Akwa Ibom State Government has commenced intervention work at Mkpok road as well as other collapsed roads in oil rich Eket community threatened by flood.
Our Correspondent gathered that the intervention was to the ‘Save Our Souls’ message sent by residents of the area to Governor Udom Emmanuel over the collapsed portion of the road.
Speaking with our Correspondent on Thursday on the remedial work to save the road and other ones in the affected Community, the Commissioner for Environment and Solid Minerals, Mr Charles Udoh said the project has been handed over to a contractor who had already commenced work.
In his words: “There are three roads in that location that we are working on. They are Mkpok road, Umana Ndon street and Isong Udonetort Street by Ediam street. Those are the three erosion sites that His Excellency Udom Emmanuel has approved and work has actually started.
“But we are focusing on Mkpok because it has collapsed. The priority was to get Mkpok fixed otherwise, economic activities will be grounded, while we are working on remedial work at others,” he stated.
He said heavy rainfall accompanied by flood water occurred two weeks ago and destroyed the gutter along Mkpok road in Eket, leading to the collapse of the road which forced residents to cry out for government intervention.
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He said governor Udom Emmanuel responded to the distress call by approving immediate intervention and a permanent solution to the erosion menace in Mkpok road by directing the Ministry of Environment and Solid Minerals to immediately commence work in the area.
It was gathered that the adjoining All Weather road, Ediam, Idua, Umana Ndon and other streets in the area were being threatened and residents are afraid that as the rains continue, more roads may collapse.
But the former Chairman of Mkpok Village Council, Mr Franklin Udoeyo has described the incident as unfortunate saying the failed road started showing signs of deterioration about a year ago.
Udoeyo stated that the collapsed road has affected both businesses and the mobility of people in the area, adding that it is one of the major roads accessing five villages around the area.
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