Tragedy has once again struck Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua, as an HNDI student of Biological Science Department, Miss Faith Asukwo lost her life on Monday, 18th August, 2025 in a motor accident, a painful reminder of the dangers posed by the deplorable state of the Aba-Ikot Ekpene road leading to the state-owned institution. The young girl, who only left home with the hope of pursuing her studies, now lies lifeless in the mortuary. Her death, like many others, is a direct consequence of government negligence and failure to fix a road that has claimed too many innocent lives, particularly students. For years, both federal and state governments have turned a blind eye to the cries of students and residents. Recalled that properties were mapped out for full road dualization but was abandoned, with no compensation paid to host communities. Instead, they choose “road maintenance” which has worsened the situation, making the road deadlier than before. It is heartbreaking that because none of the children of those in power attend this institution, of course they live in their comfort zone at Ewet Housing or Shelter Afrique, they have continued to ignore the plight of Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic students whereby, treating them with silence and indifference. On Thursday, August 7, 2025, two lives, a man and a woman were crushed to death in a truck accident along the same route, and till now they remain unidentified. How many more lives must be wasted before urgent action is taken? Will parents continue burying their children before the government springs into action? Why are we dwelling in lip service, rather than taking formidable action. However, given that this is a federal highway without full dualization, there is a need for a speed bump, especially in areas leading to the institution, to help curb speeding by truck drivers and other road users. The death of this innocent girl must not be in vain. Her story should be the turning point for urgent intervention between the state and federal government.  

Governance in Akwa Ibom State is no longer defined by files, memos, and boardroom briefings. Under Governor Umo Eno, it is about action, presence, participation, and results. This was clearly demonstrated during his recent two-day Projects Oversight Tour, an exercise that has reshaped the way project monitoring is done in the State and left a trail of excitement among youth, women, communities, and contractors. Until now, project delivery meetings were held within the banquet hall of Government House. Ministries, delivery advisors, and consultants gave updates and reports. Governor Eno chose a new path. He moved the meetings into the field, walking through project sites, engaging contractors and listening to community voices. In two days, he and his team inspected twenty-four projects cutting across Healthcare, Transportation, Infrastructure, Security, and Tourism amongst others . At every site, the scenes spoke louder than words could. The clang of hammers, the hum of machines, the murmur of traders, and the laughter of youths blended into a chorus of progress. Tons of artisans, workers, and vendors filled the project areas, a vivid reminder that each intervention is more than bricks and mortar, it is a marketplace of hope, a stage where livelihoods are earned and futures are built. From welders shaping steel to women selling food by the roadside, every hand found purpose in the rhythm of construction. What stood out was not just the number of projects, but the human stories. At the Agricultural Equipment Leasing Facility , the Governor met the female Managing Director, steering a vital initiative with uncommon grace and professionalism. Designed to give farmers access to modern equipment, the project is a seedbed for food sufficiency. Governor Eno was visibly moved, noting that women are truly part of the State’s developmental trajectory. On the Nsit Atai–Okobo road, another verse of empowerment unfolded. Beyond adding a 5 Kilometers spur to Odot at off the stretch, Female project managers, clad in steel helmets and reflective jackets, commanded respect on a site once reserved for men. Their firm voices rose above the din of engines, charting the path of progress with authority. To onlookers, especially young girls and boys—it was a living poem: proof that ambition knows no gender, and that the future belongs to those bold enough to claim it. Threaded through every stop was the Governor’s emphasis on local content. He reminded contractors and citizens alike that development must carry local fingerprints. “We cannot continue to depend on outsiders when we have competent hands here at home,” he said, his words echoing like a pledge. Projects, he insisted, must not only leave behind structures but also weave prosperity into the fabric of local communities. And then came his clarion call to the youth. With over four hundred projects open on the State’s procurement portal, he urged young people to rise, to register, to compete, and to seize the opportunities waiting for them. His message was simple yet stirring: the future of Akwa Ibom is not a promise, it is a responsibility, and it belongs to its youth. As the tour drew to a close, what lingered was not just the sight of rising buildings, stretching roads, or new agricultural hubs. It was the sense that a deeper architecture was at work the architecture of inclusion. Women breaking barriers. Youth stepping into the arena. Communities asked to guard what is built in their name. The final stop of the tour was no less symbolic. Under the glow of night, the Governor led his team through the monumental ARISE Resort, a shining jewel of tourism and hospitality rising from the shackles of over 70 hectares of reclaimed gullies, Its grandeur under the stars spoke of possibility, of a State confident in its future and proud of its promise. And as the night breeze swept across the resort’s vast expanse, the day’s journey seemed to find its own poetry: a government that listens, a leader who walks with his people, and a future being built brick by brick, dream by dream, heartbeat by heartbeat.