URBAN RENEWAL AND BEAUTIFICATION

Inyeneobong · Member

RE: URBAN RENEWAL AND BEAUTIFICATION

Inyeneobong · Member

The following is copied from the website of lpagroup contractors(lpagroup.com).This is one of the contractors that dyncorp international has subcontracted the airport work to,all to ensure it is completed at the right time,please visit the website and go to aviation section,akwa ibom international airport is among the list of their projects.

International

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Akwa Ibom International Airport
Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Owner: Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Description:

THE LPA GROUP INCORPORATED was selected by DynCorp International to lead the design efforts for a new “Green Field” international airport in the State of Akwa Ibom, Nigeria.

LPA is currently designing the initial phase for the new airport that will include a 3,600 meter runway with a CAT II approach, navigational aids, a four-gate terminal building, and a maintenance / repair / overhaul (MRO) facility for wide-body aircraft. The construction cost of the initial phase is expected to exceed $125 million. This portion of the project is scheduled to be open for operations in 2007. The final phase will include a permanent passenger terminal and cargo facility which will result in total project costs in excess of $200 million.

International Project - Akwa Ibom International Airport - The LPA Group

Inyeneobong · Member

A place to be seen

Ibom Plaza Turns a Traffic Jam into a Pool of Peace

A Highlife concert before the Jumbotron

Ibom Plaza

By Kevin Lambert of international reports

First-time visitors to cities in the developing world often gasp – figuratively and literally – when they see the traffic congestion. From dawn to dusk, one is caught in a barely regulated, amorphous mass as stubborn and impenetrable as an oil slick. Cars have taken over completely, and they rule as clumsily as Idi Amin. No provision was being made for pedestrians in countries where about 80% of all trips were made by public transport and by foot.

Developing cities are noted for lack of sidewalks, lousy road surfaces, integration of high level traffic and high speed traffic, poor design, absence of pedestrian infrastructure, and exposure to the elements, which include extreme noise and pollution.
This isn’t, of course, an exclusively African problem. The United States and Canada have resisted things like pedestrian amenities and the relatively new concept of traffic calming. Cars, like drunks on a Saturday night, don’t want anyone to calm them down.
This was another sticky problem of governance for Akwa Ibom. And rather than throw up his hands, Governor Attah went to it with the same resolve that brought the oil revenue from the federal government. He put his architect’s eye on the mess, and out of this came Ibom Plaza.

"It was a practical solution to a practical problem. That circus you saw there was much smaller in diameter than even the actual circus itself. And it was a five-route junction. Traffic was just impossible, trying to go around that roundabout.

"The only solution was to create a wider loop from one road to another, then to cut off two other roads from making contact. The circus became a three-road junction, and that is what became the Plaza." The three-road junction met in a circle, which he widened, and then they decided to dress it up.

So, almost by accident, Ibom Plaza was born, and Akwa Ibom became the first state in Nigeria with a pedestrian zone, one that was "created to solve a very practical traffic problem. And that creates that oasis or island in the city. And it works!"

Ibom Plaza has been graced with fountains and a pedestrian walk. Its real function is a village green. Anybody can come out and mingle with the rest of his tribe, not his birth tribe, but his Uyo tribe. Aside from the goods in the market, there are the inevitable head carried basket vendors selling snacks, from fruit to shish-kebobs. Everybody is in a pleasant mood. The Washington Times team saw none of the hungry beggars or sullen hustlers found in other developing lands. When people bump against each other here, a simple "Excuse-O" takes the place of a crash and a lawsuit.

Quiet Flows the Crowd

Any normal day in Ibom Plaza finds hundreds of people milling around, buying, selling, strolling and relaxing. The plaza can be used to lighten the load of a walking commute or it can be just a place to hang out in sidewalk cafes, in one of the few spots in Africa with a sidewalk. People in Nigeria work very hard, and money is not easy to come by, so the Plaza can work as a spot to de-stress, to rest the brain from the constant roar of traffic, and talk with your neighbor without having to shout.

Joseph Tim and James Ogbu, young men who have lived in Uyo most of their lives, are huge fans. Ogbu considers the plaza to be "a bright idea. If not for Ibom Plaza we would not have met half the people we meet." Tim is especially fond of the churchlike, "pool of peace" aspect that is so hard to find in African cities. "Sometimes the peace here allows me to think and have happy, positive thoughts," he says, sipping a soda by the café.

"Within that Plaza, we decided to have sections," says Governor Attah. "The flea market or commercial section faces the existing market and connects to it with an overhead walk. Therefore we were able to solve the problem of street trading. All those people used to be roaming the streets or setting up booths, which was really littering."

Immediately behind the market is the amphitheater with an enormous Jumbotron screen, and all kinds of performances are presented at no charge. Soccer matches, in real time, fill the place up with thousands of fans. The latest World Cup was broadcast live there, and approximately 3,000 people watched it.

What with moving people out, changing the street patterns, and getting the money together, Ibom Plaza took 18 months to build. Like most pedestrian zones, it raised a lot of conflict. But it wasn’t so much enmity from angry motorists – as it has been elsewhere – as confusion in the ranks, and false witness at a local church.

"A lot of people (under the military governments) failed to understand or grasp the concepts," says the governor. "Even the military governors before me had tried to read what I had in the master plan, and they couldn’t fully understand it. They all shied away from it. And the military government usually changed people quite frequently and rather whimsically, so the one man that came closest to understanding it wasn’t even sure what his tenure was going to be. So nobody wanted to touch it because of the social problems, if you want to call them problems, associated with creating an urban renewal program."

Then there was the church. His political enemies started up false rumors that he intended to demolish that church. "Oh, there were preachers from the pulpit, curses were pronounced on me, and so on. It’s OK, so long as they curse me for coming to demolish their church, because I had no such intention. But if, in the end, I don’t demolish their church, I believe those curses will (merely float around). It was something I needed to do because it had to be done. And now, in fact, frequently, we’ve had anniversary celebrations of the state’s creation in that church, so they now appreciate it."

Uyo Joins the Big Leagues

Architectural journals – the antennae of urban development – tick off lists of places that have revitalized themselves by creating great public places.

