The 3.5Km Afaha Iman-Leprosy Hospital road, completed with a 0.715Km outfall drain in Etinan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State has been inaugurated.
Inaugurating the road project today, the state governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, said rural communities in the state will 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.
"The reason we are concentrating on commissioning community rural roads within this period is to make two categorical statements: number 1, 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 2 is to come back to the community to tell them thank you through projects commissioning", he explained.
According to him, the Ekpene Obom Leprosy Hospital in Etinan Local Government Area established by the Qua Iboe Church since 1927, was of great significance being among the first generation mission hospitals in the state.
He affirmed that huge revamp works were ongoing in the hospital to reposition it and that the hospital will be renamed upon completion of intervention works.
"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", he hinted.
The Commissioner for Works & Fire Service, Prof. Eno Ibanga in his presentation of the overview of the project, stated 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 a goodwill message, the Member representing Etinan State Constituency in the House of Assembly, Barr. Aniefiok Dennis, Chairman of Etinan, Cletus Ekpo and political leader of Etinan, Isantim Kenneth Okon, all lauded the achievements of Governor Udom Emmanuel and the road project which they acknowledged has brought succour and relief to the people in the community, stressing that the poor condition of the road prior to the intervention had made the very health facility inaccessible.
They further thanked the Governor for the avalanche of projects in the area, insisting that the area has never been so transformed by any administration since the creation of the State.
In another goodwill message, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Otuekong Jackson Udoh said that he was impressed that almost all the Governor's projects has been completed and it shows that he meant well for the state and had the people at heart.