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Odukpani Local Government Area

Odukpani Local Government Area is in the Southern Senatorial District. The people are Efiks. There are 13 (thirteen) wards in the Local Government Area, these are:

  1. ADIABO EFUT
  2. AKAMKPA
  3. CREEK TOWN 1
  4. CREEK TOWN 11
  5. EKORI/ANAKU
  6. ENIONG
  7. EKI
  8. OBOMITIAT/MBIABO/ENIONG
  9. ODOT
  10. ODUKPANI CENTRAL
  11. ONIM/ANKIONG
  12. IKONETO
  13. HO/IDERE/UKWA

Within the period under review, the council embarked on the execution of many people-oriented projects both by direct Labour and contract both by direct Labour and contract award. A number of these projects are on-going while others have been completed.

Conscious of equitable development of the area, the council embarked on at least two projects in each of the 13 wards that comprise the Local Government Area.

ROADS
A new 30km earth road from Okurikang through Ndon wong to Ekpene Eki Village has been opened up. Also, about 34km of Earth roads were also graded, these include:

  • The Etak Uyo-Ikot Okon Abasi Road
  • The Odot Uyi-earth road.

In an attempt to ease the grading of other roads in the near future, the long abandoned galleon grader machine was also repaired and is presently functional. A total sum of N5.5m only was expended on these projects.

WATER SUPPLY
The rehabilitation of Creek Town water supply unit was accorded priority to reduce water problem of the people in the area and was completed in the last quarter of 1999.

HOUSING
To alleviate the suffering of pupils in primary schools, the council undertook the reconstruction of abandoned 3-classroom blocks each in Ukim Ita and Adiabo Okurikang Primary Schools. Also in the housing sector, the administration has completed, furnished and commissioned the following projects at the Headquarters. These were commissioned on July 31, 2000.

  • Women Education Centre.
  • Legislative Chambers (to enhance the smooth take off of the legislative Arm of Council)
  • Council of Clients’ chambers.
  • Modern Staff Canteen
  • A multi-purpose Council Hall
  • Rehabilitation and painting of the Council Secretariat.

All these projects commissioned cost the sum of about N20,958,020.00.

The following projects are however on-going.

  • Construction of Health Centres at Atan Eki and Okoyong Usang Abasi.
  • Renovation of 2-classroom blocks at Atan Eki
  • Renovation of a Town Hall at Ikoneto
  • Building of market stalls at Eki West and Obom Itiat.
  • Classroom block at Obodio Eki.

TRANSPORT
To reduce transportation problems in the area and to increase the revenue base of the Council, it purchased and commissioned five (5) 18-seater Buses for its mass Transit programme at the cost of N4,970,000.00. The council’s 32 Seater Staff Bus was equally repaired at the cost of N103,000.00. Also contract for the supply of a modern steel pontoon at a cost of N3.06m has been awarded.

As greater areas of Local Government are reached through the reverie areas and to facilitate movement of watercraft to such areas, the Council undertook the clearing of water hyacinths in Eniong Creeks and expansion of waterways at Ukwa creeks at the cost of N300,000.00 respectively.

ELECTRIFICATION PROJECTS
Since the primary focus is on project with greater positive impacts on the lives of rural people, the Council has embarked on the rural electrification of Ukim Ita and Akpap-Okoyong in joint venture (partnership) with the State Government.

The Council installed streetlight from the Highway to the Council Headquarters and the 55KVA electricity generating plat was repaired to supplement the unsteady supply of electricity by NEPA in the area.

HEALTH
In line with the philosophy of “Health is Wealth”, the Council sufficiently mobilized its resources and focused on taking health care delivery nearer to the people in the rural areas. It spent the sum of N421,000.0 to ensure that the National Immunization Programme against yellow fever, meningitis and other killer diseases were successfully carried out. The Local Government Area had the highest percentage coverage in the exercise during the exercise

To improve Health Care Services in the rural areas, Council established five (5) new health facilities at Mbiabong Ukwa, Okoyong Usang Abasi, Odot Ediong, Ikot Effiok Ekpenyong and Nkpara. It also gave approval for Efut Ibonda, Adiabo Ikot Ukpa and Akim Health Centre bringing the number of Health facilities in the Local Government Area to 30 (thirty).

EDUCATION
In commitment to the pursuit of Council’s policy Thrust on education and in furtherance of the Universal Basic Education (UBE), the local government launched the programme in a unique way when over 150,000 exercise books were procured for distribution to pupils in the 59 primary schools in the Local Government Area. In addition, about N618,500.00 was paid to indigenous students in tertiary institutions and those in the Law School, as bursary and financial assistance respectively.

To encourage the Audit Literacy programme, Council reinvigorated the Audit and Non-Formal Agency learning centers in the local government area by recruiting 100 new Part-Time Instructors who are now on the Council’s payroll.

MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT
The Council places premium on the training and retraining of her manpower in the junior cadre for effective performance and productivity. To achieve these goals over N860,000 was expended in sponsoring staff at the Management Development Institute and other Institutions within the period.

SPORTS
In the area of sports, the Council made concerted effort to encourage the youths in schools, so as to catch talented sportsmen and women in the L.G.A. in their fledgling ages for greater participation at national competitions.
Presently, the council is floating a football club known as "Odukpani Crackers Football Club", with a dynamic management committee which ensures good administration of the Club. The make it formidable, the sum of N180,000.00 was expended in recruiting talented players and adequately equip the club with sporting facilities necessary for improved performance.

AGRICULTURE
In it’s efforts to sensitize farmers on improved modern techniques and methods of framing, the Council undertook an induction programme on farming techniques and credit facilities to farmers in the Local Government Area.

PINEAPPLE PROJECT
In the state cash crops for export strategy, Odukpani was one of the Local Government selected as pilot Local Government Areas for pineapple farm and the council has pursued he project with zeal and vigour. By the end of December, 1999 the Council had already prepared and planted 12 hectares of land with pineapple suckers and within the first quarters of this year, 15 additional hectares of land was cultivated with suckers, making it a total of 27 hectares. Although this project weighed heavily on the council’s finances, it is our conviction that the end would justify the means.

The Council’s broken down Rice Mill at Ikot Okon Akiba which was long abandoned, has been repaired to boost the Council’s internally generated revenue.

BOUNDARY CRISIS
The inter-state boundary skirmishes between the border communities of Odukpani Local Government in Akwa Ibom State has continued unabated. This situation has a devastating effect on the social and economic life of the people in the area. Just recently, many lives were lost and property estimated at N5.6m destroyed when Ikot Offiong Ebiti and Mbiabo Idere were incessantly invaded by their Akwa Ibom State neighbours from January-June, 2000.

This unfortunate situation has gulped the sum of N1.75m from Council coffers for the provision of relief materials to the refuges who are forced to sojourn with the neighbouring communities in the Local Government Area.