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GOV ENO INSPECTS, PROMISES SPEEDY COMPLETION OF EKET INT’L MARKET PROJECT TO CURB STREET TRADING
By evangelist.com.ng Edition, Monday July 10, 2023.
In his determined efforts to reinvigorate economic activities and provide conducive environment for traders to engaged in their business ventures, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Uno Eno, has embarked on inspection of the International Market project at Eket Local Government Area of the state.
Speaking during an inspection to the market, Governor Eno who reassured on his commitments, said this underscores his campaign promise of putting to use projects executed by his predecessors.
He acknowledged that the Covid-19 pandemic halted the project in its advanced stage of execution, saying that the project cannot be left to decay as it must be completed and put to use to enable the state government rid the street of traders and bring out the beauty of the metropolis.
“This Market project has been here for a while. It was affected by the COVID-19. Now that COVID is over, we need to ensure that this project gets back on track.
“I promised during my campaign that we will complete all the the projects that could not be completed by my predecessor and boss, Deac Udom Emmanuel.
“So our coming here today is in line with that promise to ensure that the market is completed.
“As you can see the level of work here is interesting and quite motivating. If we abandon it, it will decay. We have to put it to use before we can clear the traders on the street. To stop street trading, we must give them a better alternative.
“You can see that all of us are here. The immediate past Eket House of Assembly member is here, Deputy Governor is here, SSG is here. Everyone that has to do with the project, before, now and even in the future. We are all here.”
The Governor promises to meet with the relevant parties in the project including the investors, the local government chairman and the state Justice Ministry, Foreign Direct Investment Bureau, for modalities to get the project completed, adding that Government will make sure its resources are judiciously spent.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Trade And Investments, Mr Oliver Udoukpo, who conducted the governor round the project, explained that the market, built on two floors, has two thousand eight hundred stalls and a large parking space to accommodate the customers and traders coming for transactions in the market.
Governor Eno was accompanied by top government functionaries including the Deputy Governor, Senator Akon Eyakenyi; Secretary to the State Government, Prince Enobong Uwah, Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Trade and Investments, Mr Oliver Udoukpo.
Others were Chairman of Foreign Direct Investments, Mr. Gabriel Ukpeh and the Member representing Eket in the House of Assembly, Dr Nsidibe Akata.