January 01, (THEWILL) — Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has firmly restated his administration’s commitment to the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway project, warning that no group or individual would be allowed to obstruct a project of national importance.
The governor’s position follows threats by some leaders of Ekid extraction, under the aegis of the Ekid People’s Union (EPU), to stop the highway from passing through the Stubb’s Creek Forest Reserve, which cuts across Eket, Esit Eket, Mbo and Ibeno local government areas.
The EPU, led by its President-General, Dr Samuel Udonsak, had reportedly issued a caveat emptor, cautioning the federal and state governments against encroachment on the reserve.
The warning, Governor Eno noted, had resulted in a series of confrontations that slowed progress on the project.
Speaking during the commissioning of an ultra-modern health centre at Nduo Eduo community in Eket Local Government Area, Governor Eno expressed displeasure over what he described as unnecessary opposition to government initiatives.
He stressed that Stubb’s Creek is a government-owned reserve, parts of which had previously been leased to investors, including BUA Petrochemical and Fertiliser, for commercial purposes.
“Make no mistake, nobody will stop the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway from passing through the Stubb’s Creek Forest Reserve, it is a government reserve, and when the government decides to act in the interest of the people, it will act”, the governor declared.
Governor Eno cautioned Ekid leaders against mistaking his calm disposition for weakness, recalling his long-standing ties with Eket, where he lived and built his businesses before assuming office in 2023.
“Don’t take my quietness for granted or my humility for stupidity. This is the government. There can only be one governor and one government at a time”, he warned.
The governor urged elders and parents in the area to call their children and followers to order, advising that dialogue and negotiation, not confrontation, remain the best tools for resolving disputes.
He lamented attempts by detractors to undermine his administration, noting that despite rising from humble beginnings to the governorship, he would not hesitate to take decisive action against anyone bent on sabotaging development.
“This process is necessary, and it will not be stopped”, Governor Eno said, vowing to protect projects aimed at accelerating economic growth and delivering all-around development to Akwa Ibom State.
