By Chioma Onuegbu, Uyo

GOVERNOR Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has he inaugurated a five-man Dakkada Luxury Estate Board, expressing his administration’s commitment towards the expansion of housing facility in the state.

They are Paul Usoro (SAN) Chairman,
Hillary Ekpo, Secretary ; and Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, Mr. Churchill Udo, Brig. Gen. Koko Essien (Rtd.) members.

Emmanuel who performed the inauguration ceremony yesterday at the Executive Council Chambers, Government House, Uyo, explained that there was need to expand the housing and educational facilities to accommodate the influx of people into the state.

He pointed out that the Ewet Housing and Shelter Afrique estates in the state capital were already overstretched, hence the Dakkada Luxury Estate was a necessity for a serene topnotch housing area.

He said: , “The way the city is expanding is alarming, but it’s a good problem. Nature has a way of creating these expansions so we have to deliberately expand to accommodate.

“So we are ready and I am sure within the next one year we should get set with high density and medium density housing estates. Shelter is very key in any developing economy”

“Even in terms of schools, all the schools in Uyo are overstretched. We are considering setting up a very big secondary school somewhere around Ikono Uyo”

The governor explained that the essence of the Dakkada Luxury Estate Board was to clarify its status as a Limited Liability Company that would not be running at government expense.

He noted that the demand for the estate is already high, which is a guarantee that it would be self sustaining and generate enough revenue for expansion before the 600 units were exhausted.

He even disclosed that there were plans to develop a medium density and high density estates that will accommodate people who could not afford the multi-million low density luxury estate, adding that government has also secured financing to develop housing estates for Civil servants.

The newly inaugurated Board Chairman, Mr. Paul Usoro (SAN) in his acceptance remarks, lauded the Governor’s ingenuity in providing a development compass for the state, beyond the period of his regime.

He assured the governor and the people of the state that the Board would work as a team to deliver on the vision behind the establishment of the Dakkada Luxury Estate, and make effort to achieve the second phase of the project.