By Emmanuel Ufon
Nkwot group of 24 villages is a neglected community in Ikono Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, abandoned over years by successive administration of government even in eras of the military regime for over seventy years now, which according the recent cries of a seventy years old Community Leader and Evangelist, Engr. Albert Inyang who lamented that he is 70 years old of age, ever since he was born in his Mother’s belly he has not seen a tared road traversing across his village Nkwot community before.
This agrarian Nkwot community with abundant natural resources has experienced sundry natural disasters such as floods, water-borne diseases due to lack of pipe-borne water and health centers to access treatment, the only health center that exists for the entire 24 villages is without personnel and facilities.
However, the most debilitating among its experiences is flood due to the deplorable road network after any torrential rainfall. Anytime the sky frowns or the clouds seem to gather, their hearts miss some beats.
For instance, now that the rains are here, residents of the Nkwot community are worried because such a situation evokes their previous unpalatable experiences.
The community, which comprises 24 villages and other adjacent communities has been battling to survive the incidence of torrential downpour each year.
According to them, apart from the menace of rain, the deplorable roads situations have added to the plight of the people as the community is completely disconnected from other community due to the fact that there is no bridge connecting the Communities,out of the two bridges in Nkwot Community, one is the Iton Nkwot bridge linking in through Arochukwu community, Ukwok in Ini Local Government Area to Nkwot Ikot AbokIdem, the hometown of a renowned business man, Community Leader-cum Political Leader of the Area and CEO Bertola Marchine-Tool, Engr. Albert Inyang and also the bridge which people can access through Ikot Ekpene LGA to the community known as Nkwot Nung Imo/Ikot Akpa Isiak bridge secured by Sir Tony Afia a renowned banker of repute to his people is in a total deplorable breakdown status in which the community people in their self-help efforts made use of planks from palm trees to fix it up which can only be crossed by motorcycles and bicycles.
The community lacks government presence, secondary schools are in a dilapidated state, one among the top schools in the area that has so far produces prominent personalities in Nigeria is the prestigious St. Mary’s Secondary School, Nkwot Ikot Nseyen and Nkwot Ikot AbokIdem Secondary School which is today a ‘no-go-area’ in terms of learning environments.
In the light of this, the residents who trusted in the earlier promises of the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno to rescue the community of his then Boss with good road network and basic amenities also resorted to a self-help project on communal road repair which is not a permanent solution due to the topography of the area coupled with the equipment used for the road construction have cried to Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno to release adequate funds to Zee Construction Company on the 21.5KM Ikot Ayan – Urua Naira – Ediene – Nkwot – Nung Ukim road contract award with 45m span bridge with a believe that the firm will complete the contract project in less than one year period for onward commissioning to alleviate the suffering of the people and probably award more contracts for the construction of the two spur linking roads which designs have been done and submitted to the appropriate authorities. The economic importance of the road is so enormous to be neglected by any administration that is not insensitive to the development of the state because Nkwot Community truly is the food basket of Akwa Ibom State.
The Community, through their leader Evangelist Albert Inyang which they believe in and entrusted with the political leadership of the community want the government to take proactive measures to save them from further pains and sufferings as the deplorable road situation of the area is
thereby negatively impacting economic activities in the state in line with the A-R-I-S-E AGENDA of the present administration in Rural development towards Agricultural revolution for food sufficiency and the RENEWED HOPE AGENDA of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Looking at the economic importance of the road in the area of Agriculture, the major contributor to Nigeria’s GDP, contributing over 23% and employing over 34% of Nigeria’s workforce is highly dependent on available road networks. Farmers in rural areas are affected by the lack of access to good roads resulting in the inability of most farmers to transport their goods to available markets leading to loss of perishable farm produce. A seamless rural road network and infrastructure reduces the cost of production and increases productivity especially in the agricultural sector where the transportation of crops from the farm to consumers is a major factor in the agricultural value chain.
Calling on Governor Umo Eno to please consider them in infrastructural development, the Community people who spoke in one voice said they obeyed Evangelist Albert Inyang who called on them to Vote Pastor Umo Eno during the 2023 general election and witnessed how Inyang mobilised churches leaders and men of God for Pastor Umo Eno which they believed he spent over fifty million naira of his hard earned resources in series of outings with the privileged and less privileged ones while canvassing for support for Pastor Umo Eno across Ikono Local Government Area. Though Ikono did not performed excellently well due to the influence of the opposition party in the area the people pleads with Gov Umo Eno to heaken to release funds to Zee Construction Company for the road construction projects giving them a second chance as they will in 2027 second term election bid of the Governor deliver Governor Umo Eno enmasses.
