The Center for Human Rights and Accountability Network (CHRAN) has vowed to ensure good governance at the grassroots level of government in Akwa Ibom State.
This is coming after it kicked-started an accountability tour of projects by the Chairmen of the 31 Local Government Councils of the State.
The Director of CHRAN, Otuekong Franklyn Isong, leading a team to Etim Ekpo local government to verify projects executed by the Chairman, Hon Gideon Uwah within his first 100 days in office said beyond the Federal and State Governments, CHRAN also has as its core mandate the monitoring of the activities of Local Government Councils across the country with a view to holding the Council officials accountable to the people.
He said the exercise was in furtherance of CHRAN’s avowed commitment to deepening democracy at the grassroots level and ensuring good governance at the third tier of Government.
“The Local Government Chairmen should be heard and they should tell us what they have done within their first 100 days in office as the Chief Accounting Officers of their respective Councils in Akwa Ibom State.” He said.
However, Etim Ekpo Council Chairman, Hon. Uwah, conducted the CHRAN team round his projects, which include: the general facelift of the Council Secretariat, remodelling of the Secretariat fence, newly constructed two-bedroom gate house with newly constructed gateway, construction of 1.5 km asphalted internal roads/walkways with kerbs, refurbishment of the Council chairman’s office to a smart office, painting of the Police Area Command and Division.
Others include: the rehabilitation of St. Anthony Primary School Block at Esa Obong in Ward 11, recovery and rehabilitation of Council Grader for grading and opening up of rural roads, and the cultivation of cassava on five hectares of farmland to enhance the council’s food sufficiency efforts.
The CHRAN commended the Local Government Chairman for what he has done within his 100 days in office and observed that the Council has become busy and the staff more engaged. “When we came, we spoke with some staff privately and they expressed happiness with the administration of Gideon Uwah,” the Director disclosed.
He urged the Chairman, having done creditably within the Council Secretariat, to go further into the hinterlands to ensure the development of the entire Local Government Area as the next line of action.
He further commended the Chairman and his team for their vision and focus within the short time and urged other Local Government Chairmen in the State to emulate the Etim Ekpo Chairman by opening their books and allowing the public, including the CSOs, to scrutinise. He commended the Chairman for striving to justify the funds that he has received.
The Director also recalled that Utu Etim Ekpo Roundabout has always been prone to accidents. He stated that not long ago, a truck loaded with sugar rammed into some shops by the Roundabout killing some people and injuring others. CHRAN, therefore, called on both the Federal and Akwa Ibom State Governments to redesign and reconstruct the Roundabout to make it easier for vehicles coming from Abak Local Government Area to access Ika Local Government Area without first turning around the Roundabout, which he observed, is too narrow.
Earlier, the Etim Ekpo Local Government Council Chairman, Hon. Gideon Uwah, who took the CHRAN delegation round the Secretariat, said that he was moved out of the passion and love that he has for his people to do what he has done so far having lived among them for many years.
Recall that the CHRAN had a week ago called on the 31 Local Government Council Chairmen in Akwa Ibom State to make public the scorecards of their administration within their first 100 days in office, urging them to emulate the footsteps of Governor Umo Eno and President Bola Tinubu, who made public their respective scorecards for public appraisal during their first 100 days in office.
