By Chioma Onuegbu, Uyo

Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has said that there was an absolute need for the federal government and its agencies to ensure proper consultations before the execution of projects in states.

Emmanuel, who spoke when the Senate Committee on Lands, Housing and Urban Development paid him a courtesy call in Government House, Uyo yesterday, stressed that consultations by the federal government would create proper synergy and needs assessment as well as the successful execution of such projects.

Emmanuel who was represented by his deputy, Mr. Moses Ekpo, expressed surprise over the number of projects that the Senate committee have come to inspect in the state, as such projects were neither known to the government nor were their needs and locations assessed and rationalized.

ALSO READ: Imo Killings & Beheadings: Bizzare trend in Igboland

He noted that given the present inflationary trend occasioned by uncertainties of the global economy, there was the utmost need to ensure that the government had value for resources committed into projects.

His words, “There was an absolute need for the federal government and its agencies to always build confidence in the state government and ensure proper consultations towards the success of such projects.

“The need for such consultations and periodic reviews have become indispensable in order to enable the state and federal governments align their resources towards a common goal”

The governor, however, pointed out the importance of adherence to timelines in projects delivery in order to enhance full benefits to the end-users, stressing that timeliness explained the successes of the project recorded by the Akwa Ibom State government.

ALSO READ: Why we have strict travel protocols in Nigeria- FG

He used the opportunity to call on the federal government to continue to carry Akwa Ibom State along in the distribution of its developmental projects, and assured the state government’s preparedness to partner with them at all times.

He commended the Senate Committee for their visit, saying that, ” it is as an opportunity to “eye-mark” what the executive arm of government had earlier earmarked”.

The leader of the team and former governor of Ebonyi State, Senator Sam Egwu said they were in the state as part of their oversight function to inspect finished and ongoing federal government projects within the committee’s jurisdiction.

Egwu who commended the visible developmental projects executed by the Udom Emmanuel-led administration, described the state-owned Airline, Ibom Air as the best in the nation’s aviation sector.

Other members of his team were; Senator Ashiru Oyelola, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, Senator Kabiru Gaya, Senator Danjuma La’ah, and Senator Cleopas Moses.

In the course of their oversight, the team will visit the sites of 40 projects located in different parts of the state.

Vanguard News Nigeria