From Isaac Job, Uyo
Akwa Ibom State Governor Pastor Umo Eno says that the state is eager to enter into partnerships with interested investors to transform environmental waste into profitable and sustainable wealth-creation opportunities.
Eno disclosed the state’s intention at Government House, Uyo, during his third anniversary media interaction.
He expressed concern over the environmental condition of the state despite huge allocations to the Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency, adding that he had directed the agency to seek investors in waste management.
“I have directed the State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency to let us get a company that can help us work to turn this waste into wealth. The day we will find that company and partner with them, you will not see waste again in our state again.
“We are doing so much but getting little results. I want the agency to say how much we have put into it since I became the governor of the state,” Eno said.
He, however, cautioned against indiscriminate dumping of refuse and called for proper public education on environmental sanitation and waste disposal.
Eno, while assessing road construction projects in the state, disclosed that his administration has delivered more than 1,348 kilometres of roads in three years at a cost of N734 billion, including inherited projects and those awarded by his administration.
“Gentlemen, we have fixed 1,348 kilometres of roads in this state. Even the federal government, which is fixing 2,700 kilometres – check the president’s broadcast.
“And if the federal government has done 2,700 and the sub-national has completed 1,348 kilometres, that sub-national should be celebrated.”
The governor said there is no government that can construct all the roads in the state at the same time, noting that while existing roads are being rehabilitated or constructed, new roads continue to emerge as development expands.
“Let us not deceive ourselves, we will not do all the roads, there’s no government, even the next one that would come and the next one that will come again until Jesus comes, no government will fix all the roads because as you are fixing, new ones are opening up, but we should appreciate the fact that we are working on economically viable roads.
“There’s no local government in the state that road contracts have not been awarded. These are verifiable things,” he said.
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