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JOE EFFIONG, UYO
A-600-metre bridge linking 20 communities in Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State has been inaugurated by President Bola Tinubu.
The bridge, a component of the Iko-Atabrikang-Akata-Opolom- Okoroutip -Iwouchang road (section 11) was completed by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and inaugurated yesterday.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Tinubu who was represented by Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, lauded the management of NDDC for directly touching the lives of the people of Niger Delta in just one year in office.
”Congratulatiom to you, the MD, together with the chairman of NDDC board along with others executives and board members for being the first board in NDDC since year 2000 to remain focused, united and commissioning projects that benefit directly the people of the Niger Delta people.
“Just after one you have been able to connect five local governments in Ondo State to the National grid by the commissioning of the substation at Okiti-Pupa in Ondo State, the substation is going to serve 64 communities and i can tell you that you have brought light to the people.
“Today, the people of Ibeno have another access road to civilization, it is difficult before to access this Areas but today you can access 600 metre of bridge. About 20 communities separated by Qua-Iboe River are now linked up by this bridge to Eastern Obolo and other parts of the state.
“The economic activities, exchange of commerce and education will now flourish .This is the first time NDDC is impacting on the lives of the Niger Delta people directly” the president said.
He noted that many years of oil exploratiion activities have impacted negatively on the Niger Delta people, in terms of acid rain, poor yield and other devastating effects, but urged NDDC to beam its searchlight on empowering the people of the region.
Minister of the Nigeria Delta Development Mr Abubarkar Momoh, in his remarks, said that the milestone being recorded with the inauguration of the bridge was a product of a performance bond signed between the management of NDDC and his ministry.
While noting that the 20 communities the bridge would serve were disjointed, Momoh said with the completed bridge, the communities would access themselves adding that economic activities in those communities would begin to flourish.
He said, “When we assumed office last year, I and the permanent secretary signed a performance bond with Mr President and sometimes last year NDDC signed a performance bond with the ministry, so what you are seeing today is a direct fallout of that commitment,” the minister said.
Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr Umo Eno, represented by the deputy governor, Senator Akon Ayakenyi, lauded the NDDC management for its commitment to uplifting the the lives of the ordinary people in the Niger Delta, while also pledging support to Mr. President’s administration.
Earlier, the MD, NDDC Dr Sam Ogbuku had thanked the President for his support, noting that the inauguration of the project which began last week were in in line with the renewed hope agenda of Mr President.
