With the 2010 inter-ministerial projects now in its third year the state government
demonstrated courage and boldness to pragmatically and proactively reposition Akwa
Ibom local communities for sustainability. Having galvanised more local resource
persons into action, their empowerment spells support for the grassroots and gingering
local communities that received comfortable government structural support.
With rising
economic activities in the state and the efforts of government to develop
more sectors of the state’s economy, the 648 interminsterial projects for commissioning
in 2010 from 21st January to 6th July is a crucial dividing point on how enduring
the administration’s resolve at wiping out the unusually disheartening circumstances
in our local communities has become.
With such a large number of projects to deliver in 2010 the administration’s priority
is still unmistakably fixed on education. The administration’s free and compulsory
education celebrated one year anniversary with pomp and became so popular with Akwa
Ibom citizens to attract national and international acclaim in 2009.
With delivery of these projects in 2010 the state government has
made Akwa Ibom a land of unlimited opportunities, a dynamic new reality, and projected
the state’s administration as a functional novelty. By and large these projects
have progressively discounted the impact of rural poverty and have given the people
a strong handle to erect a platform for a campaign of resounding respect for the
administration’s unwavering fidelity towards the people’s welfare.
Electrification projects were at 12% with 77 projects. The 77 projects are
down from 101 in 2009 but brings the overall by this administration to 276 and shinning
the green light on the state for uninterruptible power supply expected to happen
in 2011.
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A Comfortable Perception
With 45% count on school building projects undergoing commissioning in 2010 with 294 school
buildings with classroom blocks, assembly halls, laboratories,
offices, staff quarters, and hostel blocks. The 294 number is down from 327 of such
projects in 2009 but still remain the largest class in 2010 delivery and on the
overall actually brings to 643 the entire school building projects delivered from
2007.
Mini water projects were next in 2010 with 122 of them at 19% project count. The mini water
projects are stand alone electric submersible pumps that are placed in water wells
drilled to the underground aquifers. These water wells pump and store clean potable
water in constructed overhead tanks for consumption by members of the neighbourhood.
On
the overall 197 mini water projects have been delivered since 2007.
There were significantly more civic building projects in 2010 than in 2008 and 2009
combined with 102 of these at 16% of delivery count compared with 22 in 2008 and
17 in 2009.
With 39 health facility projects attracting 6% of project count in 2010 government
appears committed to transform the health institutions. Steadily, government has
rolled out several health policies, appointed more health workers and doctors, and
placed more funds in the health ministry to improve the health and well being of
the people.
There are 14 drainage projects for commissioning in 2010, this accounted for only 2% of delivery
count, and they signpost a readiness to deliver more of the administration’s solidly
tarred roads in the affected areas.
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School building projects were distributed in all LGAs in 2010 except Udong Uko.
However Udong Uko has 8 projects for commissioning in 2010 with 5 water projects,
one each of electricity, health center, and civic building.
Mini water projects were in some
27 LGAs over rising concerns by government to ensure increased and redundant availability
of potable water. This is intended to minimise the threat posed by contaminated
water, reduce the strain on health facilities from such life threatening diseases
as typhoid, and also promote hygiene and healthy living in local communities. However, Esit
Eket had never had any of these water projects delivered, although some critical
areas of the state are pipe borne with the state’s water corporation. Providing electricity to drive the pumps continue to be a major challenge but in
2010 government has pushed the envelope by providing solar option with three solar
driven water pumps in Ididep Usuk, Mbiabam Ididep, and Ikpanya all in Ibiono Ibom.
The delivery of civic buildings in 2010 are in 25 LGAs with 12 of these
in Eket and 10 in Ikot Ekpene while Uyo and Itu had 8 each. Of the 102 civic building
projects 77 were rural court house structures signifying a turning point at supporting
the judiciary with befitting structures.
A total of 77 Electrification projects were executed in 25 LGAs. Uyo had 9
electrification projects, Essien Udim 8, and Oruk Anam had 7.
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