Melbourne keeps its streets pedestrian-friendly by widening sidewalks and adding attractive features, which brought about a spectacular increase in people going out in public and actually using the city. Cordoba, Argentina turned its riverfront into a series of popular parks. Portland demolished a downtown parking garage to build Pioneer Square, which is the focal point of a now-vibrant downtown.

Sub-Saharan Africa has always been the weakest member on this list. Windhoek, Namibia; Bagamoyo, Tanzania and many cities in South Africa have one, but that’s about it. But now Uyo, formerly a small, insignificant town, has – without any real fanfare – joined the ranks of the civilized cities, run by those who realize that a city without a pedestrian zone is missing a vital part of its architecture, and may not even know it.Award for transparency, integrity and steadfastness.

Inyeneobong · Member

I had wanted to post another large information for your readin petera but was told it is too long.

Check out www.internationalreports.net

Akwa ibom is the only nigerian state reported on that website of which is based in washington DC,by the time you finish reading what is in there about akwa ibom,you will NOT NEED PICTURES AGAIN,you will not need to doubt if anything is happening,from airport to everything I mentioned is there,just create time to read all of that ok?Mine you it is not reported by Nigerian journalists but by Americans.

Also go to www.worldreport-ind.com

then go to the reports on line section

and see for yourself that akwa ibom is one of the VERY FEW states featured in there from Nigeria.Just read everything in there about akwa ibom state and ask yourself if you can believe it.

If you cannot believe all of these things,please next time you visit home take time out to see them out there,and you will believe.

I also want to end by saying that apart from campagning for Attah,it will bring us more development if you and your friends will also get together and think of a pet project or ANYTHING you can do for the state to move it forward too.

I am a student and I hope to contribute my own quota soon after my school,for me to go to the extent I do to find things out now can show you I mean business in that direction.

I must also mention that Attah has built 50 housing units PER LGA,That would be more than 1500 units in all the local government areas.I know some local government areas do not have that,but that was due to the fact that the communities were busy fighting over the land to be donated for this units and some actually refused to donate any land.But like in Nsit Ibom where I come from and where land was donated immediately,such has been completed and occupied for more than 3 years now.

I hope u will from now on try to show my passion and burning desire for this our dear state and its development.Ans also think of contributions you can make.

I am sorry I cannot provide you wil each and evry detail that u need,for that would mean you are not even interested in finding anything out yourself,I hope I have given you enough to arouse your passion and desire to dig more for I am sure you will find out more.

,Also read all the other postings I have writtten in response to this particular request from u.

Bye

Inyeneobong

Inyeneobong · Member

The reason why the airport is like an airport and an industry combined is that it is the first airport in sub sahara Africa which there will be aircraft maintenance and repairs plus overhauling.

Airports as we know it in Nigeria is where people enter plans and go to their destination,combining that we MRO ie maintenance,repairs and overhaul is what I mean by industry and airport combined.

I have realised the picture I copied and pasted is not showing,but please visit the website listed for all the pictures.

Number 3.

685MEGAWATTS independent power plant.

Main contractors LYK engineering.P[lease visit www.lykeng.com

and see for yourself all that the contractor have to say about it.It is just ONE of their projects and u will see the link on the front page of the website.and some pictures too.

Home News LYKE Profile People Jobs Contact Guestbook

Corporate Profile

LYK Engineering is an international energy developer. LYK has seven key groups:

   The Power Group

   The Petrochemical Group

   The Construction Group

   The Oil Exploration and
       Drilling Group

   The Hotel Group
   The Trading Group

The LYK Group consists of the following companies:

LYK Engineering Corporation is the core company of the group providing the international expertise in management, corporate finance and audit, business development, legal, personnel and support services for it’s subsidiary companies.

Inyeneobong · Member

Petera,

If not for the body of your message,I would not have known it was me you were refering to.I am Inyeneobong,Not Enobong,I hope you have noted.

Let me tell you a story first.
One morning while I was in my village in Akwa Ibom during my last visit from July to September,I told my family that I just want to go and see how much work has been done at the 1000 units housing estate.
They all laughed at me and said that there is no such thing as 1000 unit in akwa ibom,that maybe I mean the 100 unit housing located at Udo udoma avenue,I told them no.I mean the one at mbiabong etoi,and was told that there is no such thing.
I had done my research well on the internet before arrival so I went,and I could not believe what my eyes saw.
The number of houses there are exactly 1000 more than half of that are storey buildings.
Add the new houses build by private individuals on land that are on the boundary,then you would see nothing less than 1200 houses,all with good road networks.All the roads there are tarred.
If the roads in that estate were to be joined together,they would be longer than from Uyo to Itu.It ia amazing that even people who live there do not know how big it is,they just know their house and the immediate surroundings.
It is a city of its own.
What I am trying to show u is that even the people in akwa ibom most of them do not know what Attah has done,but mostly they know what they have seen.That was why I said take okada cos they know a lot more than others.
That did not only apply to my family members,most of my friends I was the one who told them about it.
Most people know Ewet housing,they know asong ama estate,they know abak road estste and 100 units,but not 1000 units built by Governor Attah.
I was able to know,and visit becauise of my research.
I am an akwa ibomite with a burning desire to see akwa ibom develop.I have a passion,I have critical eyes,I have that burning desire which enables me to spend hours and hours on internet to read news about Nigeria and the state.
I have spent more than 3 years now doing that,and I must tell you that providing every single detail of that 3 years is not possible,but I can assure what I will give you in the next few days will be enough.
I will then leave you to do your won research to confirm or refute my findings,mind you,u may have to actually visit these places before you can really reject my findings,not to send people to go and find out,cos then they will just tell you that such a thing does not exist,unless of course it is the ones that they have been seeing everyday.
I want to tell you that you should have the burning passion,never have the siddon look posture,you should have the passion to seek answers,seek to observe with your own eyes before deciding.Take the time and the effort it needs,because it does need effort.
When I saw your mail I started imagining how I would be able to send to you and to this forum the results of years and years of research on the computer about the development of akwa ibom,and I must say that some of these things I raed I did not store them in any form,but like I said,by the time I am through,you will be amazed.
Do not wait for p[eople like me to tell you websites,just go to yahoo,and type in WHATEVER YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT AKWA IBOM eg you can type in 'akwa ibom airport',and see what you will see.
You will see more than 10,000 websites and reports,and being able to sift the good ones from the bad is what I call research.
Then taking the time and effort to find out these things you research when you actually visit there is what I mean that it will take a burning passion from you,not just the things you see along the road as you go on your normal business.
Number one.
First I will talk about the le meridian hotel in Akwa ibom.Just type in that on the yahoo bar.
If you search the le meridian website well,you will see that five star in akwa ibom is one of the 6 new hotels the meridian group planned to comision this year,but now it will be next year.
When in Nigeria I usually spend 2 nights in Lagos in a choice hotel,each time I visit I stay in a different hotel,le meridian being one of those,and wanting to make maximum use of the money paid for that,I walk around to the nooks and grannies of that hotel and every hotel I visit.
I did the same with the five star in Uyo when I went there to see with my eyes if all I read while researching on the net is true and could not finish in one day cos I was tired.meanwhile in Lagos I only did that within 4 hours.
So when I say that the grounds on which the hotel in akwa ibom is located is 3 times at least bigger than that of le meridian in VI,Lagos,I mean it and u can only AGREE or disagree with this AFTER U have done the same thing I did.iN SAYING THIS i INCLUDE THE GOLF COURSE AND FAIRWAYS.
On one of my trips from Port Harcourt to Lagos I happened to fly sitting beside the architect who designed that golf course who is from Ireland,and he told me that the golf course is the biggest in Nigeria,him having been involved in most of the golf course design in the world.
Just type that in also and see what you will find,and try to visit it yourself checking out all the nooks and grannies of that place.
The following is culled from the website of www.vanguardngr.com/articles/2002/features/tourism which is an article you will find when you have typed in akwa ibom airport in yahoo search bar.

