NIGER DELTA MINISTRY, A'IBOM GOVT RESOLVE DISPUTES OVER EAST-WEST ROAD BY-PASS

By NBF News

The lingering dispute that has stalled construction work on the Eket-Oron section of the East-West Road in Akwa Ibom State has been resolved, paving the way for resumption of work by the construction firm. Community leaders in Eket have been kicking against the construction of a by-pass, which according to them, was not in the original design of the road contract.

But the dispute has now been resolved during a meeting facilitated by the Akwa Ibom State Government in Government House, Uyo, at the instance of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs for Eket community leaders and officials of GITTO Construction Company, the contracting firm.

Briefing newsmen after the meeting, the deputy governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Nsima Ekere, said it was resolved by all that the construction of the by-pass should go ahead alongside the upgrading of the existing road.

Ekere promised that the interest of the Eket people would not be in any way jeopardized in the construction of the by-pass, pointing out that, as discussed and agreed by all in the meeting, they had nothing to lose as the by-pass would be a dual-carriage way to complement the original road.

He used the opportunity to disclose that contract tenders have been issued for the dualization of the Eket-Etinan Road and the construction of a straight road from Eket to the Akwa Ibom State International Airport.

He also gave the assurance that the State Government would pay compensation to those whose property wiould be affected by the construction of the by-pass and the new roads.