By Sunday Bassey

The Executive Chairman of Eastern Obolo Local Government Area, Rt. Hon. Samuel Nteogwuijah, says his administration has deepened grassroots engagement through its Obolo United Agenda, resulting in improved peace and unity in the area.

Nteogwuijah made this known on Friday when members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Akwa Ibom State Council, led by the State Chairman, Comrade Nsibiet John, visited the council as part of the State Council’s tour of projects executed by local government administrations across the state.

He said his administration had liaised with various youth organisations, including the National Youth Council (NYC), Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Obolo Youth Coalition (OYC) and Village Youth Forum (VYF), to promote peace in the area.

The chairman said he had harmonised and reconciled the various warring groups in the area, adding that all shades of leadership now sit at the same table to chart a way forward without rancour.

“We used to have protests, but when I came on board, I had to liaise with my leadership and the leadership of all the groups and harmonise and reconcile all the warring groups.

“That was the number one challenge we had in the past, but today, Eastern Obolo is a peaceful local government. It was as a result of that that the council began to see numerous projects from the administration of His Excellency, Governor Umo Eno,” he said.

He listed his peace interventions to include mediation for the reopening of the Ikonta/Obianga Creek, intervention in the Okoroete communal crisis, intervention in the Egwene and Okoroinyong communal crisis, intervention in the Emen-Uman and Emen-Asuk crises, as well as the Akpabonm and Emeroke boundary dispute.

Nteogwuijah said the council had trained more than 60 youths at the Dakkada Skill Acquisition Centre (DSAC) to make them self-reliant.

The chairman said the council had constructed a permanent secretariat complex with 74 offices and two conference halls, which would be commissioned within the next one month.

He announced that the council was set to relocate from its temporary site to the new permanent secretariat complex in Okoroete.

He said the new secretariat complex was equipped with 74 offices and two conference rooms, while an 800-metre internal road and landscaping were ongoing. He added that the facility also had a brand-new 200KVA generator to power the entire complex.

“We will soon relocate to the permanent secretariat, which will be commissioned within the next one month,” the chairman said.

Nteogwuijah said Eastern Obolo Local Government Area would mark its 30th anniversary on December 4 and had never experienced the level of development currently taking place under the administration of Governor Umo Eno.

He lauded Governor Eno for the ongoing construction of the 12-kilometre road from Ikot Akpaden to Iko Town, which he described as a lifeline road for the riverine local government.

He also commended the governor for the ongoing construction of the eight-kilometre road from Okoroete to Amadaka, which links seven riverine communities. He noted that residents previously had to spend about two hours travelling by boat to access the communities.

“The road from Ikot Akpaden to Iko was like a dead track until Governor Eno came. Today, we are grateful to the governor for the ongoing construction. He has embraced us and made us feel warm and protected,” he said.

He added that his administration had embarked on several projects in the last two years, including the construction of mini solar-powered water schemes in Iko Town and Okoroete.

Other projects, he said, included the revamping of the solar water scheme at Amadaka; revamping of the solar water project at Ayama Okoroete; construction of a modern pier latrine at Elekpon; grading of internal roads in Amadaka, Kampa and Elile communities; and the refurbishment of Obolo Hall.

Other projects include electrification projects in Okoroete, Okorombokho, Iko Town and Amadaka communities; construction of model primary schools; a youth development centre; chairman’s lodge; drilling of boreholes; and rehabilitation of the examination hall at Okorombokho Comprehensive Secondary School, Okoroete, among others.