The restoration of the historic Control Post landmark in Ikot Ekpene is finally underway.

ICMS,Inc Reports,

By Tom Okure, Ph.D

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After more than three years of Akwa Ibom State government neglect and abandonment, work is finally ongoing towards the upgrade and restoration of Control Post.

Control Post is a famous road intersection in Ikot Ekpene 

Control Post is a historic and famous landmark in Ikot Ekpene and a famous road intersection (or junction) in the village of Ikot Ekpene where Uyo-Ikot Ekpene road and old Itu-Ikot Ekpene road and other local internal roads like Atan road in Ikot Ekpene converge.

Control Post is also the focal point of Ikot Ekpene village (Usug Ikot Ekpene) which the historic raffia city (town) and local government derives its name. Its historical significance is even more obvious when placed in the context of Ikot Ekpene being the location of the first British Colonial experimentation in local self-governance.

In the Control Post construction background can be seen another famous
building in Ikot Ekpene: The Four Point Hotel by Sheraton

During the Nigerian Civil war, the Nigerian army understood the strategic significance of maintaining its control of the state from invading Biafran soldiers and decided to stand its ground in Control Post. It also has always been an energetic center of commercial activity for the residence of Ikot Ekpene and the surrounding areas. One aspect of the political anger of the voters of Ikot Ekpene during the last governorship election can best be understood in the context of the above discussion.

The anger of many voters surged during the elections over the abandonment of the restoration of Control Post and the failure of the current state government to complete the controversial 25 kilometers Uyo-Ikot Ekpene dualized federal highway started by the former Godwill Akpabio’s administration. The political controversy over who was to blame for the lack of completion of Uyo-IKot Ekpene road and Control Post being the terminal point of the road construction pitted the two major political parties (PDP and APC) in the state vying for political power and control of the state government.

The writer visiting the site of the abandoned Control Post in 2018

Politically and in retrospective, one can argue that restoration of construction was inevitable and a win win situation for Ikot Ekpene voters no matter which political party won the governorship elections in the state.  This is because both political parties vowed to revive the road construction and restoration of the abandoned Control Post which had become an eyesore and a major point of flooding preventing access to Ikot Ekpene city from Uyo-Ikot Ekpene road or from old Itu-Ikot Ekpene road.

Construction of an expensive project such as the Uyo-Ikot Ekpene road should never be started without a special dedicated budget fund to accomplish the task over a period of years. Budgetary revenues would be released annually as planned project targets are accomplished until the planned infrastructure/project is completed. The dilemma that Akwa Ibom State constantly faces as we witnessed in the abandonment of the dualiization of Uyo-Ikot-Ekpene federal road is the lack of capital planning foresight and the failure to build into the state government capital budget for projects a contingency budget to accommodate unforeseen circumstances (like the fall in oil revenues) as Nigeria and the state government is constantly experiencing.

The abandoned Control Post became an eyesore and a major flooding point in Ikot Ekpene city.

With the resumption of construction of the Uyo-Ikot Ekpene dualized federal highway road and active work going on towards rehabilitation of Control Post, high tribal voter tempers and criticism of the current Akwa Ibom State Government appears to have been abated. This writer gathers that the original plan for the dualized highway and Control post which incorporated a flyover bridge may not be realized due to cost considerations related to completion of the project.

Nevertheless, there is a sense of relieve among Ikot Ekpene residence that something is finally being done.  The current State administration of Governor Emmanuel Udom must be applauded for fulfilling a major political promise to fully reconstruct and modernize Control Post. We look forward to a revitalized Control Post community where economic activity is restored following the completion of the long awaited Uyo-Ikot Ekpene road by December 2019 as promised by the state government.  

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All rights reserved by Tom Okure, Ph.D President and CEO of Inter-Continental Mgt. Systems, Inc (or ICMS, Inc). The information included in this article may not be used, reproduced, transmitted, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written permission of ICMS, Inc. The author Dr. Tom Okure is President of ICMS, Inc, a multifaceted business and management consulting firm with its head office in Albany, New York. Dr. Okure is a writer, author, business/management consultant, public policy advisor and commentator and a change advocate.

Who is to be blamed for the abandoned status of Four Point by Sheraton hotel at Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State

Update on the status of Four Point by Sheraton at Ikot Ekpene

ICMS, Inc Commentary
by Tom Okure, Ph.D
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Governor Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom state is facing an economic development dilemma. He needs to establish his own foot print and legacy in the state by initiating and building significant development projects like roads and bridges, magnificent buildings, factories etc., while at the same time completing many famous and uncompleted projects that he inherited from his predecessor former governor Godswill Akpabio. Accusations have been mounting for some time now that Udom is deliberately abandoning many planned projects that the administration of Akpabio undertook like the Tropicana Plaza in Uyo, the dualiization of Uyo/Ikot-Ekpene Federal road, the multi-million dollar Ibom Specialist Hospital in Uyo etc.

In responds to the mounting accusations from critics of his development approach, governor Udom has begun a campaign to set the record straight. Recently, governor Udom during a recent briefing of attendees at the monthly state house prayer session emphasized to his audience that, what the former governor commissioned as a completed Four Point Sheraton was just the building, which does not amount to a hotel. But is this really the case? Many in attendance during the spectacular ceremony of the commissioning say they beg to differ with the governors assertion and statement to the extent that they witnessed what appeared to be a fully functioning hotel or were we deceived?  

