The State Governor, Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio, has inaugurated a total of nine people-oriented and life-imparting projects, executed through the Inter-Ministerial Direct Labour Co-ordinating Committee, in Obot Akara Local Government Area.

These included electrification projects at Ikot Abia Anwan and Ikot Ukpong/Ikot Udom; reconstruction of four classroom block and assembly hall at Primary School, Nto Omum/Nto Asiak; rehabilitation of two classroom/office blocks and construction of four classroom/office blocks at St. Andrews Primary School, Nto Edino as well as the rehabilitation of administrative block, staff quarters/adjourning kitchen and doctor’s quarters at Comprehensive health Centre, Nto Edino.

Speaking on the occasion, the Governor who was represented by his Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mr. Imo Udobia, while thanking the Obot Akara people for coming out en masse to accord him a rousing welcome, tasked health personnel and school teachers to be up and doing, considering the huge investment government is making in both health and education sectors.

The Governor called on them to show commitment and dedication in their duties, saying that in so doing, they will be justifying government’s own determination in revamping the sectors and ensuring quality health care services as well as a secured future for the Akwa Ibom child.

He commended the Chairman, Barr. Paul Shilling, for his effort in executing tangible projects for the good of his people while urging the people to continue to give him their utmost support and co-operation to enable him to do more.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Finance and Chairman, Inter-Ministerial Direct Labour Co-ordinating Committee, Mr. Albert Akpan, described the leadership of the present administration as that which feels the pulse of its people.

He explained that the many life-changing projects executed by Government, has justified the mandate given to Governor Akpabio by his people in the April 2009 pools and, therefore, called on the benefiting communities to guard jealously and protect the facilities from being vandalized.

The Chairman disclosed that his Committee was working in consonance with the mandate given by the Governor to ensure that no segment of the state was left untouched but that there should be an equitable distribution of projects to all communities across the length and breath of the State, adding that in a few weeks, the Governor was going back to commission additional 17 projects in Obot Akara.
In his welcome address, the Chairman of Obot Akara local Governt, Barr. Shilling Paul said that Governor Akpabio has met the basic needs of the rural dwellers and touched lives of the governed through the many developmental projects executed in the rural areas.

While expressing the happiness of his people for the projects, the Chairman pledged their continuous support to the present administration beyond 2011 and requested that roads in the area be accommodated in the next phase of roads construction as well as the intervention of relevant boundary authorities in the unnecessary incursions into their land by their Abia neighbours.

Barr. Paul said that as a way of complementing Government’s effort, he had also embarked on some important projects/empowerment programme and enumerated them to include: the rehabilitation of Nto Edino/Nto Asiak Bailey Bridge, construction of Legislative Secretariat Complex and Mini Stadium project.

Speaking separately on behalf of the benefiting communities the Village Head, Ikot Abia Anwan, Chief Etim Umoren; Headmaster of Primary School, Nto Omum/Nto Asiak, Mr. Cletus Ekanem; Headmistress, St. Andrews Primary School, Nto Edino, Mrs. Ekaette Akpan and Medical Superintendent, Comprehensive Health Centre, Nto Edino, Dr. Idio Akpabio, all lauded the State Governor for his magnanimity while promising to take good care of the facilities sited in their domain.