Several communities across Akwa Ibom State have decried the worsening state of local roads and erratic electricity supply, saying the neglect undermines the state government’s lofty infrastructure promises.
Residents in rural parts of Ukanafun, Oruk Anam, Ini, and Ibiono Ibom Local Government Areas told reporters that years of government assurances have yet to translate into tangible improvements. Some villages remain inaccessible during heavy rains due to washed-out roads and broken culverts, cutting farmers off from urban markets.
“Our children walk several kilometres to school on muddy tracks,” said Elder Okon Udo from Ikot Inyang. “When it rains, we’re cut off completely. Traders can’t move goods, and we’ve lost lives in road accidents that could have been avoided.”
The power situation, locals say, is equally dire. Several communities have been in near darkness for months as transformers fail or electricity supply remains intermittent. In Ukanafun, residents claim their transformer has not functioned properly since July, forcing small businesses to rely on costly fuel generators.
“We’ve written petitions to the electricity company and our local representatives, but nothing changes,” lamented a local shop owner, Mrs. Ekaette Akpan. “It’s as if we don’t exist.”
The growing frustration contrasts sharply with recent government pronouncements of massive infrastructure investment. Just days earlier, Governor Umo Eno announced the release of ₦60 billion for infrastructure development under the ARISE Agenda. While the news was welcomed statewide, residents say the implementation must prioritize long-neglected areas, not just urban centres.
In response, the state’s Commissioner for Works, Prof. Eno Ibanga, said the government is aware of the concerns and has already mapped out critical feeder roads for reconstruction in the upcoming fiscal quarter. “We cannot fix everything at once, but we are addressing rural roads and power installations systematically,” he assured, adding that the Ministry of Power and Rural Development has begun a joint audit of failed transformers.
Civil society groups, including the Akwa Ibom Rural Advancement Network, have called on the government to ensure equitable distribution of the ₦60 billion infrastructure fund. “For development to be meaningful, it must touch the grassroots — not just cities,” said its Executive Director, Mrs. Ima Udoh.
Meanwhile, residents continue to hope that the promises will soon translate into better roads, reliable electricity, and renewed faith in the government’s pledge to make Akwa Ibom a model of inclusive development.
