Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has ordered changes to a road project in the state. This came after he checked out a section where residents complained about bad drainage. He rejected officials trying to take him away from the area with the drainage issues.
The governor gave the order on Wednesday while looking at the Afaha Atai Road project in Eket Local Government Area. This was just after he opened another road project in the same area.
A video of the inspection shows Mr Eno wanting to see the exact spot where he had received many complaints. He did not want to be taken to another location.
“I have received a lot of complaints on this road. I’m told the drains are not good enough,” the governor said.
“No. They are good,” Uwem Okoko, the managing director of Hensek Integrated Services Limited, replied.
Not happy with that answer, the governor asked, “So, what’s the problem on this road?”
When he found out he was not at the right spot, Mr Eno said, “I have received complaints about this Afaha Atai Road. Where you’ve brought me is not where there is a complaint. You people are just micromanaging. The moment you started walking me around, I knew this was not the road I wanted to visit.”
After someone in his team pointed out the mistake, Mr Eno said, “Take me there. I am from here now, I know Afaha Atai.”
Residents Speak on Flooding
At the area with issues, the governor asked locals to share their worries. “I want one person to tell me what the problem is with this road,” he said.
One resident told the governor that flooding was a big problem, even though he trusted the contractor.
“I live here. My house is not far from here. The place is flooded, and the pattern used for construction is good because I know Hensek will deliver, but my concern is what I cannot tell you here openly.”
The governor urged him to speak up.
“That is why I came. Say it openly so it can be corrected. There is nothing anybody will do to you; that is why I am here.”
The resident responded, “Floodwater has to be evacuated at the front to have free flow.” He also pointed the governor to another nearby road.
Issues Found
While looking at the nearby road, the governor saw workers laying down a stone base, likely because they knew he was coming. He quickly called the contractor over.
“This stone base is because I’m coming,” Mr Eno said. He then said the road would be redesigned.
“This road will be done. Hensek handles the construction. I trusted him before I gave him the project. The road has to be redesigned and will be handled by Hensek. I will revisit this site in two months. Everything will be okay.”
Previous Alerts
The governor’s visit happened about two months after a video shared on Facebook by Akwa Ibom PDP chieftain Assam Unwana highlighted what he called poorly done drainage on the project.
In the video posted on April 7, a surveyor named Udeme Ekong said the drainage level was not properly designed.
“There is no reason any engineer or surveyor can design this road to be on top… The implication is that the people living in the compound, their water cannot get to the drain, which was the purpose of the design.”
Mr Ekong warned that surrounding areas would keep flooding because runoff could not enter the drainage channel.
“That means the purpose of the government coming to waste money on the construction is defeated.”
He suggested that the drainage should be torn down and redesigned to stop future flooding problems.
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