A prominent youth leader in Akwa Ibom, Comrade David Uboh has commended the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, for the construction of Third Ring Road linking Akak and Atiku Abubakar roads in the Uyo metropolis of Akwa Ibom State.
Speaking to our reporter on the project in Uyo, Comrade Uboh said the construction of the road has given them a sense of belonging as communities in the area had been neglected by previous state administrations .
He said, the project which was initially initiated by the outgone administration suffered a setback owing to the construction of Atiku Abubakar Way, which was awarded simultaneously with the Ring road project.
According to Uboh, ‘‘the road was to pass through the Iboko Offot Village to Itam area as a Ring road but, since Atiku Abubakar Way was considered more important to the Ring road as at then, but had to be suspended in order for government to complete Atiku Abubakar Way due to paucity of funds.
‘‘Since then, subsequent state administrations in the state, did not see the need to construct the road and because of that, the villagers started building on the road, even as the Uyo Capital City Development Authority (UCCDA), did not help matters as it approved building plans for individuals, thereby hindering its expansion to a street’’.
He recalled that, last year the state government had sent a team to look at the poor situation of the area until recently, when NDDC come to their aid of Iboko Offot, Oku, Ikot Ebido and Effiat Offot group of villages that link with Atiku Abubakar Way.
He said, ‘‘the communities in collaboration sent ‘‘Save Our Soul’’ letter to the NDDC for help and suddenly, it came to the help of the communities by awarding the road whose work is ongoing through Prof Chris Ekong’s intervention.
The youth Leader however, thanked the federal government and the NDDC in particular, for the intervention which he said, stretched to other areas like Nkemba, Abak road Housing Estate, Ukana Offot and Idoro road amongst others.