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| Mr. John Egbo (r), Special Adviser to Enugu State Governor on Capital Development Authority, Explaining a Point During a Visit to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Enugu Zonal Office, with Him is the NAN Zonal Manager, Mr. Tony Nezianya. |
NDDC Chief Urges Faster Work on Iko-Iwuo-Achang Road
Stories By Etoro-obong Inyang, Uyo
Mr Power Aginighan, the A c t i n g Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), has directed contractors to hasten the construction of the Iko-Iwuo-Achang road in Akwa Ibom. Aginighan, who led the NDDC management team on an inspection of the project on Wednesday, said speeding up construction would give people of the area a new lease of life and forestall drowning of people crossing the river. A young lady and a nurse participating in the nationwide Third Round Immunisation Plus Days between May 30 and June 2 drowned while crossing the river on Sunday. The nine-km road, with 6.35-km sand filling and a 600-metre bridge across the Iwuo-Achang River, was awarded to Viche Nigeria Ltd, an indigenous firm, by the NDDC in February 2002. Aginighan said during a meeting with the indigenes of Ikono Local Government Area that the NDDC expected to see the contract completed before 2010 and gave assurance that funding would not be an impediment. He lauded the benefiting communities for their understanding and cooperation, urging others to emulate the Ikono people by monitoring projects in their areas. ``I am proud to witness the zeal demonstrated by Ikono people to see that the firm handling this contract works. This is what the NDDC expects from other communities in the Niger Delta,'' he said. ``It is a bad paradox indeed that the goose that lays the golden egg is endangered by its own wealth. ``Ibono deserves a better treatment; the Federal Government and the NDDC are willing to see a better treatment for the area.'' A community leader, Obong Effiong Archianga, had informed the NDDC team of the death of the two health workers while crossing the Iwuo-Achang River. Archianga, who commended the NDDC for awarding the contract to a local firm, however, criticised the delay in the project. Mrs Regina Egbe, the Ikono Local Government Chairman, appealed to the NDDC and the Federal Government to complement the peaceful disposition of the Ikono people by providing them with basic infrastructure such as water, electricity and hospital.
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Rainstorm Destroys Property Worth N100m
Three clans, and some villages in Itam, Itu local government area, are counting their losses after rainstorm Wednesday wreacked havoc on a cross section of clans, and villages in Itu, Oku- Iboku, Mbiabo, and Mbiatok Itam. The rainstorm which lasted for only about twenty five minutes, though did not claim any life, but destroyed properties estimated at about N100million, including, a block of 10 classrooms recently renovated by the state government at a primary school in Mbiatok Itam, two churches; the Bible Standard Church, the Apostolic Church, and 10 buildings in the community. Speaking separately, Pastor Christopher Usanga of the Apostolic Church, and the Pastor of the Bible Standard Church, Pastor Emmanuel lamented that the roofs of the churches were completely blown off by the thunderstorm destroying the entire musical instrument, and other valuables worth more than N6million. They described the incident as terrible to the spiritual and physical well being of worshippers. The councillor representing the area in Itu local government council, Mr. Asenie George Inyang, who visited the affected area, was numbed by the extent of devastation caused by the 'evil wind'. Most of the victims of the rainstorm who have been rendered homeless have appealed to both the local and state governments to come to their aid with relief materials, even as they asked the state government to declare the area a disaster zone that needs urgent medical and economic attention, especially as the rains have started pouring heavily. There has not been any reaction or response yet from the relevant quarters, but, those whose houses were destroyed are hopeful that government would come to their rescue as soon as possible.
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2011: There's No Vacancy -Akpabio
As the race to 2011 gubernatorial elections gathers momentum, Chief Godswill Akpabio, who in recent times has been facing serious opposition to his second term bid, has become more vocal in his desire to remain in office till 2015. Chief Akpabio, in a rally told the people of Oron ethnic group, "the new governor's lodge, will be commissioned in July. I did not build it to hand over to them. There's no vacancy." Chief Akpabio, who commissioned some projects executed by his administration in Oron, asserted his ambition to continue in office after 2011, even as his predecessor, Obong Attah, a former senator, and minister of state in the FCT Ministry, Chief John Udoedehe, and a few Ibibio persons are teaming up to thwart Governor Akpabio's dream. The governor, who has been engaging in a war of words with his former boss, and other aggrieved politicians in the state, in a breach of decorum of the rule of his office, expressed disgust with the former governor, accusing Attah of fanning the embers of ethnicity, describing him, 'ethnic jingoist'. He challenged the former governor to account for over $200million ADB water project fund for the state, secured during his (Attah) tenure. Akpabio, vowed that, "no detractor, no amount of cheap blackmail, not even their intimidation. Our enemies would not see us. They would not find us, and we would remain focused, not deterred by our detractors as we continue to offer services to our people".
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