Culled from vanguard

http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/2002/viewpoints/vp504042005.html
Rising from its long years of slumber as a civil service state, Akwa Ibom State under Governor Victor Attah presently appears to be in a hurry to tansform itself into an industrial haven through accelerated infrastructural development and urban modernisation. Judith Ufford, Features Editor, who visited parts of the state recently, reports.

THERE is something unique about Ibom Plaza. Alone, it stands out as the first of its kind in the history of city modernisation in Nigeria. Located in the centre of Uyo the capital of Akwa Ibom State, it is a sprawling enclave of sassy shops, water fountains, beautiful bougainvillaea and rose flowers, a viewing centre with wide-screen TV, sparkling walkways and overhead bridges and strategically located park seats. It is like the famous Trafalgar Square in London’s central shopping district or somewhere in the centre of flower-crazy Amsterdam. To go straight to the point: Ibom Plaza is a beautiful place. Indeed, like a work of art, it is an architectural delight with the imprint of a genius.

Designed by Obong Victor Attah, the Governor of Akwa Ibom himself, it came as a foretaste of what the architect-governor planned to do not only with the state capital whose Master Plan he drew, but with the entire Land of Promise. In no other city in Nigeria is there a place like Ibom Plaza. And that was probably what Attah set out to achieve. The plaza was finished in record time. It was fully put to use in 2001. But very soon after that, the Supreme Court’s judgement denying Akwa Ibom State its long-taken-for-granted status as an oil producing state was given. That judgement effectively robbed the state of the money and the prestige that came with such status, tools which the government needed to continue with its programme of infrastructure development and urban modernisation.

The consequence of such sudden loss of a huge chunk of its monthly revenue from the statutory allocation was that the Akwa Ibom State Government’s capital projects could not proceed as rapidly as they were meant to. As a result of this, critics began to say that the Attah administration’s projects were mostly 'white elephants' , that the government should have known it was not going to be able to finance such projects, thereby not embarking on them at all.

But since early last year when the oil-producing status of Akwa Ibom State was restored, such critics may well have been forced to eat their words.

For, since then, the state, to paraphrase the Commissioner for Works, Dr. Udoma Bob Ekarika, has become one giant construction site. From roads construction and rehabilitation to the building of the gargantuan Le Meridien Ibom Five star Hotel and Golf Course project; the setting up of the Ibom Independent Power Plant to the University of Technology and ICT Park, the Ibom Cargo/Hanger Airport to the construction and equipment of many hospitals and rehabilitation of existing ones, the government in Uyo appears to be doing so many things at the same time, all designed to transform Akwa Ibom State from a civil service economy to one driven by industrial production and tourism. Recently, some reporters in the state took an independent tour of some project sites with a view to verifying some of the claims being made by officials of the government on the number of capital projects going on in the state simultaneously.

Multi-sectoral approach

Their aim, however, was not only to, as they say, see things for themselves, they also used the opportunity to interact with some of the contractors handling the jobs at the sites so they could have correct information with which to put out stories on the social and economic development programme of the Attah administration in Akwa Ibom State. Their first port of call for inspection was the Le Meridien Ibom five Star Hotel. Works on projects such as the Five Star Hotel, Independent Power Plant, the University of Technology, renovation of schools and hospitals started in the first tenure of Governor Attah. But in 2004 fiscal year, the state government prioritised projects for execution based on their relevance to its development needs. It also adopted the strategy of expansion and rehabilitation of core infrastructure such as roads, markets, drainage, water supply, housing, parks, electricity and telecommunications.

The idea is to rapidly transform Akwa Ibom State through a multi-sectoral development approach and by so doing, increase productivity, generate employment, reduce poverty, create wealth, empower women and youth, thereby enhancing the socio-economic well being of the people of the state. To this end, the sum of N24.21billion was spent between January and September 2004 on the aforementioned capital projects. Also in the 2004 fiscal year, 14 road contracts were awarded at the cost of N29.48billion, covering the three senatorial districts of Uyo, Eket and Ikot Ekpene. "When we came in, we inherited practically nothing in terms of roads and people were complaining," said Dr. Ekarika, the Commissioner for Works, a medical doctor who until his appointment was Health Commissioner, explaining the apparent emphasis on roads.

"The government had to resolve that there must be development of good road network in the state. As such, a lot of money has been spent on roads in the state." And not just in the cities, although Ekarika said expectedly, more emphasis is laid on the state capital because "that is where people form their first impression about a state. But at the same time, we have had to site projects at the periphery too, so that development could radiate towards that side. "So, the policy thrust of this government is that we must provide access roads to areas of need so that we can use that to develop medium and smale-scale industries and also introduce investors into the country.

