Governor Umo Eno’s ARISE Agenda has further deepened, as the Rural Access Agricultural Marketing Project has engaged 65 road maintenance workers to keep the newly constructed roads neat in 14 local government areas where roads have been completed.
The local government areas include Ibesikpo Asutan,Nsit Ibom, Uruan, Etinan, Onna, Ukanafun, Ika, Eket, Oruk Anam, Ini, Ikono,. Nsit Atai, Nsit Ubium, Mkpat Enin.
The State Project Coordinator for RAAMP, Pastor Gideon Akpan, who spoke at the newly constructed Owot Uta Edebom 11km road, while on a supervision visit, said, the essence of engaging people was to keep the road in good shape.
He further said, all of the persons engaged for the road maintenance project, are indigenes of those communities where work has been completed, and awaiting commissioning by the Governor.
“There is no other person to look after those projects, except the indigenes of those communities, because they understand the terrain, and know the people that live around them. It is difficult for a stranger to carry out any harm in an area, without the connivance of the villagers. Hence, we decided to engage them to be custodian of those projects,” Pastor Akpan was quoted.
This is a pilot scheme in partnership with the International Labour Organisation(ILO) who are strengthening the capacity of the Rural Access Roads Agency RARA on sustainable road infrastructure management, and the Road Maintenance Team members are equipped with adequate skills and tools and are also paid minimum wage by the ILO, Akpan stated.
Also Speaking, one of the engaged workers, Joy Samuel said she was grateful to the Governor for the opportunity to work, which will help cushion the economic situation in her family.
