Reps Member Facilities 11 Projects In Itu/Ibiono Ibom Federal Constituency 

By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo 

The Federal House of Representatives member representing Itu Ibiono Ibom Federal Constituency in Akwa Ibom State, Rt. Hon. Ime Okon has facilitated 11 projects in the area in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the federal government. 

The projects were identified when the Center For Human Rights and Accountability Network (CHRAN), pro-democracy, human rights-cum-civil society in Nigeria, undertook a good governance tour of projects executed by the Lawmaker last week.

In Itu Local Government Area, the projects include a four-classroom block with toilet facility at PCN Primary School, North Itam; Classroom block built and donated to the Technical College, Ayadehe; Borehole project at Afaha Itam 

Others are; 1.5 km road (Joshua Uwah Street) linking Mbak Itam III in Itu Local Government Area to Uyo-Ikot Ekpene highway and Solar streetlights in Mbak Itam III/Ekit Itam II as well as Solar streetlights in Mbak Itam III/Ekit Itam II.

While in Ibiono Ibom local government area, the projects executed are Solar streetlights at Ikot Obong-Ikot Edok, Construction of Civic Centre at Idoro; Solar streetlights at Ikpa Ikot Ubo/Ikot Usen; Solar streetlights in Mbiakpan Atan and ongoing construction of Civic Centre in Nkwa Ibiono.

Commenting on the projects, the Director of CHRAN, Otuekong Isong who led a team of 22 officials including journalists, expressed satisfaction with what he described as lives touching attracted to the constituency by RT. Hon Ime Okon within his two years in office.

He also commended him for what CHRAN described as his, “tendency to transparency and accountability as a public office holder.”

The CHRAN urged members of the State and National Assembly to emulate Rt. Hon. Ime Okon by rendering account of their stewardship in the last two years to their constituents and members of the Akwa Ibom public.

Also reacting to the gesture of the federal lawmaker to the constituents, Mr. Isaac Asuquo Edet, who was fetching water at the Solar-powered borehole at Afaha Itam, Itu Local Government Area when the CHRAN team arrived said the water project was a remedy to their long suffering in search of portable water. 

He recalled the pains that community members went through for decades while trekking several kilometres, sometimes twice daily, to fetch water in the stream as years the community won’t forget I’m a hurry.

Also, Elder John Etim Bassey, the Principal of Technical College, Ayadehe, Itu Local Government Area, thanked Rt. Hon. Ime Okon for providing well-constructed classrooms to the students of Technical College, Ayadehe. But, like Oliver Twist, he asked for the provision of water and toilet facilities for the Technical College, Ayadehe. 

Meanwhile, during the projects tracking tour, the CHRAN observed a collapsed portion of the Effi Itam Road in Itu Local Government Area with its attaining negative effects on the socio-economic well-being of the people and called on the state government and the relevant federal government agencies to take immediate actions by fixing the road 

The CHRAN also called on the Akwa Ibom State Government and the relevant federal government agencies to take immediate actions to remedy the collapsed portion of the Ntiat Road, some metres from the High and Magistrates Courts in Itu Local Government Area.

CHRAN however commended the federal government for the ongoing construction of the Calabar-Itu highway, the access road between Akwa Ibom and Cross River States but noted a slow pace of construction work from the Itu axis of the project

“The CHRAN urges the federal government and the contractors handling the construction of the Calabar-Itu highway project to expedite construction to ensure its completion within the four years administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.” 

The CHRAN is a foremost pro-democracy, human rights-cum-civil society organisation in Nigeria. Over the years, the CHRAN has been mounting advocacies for good governance, transparency and accountability in government. The CHRAN has been holding public office holders accountable to the people by embarking on independent projects tracking/tour to ensure that government projects and projects executed with public funds by public officials are executed according to specifications and done for the best interest of the public.