A practical edge to that policy was given recently when Governor Attah commissioned 93 rural-based projects as part of his government’s programme of opening up the country-side. The projects were executed by the Inter-ministerial Direct Labour Committee headed by the state Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Umana Okon Umana and which has received a lot of accolades for its efficiency. Ironically, some of the jobs done through contracts have not fared as well, a situation the state governor is quite unhappy about. Criticising the way and manner some of the contractors had handled their multi-million jobs, particularly Shelter Afrique Housing Projects and the 50 unit houses per local council across the state, Governor Attah threatened to bring the full weight of the law on the erring contractors, besides revoking their contracts.

Speaking at re-award of the contract for the state’s palm produce depot, among others, Obong Attah said contractors did a poor job in the housing project, pointing out that the action had necessitated renovation by the buyers of those houses. "Somebody will put conduit but no wires; somebody will fix the toilet but no tiles," the governor complained. During his routine monthly inspection of projects, Dr. Ekarika, for his part, warned the contractors handling road dualisation projects in Uyo to improve on the quality of their jobs or have their contracts awarded to other more serious construction firms. Ekarika is stung by complaints by residents about the quality and pace of work on some of the projects. He particularly frowned at the slow pace of work by KNCC Nigeria Limited, the construction company handling the Atiku-Abubakar dual-carriage way in Uyo city. To make good government’s threats, a section of the Uyo Five Star Hotel road dualisation Project was recently re-awarded to Mothercat Limited since Zerock which was originally awarded the contract appeared not to have shown enough seriousness in the execution of the project.

Zerock Construction also handles the Uyo-Airport dualisation project. But the Commissioner commended the firm handling the road project at the Uyo Industrial Estate and expressed satisfaction at the pace of work at the megawatts electricity sub-station being undertaken by the state government. The industrial estate when completed is expected to strengthen the industrial base of the state, ensure steady economic growth and attract serious investors to the state. Agro-allied processing firms are to be established in the industrial estate, to take advantage of the state government’s expanded agricultural production programme, which is beginning to yield fruits in the areas of cassava, palm nuts and livestock production.

Already some investors have acquired large expanses of land to start setting up their factories in the estate. Briefing newsmen at the end of the inspection by Dr. Ekarika, his Information counterpart, Mr. Parchi Umoh who accompanied him, restated government’s resolve to develop the state into a land of limitless opportunities for investment.

"I can tell you that Akwa Ibom is lucky because the same person who drew the Uyo Master Plan about 12 years ago happens to be the same person implementing it as governor and that is why we are seeing this level of commitment from government," Mr. Umoh enthused. However, some cynicism and doubts still trail some of the claims made by the state government, especially with regard to execution of those small-and-medium-scale economic projects by the state inter-ministerial direct labour committee. But Governor Attah was to assure the people of the state, while presenting his 2005 budget to the state House of Assembly, that the 93 direct labour projects consisting of 61 electricity, 27 mini-water and five sundry projects spread across the state, were real. "The list of completed projects is displayed and anybody could assess them for authentication," Obong Attah declared.

Cynical reports

To forestall such cynical reports and expression of doubts by the public as to the existence of these projects, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor Mr. Ise Akpaso recently organised a tour of the project sites for the Correspondents Chapel in the state.

The team visited an erosion control site behind the School of Midwifery, Anua Offot where a land-filling project, being handled by Zerock Construction Company is being undertaken by the state government. The project manager Mr. Ali Hamga who spoke with journalists disclosed that the depth of the gully being sand-filled was about 650 metres and that the project would be completed in the next three months. When completed, it will greatly check the surging erosion that could destroy the entire school and its environs. Indeed, to protect its huge investment in infrastructure development and upgrading in the state, a handsome amount of N6.19billion was made available in the 2005 budget to the Environmental and Urban Development department of the Ministry of Works by the state government. This is to ensure timely completion of the various on-going drainage and flood control schemes in the state.

The sum of N2billion is particularly provided for the completion of the on-going Uyo Drainage Project especially Nkemba Trough. Among others, one particular project has, however, earned the applause of most Akwa Ibomites, even its arch-critics for the urban development effort of the Obong Attah administration. And that is the relocation of parks from the heart of Uyo main town which has always tended to make nonsense of the beautification of the city through indiscriminate mounting of motor parks by touts, to a more convenient location within the metropolis.

Located on a large expanse of land on the Ikot-Ekpene Road, the ultra-modern Uyo Motor Park has a capacity for 800 taxis and 200 luxury buses, boasts five hydrant fire engine equipment, 64 open stores and toilet facilities. Handled by Mallum Nigeria Limited, it is expected to be completed by April 2005 and will be the first of its kind in Nigeria when finally put to use.
And he is doing more

The airport is going to be the first of its kind in Africa and its going to have a two runway tarmac, and its going to have one of the sophisticated equipments,
Every streets, roads, lane is been tarred with good drainage systems, There is enough light on the streets, the streets is been changed from the Y shape to the new modern T shape.
Men! The Ibom 5 STAR hotel is been ranked as the world class hotel in Nigeria, Cos Nigeria doesn't have none, Ibom Plaza I don't need to talk about it , Just come and see for your self, The plasma TV is very large where its brings people from all spheres of The states together in case of Match watching, At nights it looks like London, The street are clean and the roads are swept daily. If you guys are doubting me travel to Akwa Ibom and see things for yourself

The governor from inception had planned to run the state on the wings of modern technology, just sitting in his office and communicating with the various ministries and the workers. That project then was still some steps away from reality although there were some vestiges of activities.

But getting to know the city the following day, two projects caught my attention; the Ibom Square and the Ibom Meridien, both of them under construction. Looking at those projects images of tourism came crashing on my mind, things that were possible came in torrents.

The Ibom Square emerged out of an audacious move to restore sanity to a maze of roads that asphyxiated what should have been one of the liveliest areas of the capital. It had an amphitheatre where live performances could take place.

But the hotel was a different ball game. Taken out of the heart of the city to a solitary undulating hilling ground, the hotel was positioned to overlook a dense foliage.

There was plan for an international golf course. Just one look at the trees and my guess was that there should be some water down there. This was confirmed. There were plans for the waters to be opened up into the Calabar Rivers.