Four Point by Sheraton hotel Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State

In his defense regarding the controversy and status of the hotel, governor Udom blamed those who are accusing him of abandoning projects started by Akpabio of not understanding the differences between a building and a hotel. He indicated that his administration needs an additional $7.2 dollars or about N2, 577, 600, 000 Naira at the current exchange rate, to transform the commissioned the Four Point by Sheraton building at Ikot Ekpene into a hotel.

For background, the Four Point by Sheraton building is located at the old site of the former federal prison, Ikot Ekpene which was situated in the heart of the city. The federal prison was demolished and relocated out of town to make room for the Four Point hotel which the city planners believe was essential to accord the ancient town of Ikot Ekpene a befitting image, facelift and boost it as a tourist destination enhancement within Nigeria deserving of its status as the first experimental local government area created by the British colonial government in Nigeria and West Africa.

On Tuesday May 26, 2015, the 4 Points by Sheraton Ikot Ekpene, was commissioned by the outgoing governor Godswill Akpabio. During the commissioning event, Akpabio showed off the spectacular building and its amenities to the invited guests which included the current Governor Emmanuel Udom who at the time was the governor elect and was awaiting to be sworn in as Akwa Ibom State governor. In his usual boastful way and while showing off existing facilities around the hotel, former governor Akpabio, who is now Akwa Ibom State senator had praised the contractors for delivering the project on time. 

Swimming pool area at Four Point by Sheraton at Ikot Ekpene,

The hotel is a 14-Story Oval shaped building, consisting of 146 rooms, 14 suites, a 600-seater banquet hall, six meeting rooms, swimming pool, terrace, fountain, a presidential wing, etc.

One may recall that in 2016, the Akwa Ibom State government had indicated that it had designated Starwood Hotels as the manager to be of this hotel. Government statements also indicated that the hotel would be fully open and operational by April of 2017. Starwood Hotels, we were told was the manager designate because of its experience managing hotels in Akwa Ibom State as exemplified by  the well renowned Le Méridien Ibom Hotel and Golf Resort in Uyo.

Former governor Akpabio (left) and current governor Udom (right) relaxing during
the commissioning of the hotel in Ikot Ekpene on Tuesday May 26, 2015. 

While responding to his critics who have accused him of abandoning the Four Point by Sheraton building in Ikot Ekpene, governor Udom said that he needs “7.2 million US dollars to turn that building into a hotel. And as at today, I have deposited the sum of 4 million US dollars, leaving a balance of 3.2 million US dollars and I am still looking for the 3.2 million dollars to pay so I can turn that building you see into a hotel. It is not yet a hotel."

Recommendation and Concluding Remarks

Part of the problem of abandonment and incompletion of projects in the state and many parts of the country stems from the existing approach used to fund large capital projects. The state government lacks proper long term capital planning foresight which should be incorporated into the capital budget of the state government.  The state government fails to build into the government capital budget for projects a contingency budget to accommodate unforeseen circumstances (like the fall in oil revenues) as has been experienced throughout the country. In industrial countries in Europe and the United States infrastructure projects are funded from dedicated funding revenue streams (mainly through the issue of dedicated bonds issued for a specific project). In New York State budgeting many specific programs and projects are funded through what is referred to as Special Revenue Funds (SRF). Initial funding for specific infrastructural projects can begin by issuing specific capital bonds guaranteed by the Federal government as a debt to the state. When the specific bond funded project is completed, it could be utilized to generate specific revenues to repay the long term bonds associated with the project.  

Read more about Four Point by Sheraton at Ikot Ekpene:

4 Points Sheraton Ikot Ekpene: Akpabio- Commissioned Building Not Hotel
Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State Nigeria

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All rights reserved by Inter-Continental Mgt. Systems, Inc (ICMS, Inc). The information included in this publication may not be used, reproduced, transmitted, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written permission from Tom Okure, Ph.D. of ICMS, Inc.

Update On the Collapse of the Reigners Bible Church Building in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria

The Reigners Bible Church Building Collapse in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria

Did You Know That: Buildings in the premises of The Reigners Bible Church in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State were marked for demolition but the developer ignored all the markings by covering them with paint!

ICMS,Inc Reports

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Buildings in the church premises
were marked X for demolition

During a recent Commission of Inquiry hearing established by Akwa Ibom State government to determine the cause of the collapse of the Reigners Bible Church building in Uyo, Mr. Effiong Akpan, the Head, Town Planning Department, Uyo City Capital Development Authority stated that buildings on the church premises had been determined to be inadequate and were marked for demolition but the developer ignored all the markings by covering them with paint. 

During the hearing, Akpan stated: “We marked ‘X’ on the structure on March 6, 2013, it was covered by paint; we did the same on July 16, 2014; March 1, 2016; July 20, 2016, and August 16, 2016.

Buildings in the church premises 
were marked X for demolition

The Commission of inquiry that was set up by Governor Emmanuel Udom in December and is required among other things to recommend adequate sanctions and actions against all individuals determined to be culpable in the church building collapse, determine the circumstances surrounding the collapse of the church building and make recommendations to be taken against any person, institution or authority to guard against future occurrences.

Background

On December 10, 2016, the Pastor of the "Reigners Bible Church" located along Uyo Village Road in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria was supposed to be consecrated as a Bishop and the church was filling to capacity when suddenly without warning the roof of the church collapsed resulting in tremendous tragedy. Witnesses at the scene say that over 50 people were removed the rubble of the collapsed church building and taken away by ambulances. Many of those taken away appeared to be dead. Reports from the scene tragedy indicated that the State Governor Emmanuel Udom was in attendance at the church when the tragedy occured.

According to news reports "The governor and his people were inside the church. But they escaped because they were sitting in the front and the roof collapsed in the middle on top of many people"

Photo Credit: Sitippe