By Samuel Ogenyi, Uyo
The Akwa Ibom State Road and other Infrastructural Maintenance Agency, AKROIMA has decried the vandalization of tractors and other 15 equipment of the State government worth billions of Naira by hoodlums.
The Chairman of the Agency, Dr Godwin Ntukudeh made the condemnation on Thursday while conducting members of the Civil Liberties Organisation, CLO on road projects rehabilitated by the agency in the State.
Ntukudeh who showed the CLO team some of the vandalized machines such as pay loaders, compactor, Mixer. Excavator, Asphalt machine etcc regretted that it has affected the pace of work and output in the field as the agency is compelled to hire equipment at exorbitant rate.
The chairman however noted that two suspects who happened to be workers in the yard have been arrested in connection to the vandalism saying that they would soon be charged to court.
He added that some of the vandalized machines will be auctioned as scraps after necessary approvals have been made hinting that they were making arrangements to acquire asphalt machine and other machines which would not only enhance work speed but would generate revenue to the State.
“It is condemnable that most of our equipments in the yard have been vandalised by hoodlums. All these equipments you see over there are like carcass, nothing is inside.
” No engine, tires and other things. Some persons who work in the yard connived with outsiders to perpetrate the act, two persons have been arrested and investigations are still ongoing.
“This incident has caused us a lot of revamp. We make use of few available ones and hire others especially if the ones we have break down in order to meet our timeline.” He explained.
On road rehabilitation and interventions, Ntukudeh said there is hardly any local government in the State that has not experienced about three to four rural roads graded by the agency with the aim of opening up bush tracks wide enough to allow for access to rural agricultural produce.
“Rainy season is here, nobody should be afraid because we have consulted on how to arrest potholes during the rainy seasons. So whether under the Sun or the rains, there are different solutions to apply and all of them we have.
” This will add up to the completion agenda of governor Udom Emmanuel who has provided us with the platform to achieve this.” He said
In his remarks, the CLO State chairman Mr Franklin Isong expressed satisfaction over the level of work by the agency and urged them not to rest on their oars but to move into more local governments outside Uyo and suburbs.
The Chairman who urged the youths to protect government properties commended Gov. Udom Emmanuel for giving the agency free hands to work.
