The representative of the World Bank, Mr. Rakesh Tripati has commended Governor Umo Eno, on his rural project implementation, which is in line with the ARISE AGENDA of his administration. The World Bank representative stated this, at the conference room of the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project, Uyo, an agency under the state Ministry of Agriculture.
We must commend the Governor for the release of the counterpart funding for the project, and this shows his commitment to the implementation of his rural development programme, he stated.
National Coordinator for RAAMP, Engr Aminu Bodinga Mohammed, said their visit to Akwa Ibom State was for a routine technical support supervision mission, to support the state through visitations of ongoing rural road construction projects and identify any implementation bottleneck and proffer solutions where necessary. We are also to ensure that the state gets value for money expended.
He expressed satisfaction on the level of compliance on the roads completed, which are awaiting commissioning by the Governor, and praised Governor Umo Eno for the support given to the project, to make the realization possible.
โThis project is important and you can only have development when you provide a peaceful environment, which is a critical infrastructure. The concept of this project aligns with the priorities of the ARISE AGENDA of His Excellency, and that is why the marriage is going on smoothly. I understand that whenever you have the priorities of government in line with the project, be rest assured, you can go and sleep, things will fall in place.โ He stated.
He advised the state to take advantage of the RAAMP scale up, which is a new programme, and stated that, the state has advanced in terms of meeting the requirements for participation in the project, and encouraged the state to meet up with all the requirements, so the Governor can continue with all the good works he has started, in terms of touching the lives of people living in the rural areas.
The State Coordinator of RAAMP in the state, Pastor Gideon is doing well, and Akwa Ibom is one of the first states that have committed their budgets to this project. The quality of job done is quite commendable, because we can see all hands on deck. He also commended the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Offiong Offor, for her efforts in getting the job done, and also joining the team for the supervision.
There are lots of benefits, and we are collaborating with International Labour Organization, to engage the communities living around the road corridors, so they can provide routine maintenance. Certain amount of money will be paid, and equipment provided for them to do the maintenance.
The people needs to understand that this is their road, and they should take proper care of it. So, this will also be an opportunity for employment generation, which is a community based maintenance initiative, which RAAMP is also focusing on, Engr Mohammed said.
Speaking, State Coordinator for RAAMP, Pastor Gideon Akpan said, the agency has been able to award 202km of road projects, and the first road which was flagged off by the Governor, the Owot Uta-Edebom 11km road has been certified by the World Bank team to be completed and is ready for commissioning.
We have 23km so far across backlog maintenance, which phase one has been completed and awaiting commissioning and handing over to the communities, to enjoy the good governance of Governor Umo Eno. Other roads are still going, which the team made technical input and suggestions where necessary, towards having a robust roads in Akwa Ibom State, in the rural areas, he said.
The roads executed, will be maintained by the people of the communities where the projects are sited, which will be accommodated in the scale up programme of the World Bank, with the setting up of cooperatives, which they will be paid minimum wage as their allowances, to enable them function.
Pastor Gideon further said, the performance of the state under RAAMP, has earned the state approval for two new additional roads, which will come in the same 2025 budget. We are enlarging our scope and doing well.
We would not have succeeded, without the support of the Governor, who ensured the release of counterpart fund for the project, which ensured that the government contribution is made in the project.
We are projecting the increment of our road project from 202km to 500 km, which will turn the rural areas to a beautiful socio-economic environment that is suitable for economic growth, which is the most important aspect of rural development under the ARISE AGENDA of His Excellency. Other road projects are the 2.13km Okomko road in Ibesikpo, 6.7km Ibiaku road to Ishiet, and a section of the recently awarded Ikot Ekan-Ediene road, which 2km have been completed and ready for commissioning, he concluded.
The World Bank inspection team was led by the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Offiong Offor, accompanied by Staff of RAAMP, Environmental safeguards, Project Consultants and Contractors.
