**Inaugurates 3.5Km Afaha Iman-Leprosy Hospital road

By Chioma Onuegbu, Uyo

Akwa Ibom State governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel explained that his administration is currently commissioning community projects especially roads across the state to make two categorical statements.

Emmanuel said the reasons were to show the world that they kept their promise to concentrate in rural development during the second term, and also to say thank you to the people for their support.

He spoke yesterday while inaugurating 3.5Km Afaha Iman-Leprosy Hospital road, completed with a 0.715Km outfall drain in Etinan Local Government Area of the state.

He stressed that the rural communities would continue to reap the dividends of their support to his administration and the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) as more rural development projects would be unveiled.

His words: “The reason we are concentrating on commissioning community roads within this period is to make two categorical statements: Number one, to show the world that we have kept out promise that in our second term our concentration will be a lot on rural development.

“And today, this is one of those outcomes.
Number two is to come back to the community to tell them thank you through projects commissioning.

” The Ekpene Obom Leprosy Hospital in Etinan Local Government Area established by the Qua Iboe Church since 1927, is of great significance being among the first generation mission hospitals in the state.

The governor who noted that the Leprosy Hospital would be renamed after the completion of ongoing intervention works to
reposition it, saying: “If you go to that hospital, you’ll see a lot of renovation works going on there.

“We are trying to change the face of that hospital. When we finish everything we are trying to do with that hospital, we will change the name. It won’t be called Leprosy Hospital again. We will give it a better name”

Presenting an overview of the Road project,
the Commissioner for Works & Fire Service, Prof. Eno Ibanga, explained that the road has been built to meet international specifications, having a 150mm laterite sub-base, 150mm crushed stone base and 8mm of wearing course, with two drains on both sides and a special feature of 0.715km outfall drain.

In their messages of goodwill political leaders from the area including member representing Etinan State Constituency in the House of Assembly, Barr. Dennis Akpan and the Chairman of Etinan Council, Cletus Ekpo, appreciated Governor Udom Emmanuel for the road project.

They acknowledged that opening up the Road has brought succour to the people in the community, and recalled how the state of the road prior to the intervention had made the Health facility inaccessible.

Also in his message of goodwill, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Otuekong Jackson Udoh said that he was impressed that the completion of projects started by the current administration shows that the governor meant well for the state.