Akwa Ibom state government has directed the immediate release of N3.8 billion mobilization to Messrs CCECC; the contractors handling the dualisation of the Aka-Nung Udoe Road project to enable them commence work on site without delay. This was part of the decision taken at last week’s state executive council meeting at Government House, Uyo.

Commissioner for information and social re-orientation, Mr. Aniekan Umanah who stated this after the meeting, said council reviewed ongoing road projects in the state and directed that work should commence from both ends of the Aka-Nung Udoe Road to ensure that significant progress was re-corded by the end of the year.

To address the ecological problems faced by the state, Mr. Umanah said council directed the Ministry of Environment to conduct an urgent inventory to identify threatened sites with a view to drawing the attention of the Federal Government to them, as well as guide an intervention by the state government in areas requiring urgent actions.

Mr. Umanah also announced that a memo for the establishment of the Akwa Ibom State Emergency Management Agency (AKSEMA) was approved by the government, explaining that the memo, borne out of the compelling need to put in place an institutional and legal framework for emergency management will enable the state relate with the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) for disaster and emergency management.

He said a bill to that effect is to be forwarded to the House of Assembly for consideration and passage. Mr. Umanah stated that council also considered a memo from the deputy governor for the replacement of AKS Law Vol. 6, 2000 cap, 124 on the establishment of a State and Local Government Boundary Committee, adding that after due consideration and amendments, council approved the bill and directed the attorney general to forward same to the State House of Assemble for consideration and passage. The commissioner also said that all commissioners and special advisers have been mandated to submit detailed mid-year ministerial report to council for review maintaining that the reports would contain budget implementation, challenges and problems requiring urgent government attention.

He said that the executive council also reviewed the recent visit of President Goodluck Jonathan to the state, and concluded that it was a very successful event which afforded the President an opportunity to experience Akwa Ibom, as well as inspect and inaugurate some of the projects executed by the state government. Umanah added that the governor thanked the state executive council members, security agencies, the clergy, royal fathers, construction companies, the media professionals, and the entire people of the state for their support and contributions to making Mr. President's visit a huge success.