REPORT CARD: Lands ministry lists achievements in 9 months under Capt. Iniobong Ekong
By Itoro Bassey
Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Lands and Water Resources, Capt. Iniobong Ekong, on Thursday, December 29, listed activities of his ministry, which, he said, had yielded positive results within the nine months of his stay in office.
The Ministry, Capt. Ekong said, recorded tremendous achievements within the period, including allocation of lands to investors adding that the Akwa Ibom Geographical Information System, Akwa GIS, also made the process of acquisition and management of lands and property in the state fully digitized.
Speaking during an end of the year media briefing held at the ministry’s conference room at Idongesit Nkanga Secretariat, Uyo, Capt Ekong said the effort to take Akwa Ibom to new heights in line with the completion agenda of the Governor Udom Emmanuel administration remained on course.
He said: “The ministry of lands and water resources has a mission to effectively, efficiently and strategically manage lands and water resources of Akwa Ibom state in contributing to the completion agenda of this administration.
“The ministry has executed its core mandate of facilitating the allocation of lands to core investors and citizens, production of side plans and layout plans of acquired lands, registration of land instrument as well as undertaken programmes and projects that will enhance and amplify the reasons of our existence and responsibilities”.
The commissioner disclosed, among other things, that the ministry has successfully fenced government-owned estates in the state, provided water schemes, opened up roads within the estates, overhauled and revamped the Akwa Ibom Water Company for more efficiency.
According to him, the state government-owned Dakadda Luxury estate had been designed for both high and low income earners with basic amenities which have been put in place for use by the residents.
“The Dakadda Luxury estate is available for all, because the way for acquiring it is on instalmental payments. And so, you can, as a matter of cooperative or individual savings, begin to key in to acquire it by instalmental deposits of your interest and before you know it, you have finished paying for what you see as luxury”.
Ekong said the ministry successfully conducted a public hearing for the passage of the water resources bill, and explained that the bill was critical to the development of the state as it would help in meeting the sustainable development goal regarding management of water resources in the state.
While he frowned at the attitude of some people who usually stand in way of government in the course of allocating lands to genuine owners and investors, Ekong expressed worry that such behavior would impede development.
He noted that the building of the international worship centre which is directly under the supervision of his ministry was nearing completion.