Last weekend when I had the opportunity to be at Uyo again I made only one request: could I be taken to the hotel? It was in going to the site of the hotel that I saw the multiplicity of development projects going on in Akwa Ibom. There were several road projects and in fact the road to the hotel has been tagged an express way.

The hotel is halfway ready. An 18-hole golf course has also emerged in the plains and finishing touches are being put to it. Far off, opposite the Meridien, an airport is also being scheduled for construction with the support of some Americans. The airport apart from emptying traffic into the state will provide facilities for comprehensive checks including D-Check on planes, the only one in this part of the world at the moment.

Life is returning to that lonely state. Fortunately for Attah he has also won the resource control case and more money is rolling into that state where people openly wept a few years ago.

Now the verve is back. The tongue is unbound and the people can boast one more. Attah was right in fighting that war after all. A winner will always find friends anyway, the reason he has become a folk hero of sorts.

But standing at the site of the hotel, I whispered to my self: I love hotel. I love tourism. But I hate those who lie to the President about the money tourism can bring to the country without putting structures and facilities on ground that can enable tourism grow.

In this state the government is leading a quiet revolution in promoting tourism and the results may begin to come in a matter of months.

I just cannot paste every news and research that I have done here,they are too much.

Number 2.
The airport:check out www.lpagroup.com,
You will see akwa ibom aiport as one of their projects subcontracted to them by dyncorps.
cHECK OUT www.parkervisuals.com and you can see the following images of what the airport will loook like when completed,I know they are just images and models,but then when you visit that place 2 or 3 times in one year and see the progress,you have nothing than to agree that it is going on well.This is a company that dyncorp has also subcontracted some jobs to,just so that the airport can be completed in time.U will see akwa ibom airport as part of their projects.These are all American based contractors unlike the roads handled mostly by indigenous contractors.

U will see even more pictures when you go to that website.
Also check the website of dyncorp international who are the main contractors of the website.and see if akwa ibom airport is not there as one of their main features.

Petera · Member

Hi Enobong,

You made your points six major projects in Akwa Ibom.

Please supply URL and pictures & sites and address location in Akwa Ibom. Thanks.

1. An airport and an industry together.

2. Akwa ibom golf course "THE BIGGEST"

3. Akwa ibom le meridian hotel 3 times bigger than Victoria Island's own

4. Ibom plaza is the second to South Africa (site of South Africa's own)

5. IT and science park is like heaven on earth

6. The independent power plant is to generate more than 600 megawatts

You said..."I reasearch into these things on the internet without just believeing the akwa ibom state website"

Please provide your references, photos, and the Internet URL. I am hungry to feed my eyes. I can use this info from you to campaign for Attah in Atlanta Georgia.

Governor Attah is scheduled here in Atlanta in October best on your point I will personally shake his hand for jobs well done.

Please expedite the URL to me so I can share with my colleagues before Governor Attah's arrival by October.

I do not play golf, I will start learning.

Petera

Inyeneobong · Member

Governor Attah is someone who has a lot of big taste as a person,and he is transferring that same big taste to the things he wants to do for the state,that is why people would have thought that he should achieve more,but he has spent the money to get things of the best quality for the state,and that can be very expensive,but is the best we need.

Examples:

1.There are airports in Nigeria,and he could just have built a normal airport in akwa ibom,but he is building the first of its kind in west Africa,not even the first of its kind in Nigeria.Where aircraft maintenance and repairs and overhaul can be done.There is not such airport now in the whole of west africa,so that costs money,far more than people would expect an airport to cost,that is like building an airport and an industry together.

2.There is the prestigious Ikoyi golf course in Lagos,which is renowned,but it is small compared to the golf course being built in Akwa ibom which is THE BIGGEST in Nigeria.That cost so much money that people refuse to understand,but in future I am sure people will understand.

3.If u have been to le meridian hotel in Victoria island, lagos and to the one being built in Akwa Ibom,you see that the Akwa ibom le meridian is located on land that is at least three times bigger than that of Lagos including the gold course that is.It beats the Lagos in terms of location and beauty.

Why did not he just build a normal hotel as would be expected?B/c as a man of high taste he wants the best.

4.Ibom plaza is the second of its kind in the whole of Africa,the only other one of its class is in South africa.Can you believe that?Yet it is true.Even though the place id dry now,all u need to do id go there in the christmas season and you know the place is booming.

5.The IT and science park is like heaven on earth even when it is not yet finished,the environment is sweet.Again,there is no other such place in Africa except in South Africa.

I reasearch into these things on the internet without just believeing the akwa ibom state website.I search for the website of the contractors and see their won class and pedigree.

6.The independent power plant is to generate more than 600 megawatts,yet Akwa ibom now does not need up to 100 megawatts,why did he not just build one that will be enough for us based on less than 100 mega watts,that was b/c he wanted to sell the rest and make some money for the next governor to come and reap from and use for further deveopment,and also so that even if the need increases,there will be enough still.That cost him so much money than just building a small one that we needed.

These are just 6 projects I use as example,there are many others.

That is why I believe that Attah is doing excellently well for us,and even though the money the state recieves is a lot,but when spent on quality things you do not expect to see a lot of projects on ground,but few,excellent ones.

A toyota land crusier jeep costs less than 40,000 dollars,but a porsche carera jeep costs almost 3 times that amount,yet they are all jeeps,but the quality and what you expect from both cannot be the same.

That is what Attah is doing now,bringing in quality,not quantity.

You do not want roads that will last 6 years and u see potholes,u want roads that will last nothing less than 40 years ,and that quality is what I observe in akwa ibom.

Slow and steady wins the rest,not all the time,but in this case that saying applies.

Inyeneobong · Member

All hope is not lost,as for the ones who do not appreciate your effort no matter what you buy for them,they will never do.

So I do not waste my time doing that.

What I do is buy things in the UK only for my close family members,and for every other people I buy them things when I arrive Lagos before reaching akwa ibom,they all think it is from UK,after all most of those things are not manufactured there in naija but outside.

At least they should appreciate,but they never do,so who is stupid?You cannot keep on spending your hard earned money on gifts when you can get those for them cheap in Nigeria b4 getting home.

All hope is not lost for the state,the terrain of akwa ibom is another thing entirely,add that to some contractors who got the contracts and absconded with the money for them,then you see that the problem is not only the government but even the citizens as most of those contractors were indigenes.

