out of these, three roads of 21.367 km in four Local Government Areas have been completed, awaiting commissioning. These include: 11 km Owotuta – Nung Oku Ekere – Afaha Udo Eyop – Edeobom – Utuat market junction demonstration road in Ibesikpo Asutan and Nsit Ibom LGAs; Ibiaku Obio Ndobo – Adadia road (7.106 km) in Uruan; Okop Nko – Okop Ndua road (2.119 km) in Ibesikpo Asutan; and Ikot Obio Eket – Ikot Mbong road (1.142 km) in Etinan LGA.
CROSS DRAINAGE STRUCTURES:
Similarly, the untold hardships earlier suffered by indigenes of Ikot Abasi 1 – Ikot Inyang Ossom – Afaha Iman and the Leprosy Hospital road corridor environments have become history, following the reconstruction and delivery of a double cell (4 × 12 meters) cross drainage structure to reconnect those groups of villages with their kith and kin, after long years of agony and pain. The collapsed bridge had plunged the area under severe grief, cutting off traffic and business for many years.
UPGRADING / BACKLOG MAINTENANCE:
Work is ongoing on 16.09 km of roads: Nsie Utine – Uruting – Obufi Okobo road, with spur to mega cassava farm in Okobo LGA and Ananamong – Eboh – Ikot Essien – Nchanebua road, with spur to Eboh cocoa plantation, under the upgrading component, just as 54.449 km of roads are at various stages of construction, under backlog maintenance of the project in 12 LGAs across the state.
These include: Ikot Ekan – Ediene Abak road (8.396 km), Efa Junction – Ikot Ibok – Ikot Mfon road (3.92 km) and Ikot Itina – Oniong road with a spur to Nsemeke Ikpe market in Ikot Inyang (2.87 km): all in Etinan LGA; Nung Udoe – Ibiaku Issiet road (5.65 km), Ikot Ambon – Nung Ette – Shelter Afrique road (1.23 km), Obot Idim – Afaha Atai road (2.65 km) in Ibesikpo Asutan LGA; and Eyesana – Ikot Idem – Afaha Iman road (6.27 km), Ikot Akan – Ikot Iyire road with a spur to the beach (4.38 km), Idiaba – Adia Nsit – Ndukpuise road (7.84 km), Ikot Otu – Idiaba road (2.60 km ), Ikot Imo – Ikot Ekpene Udo – Okon Eket road (12.096 km) as well as Ikot Isong – Edeobom II road (3.31 km) in Nsit Ibom, Nsit Atai and Nsit Ubium LGAs.
Others are: Ikot Obio Akwa – Ikot Umiang road (7.96 km) and Ukam – Ikot Obio Okoi – Ikot Abia road (3.33 km) in Mkpat Enin LGA; Nung Ita Urua Anwa – Obo Ntayam – Ikot Akpan – Ikot Okoro road (10.32 km); Nkim Itam – Ikot Anie Itam – Ita Uruan road (10.19 km), Adadia market – Ekim Enen – Esuk Odu beach road (3.96 km) and Ikpa Ikot Akpan / Ikot Uneke – Ikot Ukana – Ikot Ntung – Obot Odung – Ono Ikot Okpon road (1.28 km) in Oruk Anam, Uruan and Ibiono Ibom LGAs.
Furthermore, Mbiafun Ikot Abasi – Fiong Aran road (5.1 km), Nung Ukim – Ukwok – Ibam Edet road with a spur from Aba Itiat – Usuk Ukwok (6.19 km), Ibiaku Ntok Okpo road (1.136 km), Ikot Onwon Ediene – Ikot Nkwo – Ikot Idomo Ikot Abia Nkwot road (6.68 km) in Ikono and Ini Local Government Areas are under construction as well as Uruting road (1.75 km); Ifuho Mickon – Nyaraenyin – Ikot Nkpo (4.771 km) and Obo Annang – Ikot Akpakpan – Ikot Akpan Ikpong – Uyo / Ikot Ekpene road (2.75 km) in Okobo, Ikot Ekpene, Abak and Essien Udim LGAs.
PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENT OF AGROLOGISTICS CENTERS:
Moreover, three markets are currently undergoing transformation into standard agro-logistics centers, under the agro-logistics improvement component: one in each of the three senatorial districts of the state. When completed, the markets would be generously equipped with all the paraphernalia of modern markets: lock-up stores, parking lots, banking facilities, cold storage, perimeter fencing, warehouses, water supply and uninterrupted power, etc. This would translate into better and more conducive business environments, more economic potentials and of course, more money for the traders.
ROUTINE MAINTENANCE BY ILO:
Furthermore, Akwa Ibom is among the five states selected for implementation of the pilot Routine Maintenance scheme on rural roads, facilitated by the International Labour Organization, ILO. Other RAAMP states are: Sokoto, Bauchi, Niger and Ogun out of 19 participant states in the project across the country.
ILO is a United Nations human and labour rights agency, which core mission is to ensure that all people have access to opportunities for decent and productive work, under conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity. Routine Maintenance is a coordinated cleaning of roads to prevent damages and promote free-flow of traffic for sustainability. Among activities to be covered by the scheme are: clearing of drains, culverts and under bridges; cutting and clearing of road shoulder vegetations; cleaning of traffic signs and road furniture; as well as minor repairs of failed portions and maintenance of bioengineering features to prevent the road from decay.
Already, a technical team of ILO, led by the Chief Technical Advisor, Mr. Shailendra Kumar Jha had earlier visited the state on a reconnaissance survey and were received by the Hon. Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Offiong Offor. She thanked ILO, the World Bank and Federal Project Management Unit of RAAMP for choosing Akwa Ibom as one of the pilot states, describing the project not only as harmonious with the rural development drive of His Excellency, the Governor – Pastor Umo Eno, PhD but a multiplier blessing to the state economy. “On behalf of Government, we are very grateful for believing in us and we pledge our very best to guarantee effective partnership forbest results.”
In a brief summary, the Team Lead and Chief Technical Advisor, Mr. Shailendra Kumar Jha said “ILO has an initial package of 200 kilometers of roads under its routine maintenance and 50 kilometers under spot improvement for intervention across the state. These would be realized through individual and group employments, out of which 52 percent would be targeted at women and persons living with disabilities to enhance their livelihoods and boost their well-being.”
HUMAN EMPOWERMENT / CAPACITY BUILDING:
However, beyond the physical civil works, it is worthy of note that hundreds of direct employment opportunities have been created for youths across the state by the twelve construction companies and four consultancy firms currently executing these jobs for AKS-RAAMP, among other ancillary activities by the project. Other categories of indirect jobs and wealth-generating opportunities, which may have been created in the process – jointly contribute to reducing unemployment and underemployment, while promoting the general well-being of individuals and groups of people across the state.
Above all, capacity building of indigenous firms and companies – courtesy of AKS-RAAMP cannot be underestimated. From the inception, firms and companies owned by indigenes had competed alongside foreign concerns but could not secure any of the jobs due to the high level technicalities required. AKS-RAAMP therefore organized a series of training programmes and workshops aimed at building the capacities of indigenous firms and companies to redress the trend and change the narrative. This yielded positive results, as two indigenous companies: Basse Engineering and Mitchell Ltd and AYF Development Nigeria Ltd later secured the highly competitive jobs – an attestation to the success story of AKS-RAAMP capacity building programmes. Subsequently, these firms and companies could advance further to participate confidently in other World Bank standard procurement exercises anywhere and explore alternative economic fortunes, as a product of their updated capacities, courtesy of AKS-RAAMP.
CONCLUSION:
As the affirmative impacts of AKS-RAAMP continue to penetrate more individuals, families, villages, clans and Local Government Areas, the State Project Coordinator, Pastor Gideon Cephas Akpan has reassured all stakeholders that his team is committed to the successful accomplishment all her projects in line with the ARISE agenda, under the leadership of His Excellency, the Governor, Pastor Umo Bassey Eno, Ph.D and solicits maximum cooperation from all and sundry for effective delivery of the goods. His words: “As a team, we will go the extra mile to reciprocate His Excellency’s confidence, invaluable supports and huge release of counterpart funds by our collective commitment to ensure the timely delivery of this project for the benefit of the entire people of Akwa Ibom State.”
