Akwa Ibom Agric Commissioner canvasses home support for RAAMP
The Ebo – Itumbonuso group of villages in Ini Local Government Area and Akwa Ibom people at large have again been urged to embrace, support and have confidence in the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project, RAAMP, as a genuine machinery towards alleviating the plights of rural communities across the state.
Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Offiong Offor made the renewed plea over the weekend during a sensitization programme organized by RAAMP at the village square of Ebo community – maiden home of the commissioner, to solicit the people’s buy-in, ownership and cooperation with the project for best results.
She noted that majority of the state and country’s population live in the rural areas and their contributions to the Gross Domestic Product, GDP, mostly through agriculture cannot be underestimated. She therefore saluted the wisdom of the World Bank and French Development Agency for conceiving the project, pointing out that it was a way of giving back to the rural people for their efforts towards growing the state. She also thanked the State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel for keying into the project and called on the people to reciprocate the gesture by developing strong faith in the project and being of excellent behaviour throughout the during of the scheme. Her words: “RAAMP is real. RAAMP is here for business, as a typical World Bank partnership project. Road has been a perennial problem to us over the years but that will soon become history with RAAMP. The project follows a line-up of procedures. Let me charge all stakeholders – men, women, youths and children to abide by the standards of conduct, as spelt out by the project and ultimately, all will be well.”
Earlier in his presentation, the State Project Coordinator of RAAMP, Pastor Gideon Akpan noted that RAAMP is a tripartite funded project by the World Bank, French Development Agency and counterpart funds from the Akwa Ibom State Government, aimed at providing access and market infrastructures to the rural farming population in the state.
The project would intervene on 486 rural roads, cutting across about 2243 kilometres across the state, under three modes – Rural Road Upgrading; Spot Improvement; and Routine Maintenance, adding that the Ananamong – Ebo – Nchanebua – Ikot Essien road, with a spur to the rubber plantation at Ebo had been earmarked for intervention under the project.
He counseled the people on the importance of standard behaviours – security for the personnel and equipment; an atmosphere of peace and mutual friendship with the contractors; zero tolerance to gender based issues; among other admonitions, adding that under the project, contractors would adhere strictly to the local content policy in terms of labour.
It could be recalled that the project debuted in Nigeria as Rural Access and Mobility Project, RAMP and had completed two cycles of five years each: RAMP-1 and RAMP-2. The Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project, RAAMP is an expanded scope of RAMP-1 and RAMP-2. The project was declared effective in March, 2021 and was officially launched on November 29, 2022 by President Muhammadu Buhari – President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at the banquet hall, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja.
In their respective submissions, the village head of Ebo, Eteidung Effiong Otu Bassey; the councilor representing ward 3 aan leader of Ini legislative council, Hon. Ukpe Uma Ukpe; and other stakeholders – Elder Emmanuel Iseh, Mr. Friday Ebo and Mr. Sunday William Essien as well as the wife of the village head, Mrs. Mary Effiong Otu; woman leader, Mrs. Rebecca Otu Ekanem and the youth leader, Mr. Otu Essien Udoku – all paid glowing tributes to Governor Udom Emmanuel for the appointment of their daughter into the state executive council, pointing out that it was a collective honour to the entire Ebo-Itumbonuso group of communities.
They further expressed appreciation to the commissioner, Dr. Offiong Offor for grading the access road into the community, describing the gesture as heartwarming, as they resolved unanimously on their unwavering embrace, support and ownership of RAAMP, with a pledge to reciprocate the gesture by voting massively for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP during the forthcoming general elections come February 25 and March 11, 2023.
