JOE EFFIONG, UYO
Akwa Ibom State government has called for closer collaboration between the federal government and states’ agencies in the execution of public projects.
Gov Udom Emmanuel who canvassed this position on Tuesday while playing host to the Senate Committee on Lands, Housing and Urban Development at a courtesy call in Government House, Uyo, noted that for the purpose of proper synergy and needs assessment, there was absolute need for the federal government and its agencies to always build confidence in the states and ensure proper consultations towards the success of such projects.
Represented by his deputy, Mr Moses. Ekpo, Emmanuel stressed that the need for such consultations and periodic reviews have become indispensable in order to enable the two governments align their resources towards a common goal.
He expressed surprise at the number of projects to be inspected during the visit, and noted that such projects were neither known to the government nor were their needs and locations assessed and rationalized.
The governor noted that given the present inflationary trend occasioned by uncertainties of the global economy, there was utmost need to ensure that government had value for resources committed into projects.
He stressed the imperatives of adherence to timelines in the course of project delivery in order to enhance full benefits to the end users, adding that these are the very factors that have informed project successes of the Akwa Ibom Government.
He however commended the Senate Committee for their visit and described the visit as an opportunity to “eye-mark” what the executive arm of government had earlier “earmarked”.
He further used the opportunity to call on the federal government to continue to carry Akwa Ibom State along in the distribution of its developmental projects in the country while assuring them of the state government’s preparedness to partner with them at all times.
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 its jurisdiction.
He commended the visible developmental projects that the Udom Emmanuel administration has executed in the state and described the state-owned Ibom Air services as the best in the nation’s aviation sector.
Other members of the team expected in the course of their oversight to visit the sites of 40 projects located in different parts of the state; were Senator Ashiru Oyelola, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, Senator Kabiru Gaya, Senator Danjuma La’ah and Senator Cleopas Moses.