Like the independent power plan,when commisioned electricity will be there.

What makes me believe that these things will be commisioned as said is b/c Attah is going for presidency,and he will want to put pressure on the contractors to finish the jobs so the nation can be shown on TV when Obasanjo comes next time to commision them.

That will be a boost to his ambition,and cos I visited those places myself,some of them up to 4 times in the past 2 years,I can say progress is fast and sharp on these projects.

Do not lose any hope,just think too of what u too can do in your own capacity even if it is small.

Petera · Member

You put this very well by saying...

"Akwa Ibom stste has been so backward that a lot of money needs to be injected in there for you to start noticing at a glance"

It is never enough money/gifts to take home from overseas, no matter how much money you put in; there is nothing to show EXPLICITLY; simply because everybody in Akwa Ibom is very poor that they want to swallow you, with nothing in return; hardly a thank you from family members. So this phenomenon traverses the entire Akwa Ibom state too. No running water, no permanent electricity, no good road, no well equipped school, and yet you may be baffled at the amount of money spent on these basic resources, but nothing to show for it EXPLICITLY. Some state are even too rich and have nothing to do with money, but to carry suitcases of money to London and abadoned them in suitcase and then ran back to Nigeria in disguised old woman's dressing. On the other hand, Akwa Ibom, one of the state supplying patrol to the rest of the world, is deprived of the basic necessity of live like permanent running water and electricity.

Who will break the poverty cycle? What does it take? If the government can not maintain the basic thing like permanent running water and electricity who will come to invest, if comfortable living is a dream in Uyo capital city with puddles of water, open gutters on side of road invaded by mosquitoes spreading malaria virus and HIV AID viruses, no good hospital to take care of this malady. Eventhough the president Obasanjo paid billions of naira for drainage system. Who can explain why road engineers do not put covers over gutters around UYO capital city? If you have money would you invest in a city with open sewer, open gutters, and open puddles? Even the new road construction I saw toward Anua does not have covers over gutters.

I have given up and I am now sitting on a watch tower and see if "Limitless Possibility" city will one day have TRAFFIC lights, covered gutters, and good drainage system so that investor's vehicle will not quench inside a pond.

Petera

Inyeneobong · Member

Hello everyone,

I would like again write about some observations.When I was in Uyo while the construction of Abak road was ongoing ,it was impassable in the rainy season,not withstanding whether it was okada or your own car,but after the construction I can attest to the fact that the road is so smooth it tempts one to forget what it was like before.The same things is what is happening in other roads now that is under construction,like the road from Uyo to the Oron road motor park,which is really not in a good shape now,but there has never reallly been a road that was in good shape during its contruction or rehabilitation.

I like to visit both Uyo and Calabar and Port Harcourt when I am in Nigeria,and I must say that till today all the major streets of Calabar are usually flooded during heavy rainsdespite the huge drainage system there.

All the major roads in Calabar had been done since when Akwa Ibom was part and parcel of Cross River state,and what happenes now in Clabar is mostly road rehabilitation,not construction,and just like we know,the money you need to renovate 10 houses might not be enough to build one excellent house.

Attah had to rule a state that had no airport,so it had to be built,Calabar has had its airport since a long time ago,,he had to rule a state that no good roads were there like in Calabar,so he had to build,he had to rule a state that had no good hotel,so he had to build a five star which will be maned by the le meridien group,he had to rule a state that had not good power supply,so he had to build an independent power plant,all these comsume so much money that if they had been there already like in Calabar,he would have had a lot of money to inject in other things instead of having to build things from scratch.Even then there are certain things like independent power plant which the state governor of Calabar has not done,but if attah was to use the money of the plant to build roads,man he would have done a lot of them.

That is the true point of view from which to look at these things.Most development in Calabar has been there before the present governor came along,and all he had to do was RENOVATE,NOT BUILD.

Tinapa in Cross river which is being built is being built on loan,which the next governor will have to manage and we know that in akwa ibom state the government does not have any loan that the next governor will have to pay.Interesting the airport project in Akwa ibom and the first phase of tinapa cost about the same amount of money,one is being built on loan and one is not being built on loan,so u can imagine if an airport was already in Akwa ibom,what that money could have been used for.

All this information is available in FINANCE NEWS published by the state ministry of finance two times yearly.Indeed you have every right to challenge what is being written in there,as I did on many occasions,and got clarification.

So development also has to do with not only what you can see with the eyes,but how much debt one government is creating for another in the name of development.

I still have the latest copy of the finance news in case you are interested,I can post it to you across there so u know what to expect when next you visit the state.

Obasanjo was so impressed by the independent power plan in Ikot Abasi that he promised to refund all the money spent on the project,so that the federal government can own it.

He called on other governors to emulate attah,and actually wrote a letter of congratulations to Attah after his last visit (which I read),stating how happy he was with the development,now as you may know already,for such a things to come from Obasanjo it is real cos he does not mince words.

Thanks for reading

Inyeneobong · Member

Hello Again,

I was happy to read again from you petera,and has been watching out for your reply.

I would like you to ask yourself how long America has had its democrasy compared to how long Nigeria had had democracy,I am more than sure that by the time our own democracy had reached such a lenght of time,you will not have to complain about puddles and potholes,and that development will be explicit just like it is abroad.You know even in advanced countries they are still developing till today so no country ever gets there at once.

We shall surely get there some day,just give us the same time that it has taken America to get there,the pace at which development is being done is huge.

You know man,that one governor will not be able to do so many things in seven years to the extent that it becomes totally explicit as u expected.

Akwa Ibom stste has been so backward that a lot of money needs to be injected in there for you to start noticing at a glance the difference that this democracy has =made so far,so for now,you may still have to find out this things and not expect it to be explicit,it took America not seven years of democracy but a lot to get to where they are now.

The master plan of Uyo has is such that certain things have been placed at their right places which may not necessarilly be in Uyo the capital,like Eket and Ikot Abasi,and the development is following the master plan itself as drawn by the state governor himself in the 1980s,so most of the things are sighted not in Uyo itself but in their right places outside the state capital.

Road building is a continouos thing,and there is a lot of work going on in that aspect,but really other things too has to be taken care of,I do not doubt that u had to wade through puddles like you said,but I am sure even that same okada can tell you the difference between now and those days some years back.

