-
Urua Ekpa Road: Governor Eno commissions 2.07km road with 1.4km underground drainage after years of deterioration and flooding.
-
From crisis to access: Earlier reports documented the displacement of hundreds of residents and the village head after floodwaters overwhelmed the area.
-
UNIUYO link: Itu council chairman says the reconstructed road will ease access to the University of Uyo Town Campus and stimulate economic activity.
-
Flood control: Deputy Speaker Kufre Edidem, an indigene of the area, recalls years of efforts to secure government intervention in the flood-prone community.
September 21, (THEWILL) – A road once associated with impassable stretches, perennial flooding and the displacement of residents, including a village head who abandoned his palace, has received a major facelift as the Akwa Ibom State Government commissioned the reconstructed 2.07-kilometre Urua Ekpa Road in Itu Local Government Area.
The road, which has a 1.4-kilometre underground discharge drainage system, was commissioned yesterday, as part of activities marking the 39th anniversary of the creation of Akwa Ibom State, with the state government describing the project as part of its wider effort to reposition Itu as a major gateway and stimulate economic activities.
The development marks a significant change from the condition of the road and its surrounding communities documented in previous reports, when flooding and the poor state of the access route had disrupted movement, businesses and residential life.
In 2021, THEWILL reported that flooding had ravaged Ikot Obio Atai, around Urua Ekpa Road, with more than 200 houses reportedly affected and over 1,000 residents displaced. The floodwaters also forced the Village Head of Ikot Obio Atai, Ete Idung Mkpong Okon Mkpong, to abandon his palace at No. 85 Urua Ekpa Road and relocate to Udo Usanga Street, where he continued his traditional duties.
Contemporary reports from the period also documented the scale of the flooding, with The affected area extending into adjoining streets including Afaha Oku, Imo and Udo Usanga.
The flood crisis was not the only challenge. In 2023, residents, business owners and students living around Urua Ekpa also complained about the deplorable state of the road and the slow pace of rehabilitation work. Reports at the time said the roughly three-kilometre road had suffered years of neglect and that heavy rainfall further complicated construction activities.
The situation remained a recurring subject in reports on flooding in the area. In 2024, residents of Urua Ekpa were again reported to be experiencing perennial flooding, while adjoining communities faced erosion and drainage problems.
It was against that background that Governor Umo Eno, represented at the commissioning by the Secretary to the State Government, Prince Enobong Uwah, said his administration was committed to developing Itu and restoring its strategic position as an important gateway to the state.
According to Uwah, the Governor recalled the deplorable condition of the road when his administration came into office and said its reconstruction was expected to help restore economic activities and improve the livelihoods of residents.
Eno also highlighted other ongoing road projects in Itu, saying their completion would improve connectivity and contribute to economic growth in the area.
The Commissioner for Works and Fire Service, Prof. Eno Ibanga, in his overview of the project, said the administration had transformed what was previously a deplorable and, for more than a decade, impassable road into infrastructure designed to provide lasting access to the communities.
He said the project was not merely about opening up the road but also about addressing the drainage challenge that had contributed to the area’s longstanding flooding problems.
The Chairman of Itu Local Government Council, Hon. Ubong Nkutt, described the road as an investment that would give residents a new lease of life, stressing its importance to the movement of people and goods.
Nkutt specifically noted that staff and students of the University of Uyo would benefit from the improved access to the institution’s Town Campus, which is located close to the affected communities.
For Deputy Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly and representative of Itu State Constituency, Hon. Kufre Edidem, the commissioning represents an important development for a community whose flood and road challenges he had previously raised with government.
READ ALSO:
Edidem, who is also an indigene of Ikot Obio Atai, had in 2021 told journalists that the flooding problem dated back years and that, both as former Chairman of Itu Local Government Council and later as a legislator, he had pursued government intervention.
He said he had facilitated inspections of the affected area by officials of the state Ministries of Environment and Works and forwarded the community’s complaints to the state government.
In an exclusive interaction with THEWILL, Edidem said the completion of the road and drainage infrastructure was particularly significant because it addressed a problem that had affected residents, businesses and students for years.
He said the project had changed the outlook of the area and would improve movement, enhance access to the University of Uyo Town Campus and support economic activities, adding that the people of Itu would continue to support projects that improve their living conditions.
Other goodwill messages came from the member representing the area at the National Assembly, Hon. Ime Okon, and the Commissioner for Housing, Dr. Henry Archibong, who commended the Governor for what they described as increased attention to infrastructure in Itu.
Political stakeholders, women and youths in the area also expressed appreciation for the project and pledged to protect the infrastructure.
The commissioning, therefore, closes a significant chapter in the story of Urua Ekpa Road, from a route repeatedly described in reports as impassable and surrounded by flood-related displacement to a newly reconstructed access corridor with dedicated underground drainage infrastructure.
