Connecting Akwa Ibom
Governor Udom Emmanuel has within his short period on the saddle, prioritised the linking of all the majors towns and villages to Uyo, the state capital. Joseph Ushigiale reports
In the last 19 years since the country returned to civil rule, Akwa Ibom State has been fortunate to be blessed with visionary leaders who have laid solid foundations for its development. From the tenure of Obong Victor Attah who, in 1999, began the journey of laying a solid blueprint for a new Akwa Ibom State; to his successor, the Transformation leader, Godswill Akpabio under whose reign, the state attained its apogee in the provision of 21st century infrastructure.
Today, Governor Udom Emmanuel is consolidating the efforts of his predecessors by engaging in major road construction to link every strategic touch points including villages, towns and council areas to Uyo, the state capital.
Recently, the Commissioner for Works, Ephraim Inyang-Eyen for two days took some reporters on a guided tour of some of the roads currently either being rehabilitated or constructed from the scratch across the state.
One unique approach the present administration has adopted is to focus on such areas like Oron and others that had hitherto complained of being left behind in infrastructure development. It has also ensured it gets to the grassroots not only to unravel communities that are cut off from civilisation as a result of lack of access roads but also provides them with succour.
According to the commissioner, “the philosophy behind road construction in Akwa Ibom State is to open up the state for development.
The prosperity of any nation is largely and inextricably linked to the quality and pace of infrastructure development. When good roads abound in a specific locality, it has the multiplier effect to stimulate local entrepreneurs and attract foreign investors needed for the creation of employment opportunities.”
Already across the state, the impact of the governor’s road projects is already being felt in the nooks and crannies of the state. It has created a value chain for local content providers like contractors, artisans, food vendors, and a host of others who provide related services as corroborated by the commissioner.
Inyang-Eyen explained that “Infrastructure variables like good roads have a positive correlation with private investment and economic growth, thus, it can be said that promoting investment-led-growth requires adequate funding on infrastructure to create new capacities while equally maintaining the existing ones.
“Expenditure on roads enhances distribution of goods and services through local and national markets and good transport linkages reduce transport costs while promoting industrial development.”
On the issue of how the state is grappling with sourcing funds to drive the process which is a major challenge at this point where some states can hardly pay workers’ salaries. The commissioner assured that the road projects are financed by the Akwa Ibom State Government through adopting a unique financing model called Alternative Project Funding Approach (APFA).
He pointed out that “We had to devise a new strategy that brought about the idea of Alternative Project Funding Approach (APFA); so we now decided to get investors who come in and invest their money and work out a MoU. So what we came out with was the APFA. We agree with you, give you the job, you use your money, do a minimum of 50 per cent of the job; then as you start the work when the contract has been awarded, we issue you an Irrevocable Standing Payment Order (ISPO).”
Adding that “it is the reason why we are able to do much more than our resources can carry especially in times like this. For the APFA, what this government has done is a standardised method that a kilometre of road is N320m under a normal terrain; every job is given at N320m-N340m per kilometre maximum, except in difficult terrains.”
He also highlighted the strong local content built into the government’s initiative arguing that its mission is to encourage and challenge indigenous contractors to build world-class quality infrastructure that can compete with global standards. The commissioner said in order to achieve that “we set the ground rules, specify what we want and follow up with supervision.
“The problems in the past arose because even where there were specifications, no one bothered to supervise and insist that the right things should be done and of course we have very strong corporate governance ethics here.
They all know me because if I come to your site and you deviate from the standard
Today, Governor Udom Emmanuel is consolidating the efforts of his predecessors by engaging in major road construction to link every strategic touch points including villages, towns and council areas to Uyo, the state capital