It is really important to look at the state in the light of seven yeard democracy,not in the light of American development,b/c America and other advanced countires took a lot of years to get to where we see them now.

I agree the poor man needs to be taken care of a lot more than now,but it is also good to create the enabling environment for investors to come over,cos then the investors will create a lot of emplyment,and the governmemt will therefore not have to emply too many people,hence this will free more money for the government to use in development,like you and I must know already,in advanced countries the government employs a low percentage of people compared to developing countries,and that is why they have a lot of free money to deveop the country,but in Nigeria government employs so many people that paying them salaries,pensions and gratuties takes a large chunk of government money which would be used to develop the state.

I look forward to such a time that akwa ibom will be like America and the rest,it will happen surely,but it never happened in a short space of time like 7 or 8 years of democracy,even in America.

The Nkemba trough is a large drainage trough of up to 7.5km long,commisioned by Obasanjo on his last visit,its purpose is to help take care of that flooding of Uyo by water in the rainy season,it was constructed at 4.5 billion naira,subsequent government will have to do more,cos one government cannot just handle everything at the same time.

I look forward to reading another article from u.

Petera · Member

Inyeneobong,

Thank you for shading some lights into my disheartened experience about Uyo during my brief visit July 2006. I strongly advise against visiting Uyo during raining season becuase pot holes and standing water in most of the roads will definitely make you developed bad blood against government officials. I have taken some videos of a big puddle of water of Sunday Okon Street, Ewet Housing Annex Extension off Nsikan Eduok Avenue. You suggested taken Okada man. I was told by Okada man to come off his bike and fold my pants to walk through this big puddle of water at Sunday Okon Street to get to the house. This tells you that there are some roads that are not passable by Okada. By American stand this is unbearable. Most of the main road construction force rain water to erodes suburbs and residential areas, ignoring the plight of poor citizens.

After folding my pants to walk through a puddle of rain water in Uyo Capital City, a city napped with "limitless possibility", I am ashamed to tell you that the Uyo Capital Master Plan has done a lip service to the DRAINAGE SYSTEM of Uyo Capital City compare that to Calabar drainage system and Federals Roads at Cabalar. Is Uyo not in the same country where Calabar Federal Road is?

Now back to your comments.

One of the four motor parks I was referring to was Oron Road, I was seriously disturbed about the condition of Uyo Oron-Road-Motor Park. The little that government officials have done, I praise them, but you should not have to look to find what is done considering the amount of money spent on each project. I challenge the government official of Uyo Master Plan to be transparent enough and post the budget of Uyo Master Plan and the drainage system blueprint for us to re-evaluate where the water is heading in Uyo when it rains and why I should have to fold my pants to pass a puddle of water in Uyo Capital City caused by poor drainage system that billions of naira was spent to fix.

Officials need to re-evaluate every project and make sure it will trigger down to serve the immediate need of the poverty striken masses, and not to cause further burden to them. Like the so call six-lane highway that syphone waters to the suburds creating ponds that breeds mosquitoes to further spread Malaria virus and HIV AID to all the citizens of Uyo Capital City.

By American standard I judged the six-lane highways, the TRAFIC LIGHTS at every intersection, none is there at Uyo. By that mentality I did not even noticed the street light. I judge everything on the areas I had to pass by. You should not have to ask Okada man about URBAN MODERNIZATION, it should be very EXPLICIT.

Petera

Inyeneobong · Member

Hey Petera,

I have been to Uyo From 29th of July to 2nd of September 2006,and I must disagree with u on some aspects.Nsikak Eduoak street is in Uyo and is up to 3 lanes each way,making it 6 lanes on the road,it has street lighjts that were working all through the nights.

Edet Akpan street too is six lanes and has strret lights.

The whole of abak road has been dualised from Ibom connection to the junction after federal medical centre( ie former Sani Abacha hospital.

The four parks you are talking about only the iTAM PARK WAS COMMISIONED COS WORK ON THAT WAS FINISHED,i WENT THERE AND IT IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL OF such in Nigeria,the others are not yet completed and will be completed by February next year.

Even the road to that Itam park is totally dualised with street lights.If u donot know how to check out Akwa ibom when u visit,climb okada even if you have your own car,cos it is the okada that will take you to all the things you need to see since they know it already.I read finance news published by the state ministry of finance and it states the projects ongoing in the state and amount committed so far,what is remaining to be paid and the state of work done so far on the project,I then take time to go and find all these out.So I am telling you reality.

I am not a journalist or any government beneficiary,but a student in the UK.So I am telling you reality.

That Itam park is NOT overgrown with grass,instead I saw ladies and women planting grass and flowers on its field,I talked and discussed with them.

I hope you went to the park itself,not the current one that people travel from which is just near it.The park is too beautiful for you to say such things against.

The cALABAR uYO ROAD IS FEDERAL GOVERNMENT road and I agree is in bad state,but I was there when Attah called on Obasanjo to please repair the road together with Aba Ikot Ekpene Uyo road.

What u see in akwa ibom website is not concocted,just tell one okada in Akwa Ibom to take you to all the things he has seen attah build in the state,and I can assure you u will not finish in 5 days from morning till night,I did it that way.

I went to science park,and did you see the road from ntak inyang to wellington bassey way,along which the science park is located?That is heaven on earth.

Did you go to itam industrial estate to see the tarred roads,man you need to see these things,Each time I go to Nigeria which I do at least three times a year,I always climb okada and leave my own car at home to go to all the places he can carry me,and I always end up going back to the same places each visit,hense I can see the progress of work.

Also visit the 5 star,in which the road from ibom plaza to that five star id being dualised and handled by 2 contractors.

This is real,not image.If u have more questions,just ask me,my e mail is successfulville@yahoo.com,I am very happy about akwa Ibom state.

Petera · Member

Hello,

Have you visited Uyo in July 2006. There are lip services provided in the Uyo Capital City, a land of opportunity, in every projects you mentioned. Uyo is flooded every where. For example, the four motor parks you mentioned has been invaded by pot holes and flooded by rain water, grass over-grown the area, and forcing the poor taxi drivers to the road causing traffic jams all over. Between the month of July and September in Uyo the famous Oron Road to Oron city is not passable. I had to take a detour every mile or so to find my way to the new airport site.

