...Village Heads, Residents Cry For Help


Posted by Ubong ASSAM Jnr.


The once-functional link road spanning Edeobom, Afaha Abia, Ikot Obio Asanga, Ikot Odiong, and Ikot Ekang in Nsit Ibom and Etinan Local Government Areas, apart from dangerously worsening, is now akin to a death trap, this paper can reliably inform.

This over 5km road, which connects rural agrarian communities in Nsit Ibom to Ikot Ekang in Etinan Local Government Area, according to our reporter, suffer from abandonment and neglect, resulting in severe setbacks for economic and social activities of inhabitants of the area.

To worsen the issue for these rural dwellers, the ancient bridge connecting Ikot Odiong and Ikot Ekang, crossing Nsit Ibom and Etinan Local Government Areas, has become a hazardous obstacle, negatively affecting farming and all economic pursuits between the two Local Government Areas.

When a team of journalists and netizens visited the area on an on-the-spot assessment last Friday, our reporter who was part of the team witnessed the dire condition of these roads, the untold hardship, and excruciating pains it has caused residents and the road users.

Speaking with the Village Head of Afaha Abia, Eteidung Monday Johnny Ekpo, at his palace, the monarch, in an emotion-laden tone, lamented the absence of a reliable access road to the community.

He regretted that the deplorable state of this road not only deprived residents of his community of convenience in commuting from one village to the other especially at critical moments and emergency situations, but also hampers their ability to engage in businesses sustaining their families.

While acknowledging that indigenes of the affected areas have been campaigning, supporting, and voting en masse for the ruling party in the State, PDP, since 1999, the Village Head appealed to the State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, whom he referred to as "a caring and listening leader" for compassionate intervention, urging for the construction of the link road to revitalize beleaguered communities in the area.

In the same vein, Eteidung Emmanuel Usoro, the Village Head of Ikot Obio Asanga, during interaction with our reporter at his palace, had expressed deep displeasure at the deteriorating state of the road traversing his village.

The Village Head pointed out that resolving challenges faced by Ikot Obio Asanga and its environs hinges on constructing a viable road in the area. Eteidung Usoro expressed hope that the Governor, being a responsive and altruistic leader, will kindly respond to their plea.

In their separate reactions, indigenes of the affected communities including Mr. Emmanuel Godwin Umoh of Ikot Odiong and Mr. Ubong Etim from Ikot Ekang in Etinan, decried the terrible condition of the colonial bridge connecting the two villages.

They urgently called on the state government to provide them with a good road so as to enable them to resume their businesses and restore normalcy to their daily lives to enable them contribute their quota to the GDP of the state through agro-allied activities.

As a beacon of hope, the residents earnestly called on the Christ-centric administration of Pastor Eno to dispatch trusted government officials to the aforementioned areas for a firsthand assessment of the deplorable state of the road, the bridge and it's commutative effects on the people of the area.

This impassioned plea, according to them, aims at drawing attention to the urgent need for intervention of the State Government in other to alleviate the suffering of the people and restore vitality to their communities that have been totally cut off from civilization.

Those who spoke to newsmen stressed that they are longstanding members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and have been actively contributing to the party's victories in the state since 1999.

They strongly hope that when the matter is brought to the notice of the Governor, he will address their concerns and improve their lives in line with his administration's ARISE agenda.

Too bad