Example two, I was at Uyo July 20, 2006 and President Obasanjo visited August 2006. I did not see traffic lights or six-lane-highway any way in Uyo, I saw some road construction going to Anua hospital. Why would some one concoct stories during a brief visit of President Obasanjo to Akwa Ibom, and put it on Akwa Ibom official website praising Attah for six lane super highway and perpetual traffic lights all over Uyo backup with solar energy when NEPA fails.

Even from Calabar airport into Uyo, pot holes and standing water on the roadside should have disturbed President Obasanjo. I wander what road they brought President Obasanjo to Uyo for him to shower praises to our six lane highways and solar energy backup traffic lights.

Can someone comments on or shades some light about President Obasanjo's visit to Akwa Ibom State article?

Eumani · Newbie

Well, after reading your article, I am convince that Governor Attah did take a small step forward to enlighten and make all of us a part of the global information technology-IT. Afterall no governor before him thought in that light. Every accomplishment, no matter how little, is a major leap forward to better our people. It is Unfortunate, though I am not there to see, that our people are not putting the amphitheater to a better use than taking pictures as you describe in your article.

While Ibom Connection may be worthy of praise, because of the aesthetic value it adds to the metro landscape, I hope the next governor will go beyond the landscaping business and realize the need to feed our people. A healthy economy depends on the well beeing of the people. We are also in need of roads.

barbinna · Newbie

Before the advent of democracy seven years ago, little or nothing was heard and known about the urban renewal and beautification in this part of the country. This is so, mostly when one remembers the status of Uyo, before the State was carved out of the then Cross River State in 1987. The present cosmotropolitan city called Uyo was the headquarters of Uyo Local Government Area, before the creation of Uruan, Nsit Atai and Ibesikpo Asutan local government areas. The only place of significance or beauty, if you like, was the popular circus, a five-road intersection which linked the other local government areas with Uyo which was regarded as the economic nerve centre of the then mainland part of the Cross River State. The roads leading to the circus were riddled by motor parks. Ikot Ekpene hosted the independent motor park or the main park, as it was well known. The roads were always filled with a lot of drivers, motor park touts, running up and down scouting for passengers to load on the Uyo-by-air taxi caps that were operated between Uyo and Calabar, the state capital. But after the mainland part of the state was carved out and named Akwa Ibom State with Uyo as its capital in 1987, the city began to have a new look.

Though these developments were slow in coming but the aesthetics value was nothing to write home about. Even the pioneer military governors paid little or no attention to the aesthetics quality of the city probably because of other pressing problems like accommodation for the ministries and other agencies of government. Soon after, there were monuments. In 1989, the then military governor, Col Godwin Abbe commissioned both the Itam Peace Column at Itam Junction, and Ibom Connection, after it had been conceived, designed and built to reflect the social, political, cultural and economic aspirations of the State. The edifice was designed to depict an Ibom masquerade in greatness and height. The location of this edifice as Col. Abbe put it during its commissioning, signified the convergent point of all component groups of the State, while its commanding height was as sure guarantee of absolute viability of all parts of the State, from Uyo and towards Uyo, the State capital. He advised that the edifice should not only be seen as a mere aspect of urban beautification but more importantly, “it should constantly remind us all of the abiding faith, aspirations and commitment of the State towards the arduous task of improving the social, economic, political, cultural and technological conditions of the people”.

With the emerging democracy in 1999, if one approached Uyo from say, Aba in Abia State, the first sign of transformation on arriving the State capital will be an industrial estate and a modern motor park at Ekit Itam, in Itu local government area. Apparently dissatisfied with aesthetics value of Uyo, the State capital and other parts of the State when Obong Victor Attah, assumed office as the second civilian governor in 1999, worked towards changing the characteristic of the city. This action of Governor Attah might have been informed by the promptings by Col Tunde Ogbeha, in 1987 urging the people of the State to be “dreamers, and that they should have “dreams of broad tarred and lighted streets in our town and cities, dreams of industrial estates dotted all over our countryside; dreams of a booming economy where our children will receive qualitative education and full employment thereafter”. “And after the dreams, I want you to be the executors of your pet dreams. I want you to think fast and act fast, we have arrived late and at the same time, we are in a hurry. With all hands on deck, we can catchup with the fastest and the earliest starters.”

Obong Attah, an architect par excellence, and being the first dreamer who designed the Master Plan of the Uyo City, began the construction of the Ibom Plaza to add value to the aesthetics of Ibom Connection now described as fountain of beauty and excellence. Ibom Plaza, a pet project of Obong Attah, is strategically located at the centre of the city by the Ibom Connection is the first port of call to any visitor to the State. It has a water fountain, plus a landscape of flowers and shrubs adorning the entire Plaza. It is equipped with constant power and water supply, state of the art floodlighting system, a flea market for petty traders and hawkers, shops, car parks, as well as footbridge that links the plaza shops and parking lots with the flea market area. Any visitor to Uyo, the Akwa Ibom Capital City is eager to behold this beautiful work of architecture. The project is described as the first of its kind in these shores. It is a project for the future and is also said to be the only one in a series of projects that is transforming Uyo into modern, workable cities in Nigeria.

The Ibom Plaza also has a digital giant screen which keeps the people of the State abreast with events within the country as well as an amphitheatre. It is now a haven for photographers and all sorts of people who carry out one kind of business or the other within the precinct. The project, apart from increasing the aesthetics value of the environment, has created jobs opportunities for hundreds of youths, especially photographers who have turned the entire enclave into photographic studios. Other business opportunities opened by this singular project are numerous. However other urban renewal projects are located near the stadium along Udo Umana Street, Uyo.

The four motor parks located along Ikot Ekpene Road, at Ekit Itam, beside the industrial estate. While commissioning the digital giant screen at the Ibom Plaza, Governor Victor Attah was quoted as saying that the gesture was in fulfillment of his administration’s commitment to integrate Akwa Ibom into the global map. He said the digital screen erected at the amphitheatre of the Plaza, was conceived to give visitors to the State and indigenes alike the opportunity of being part of the global village linked by information technology. He noted that with the Plaza fast becoming a platform for socio-cultural interaction, the digital screen would regularly highlight and promote the political, social and cultural identity of the people with the main aim of improving the fortunes of the State in all sectors.