By Itoro Bassey
Residents of Ikot Nte and Ikot Mfon, two neglected communities in Southern Iman, Etinan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, have once again appealed for government intervention concerning the deteriorated Ikot Ibok–Ikot Nte–Mbioto 2 Road and the Efa–Ikot Ese–Ikot Ibok–Ikot Mfon–Ndiya Road, as well as the bridges that connect them to neighboring villages.
The roads, listed as top priorities in the Needs Assessment document presented to Governor Umo Eno during a high-level government town hall meeting for the Etinan/Nsit Ibom/Nsit Ubium federal constituency in August 2025, have been neglected by successive governments over the years.
The residents, led by members of the Ikot Nte USA/World Forum, say they have resorted to pooling their resources to hire labourers and purchase materials for temporary repairs on the 3.7 km Ikot Ibok–Ikot Nte–Mbioto 2 Road.
According to them, this self-help approach is no longer viable, especially as the road continues to deteriorate with each rainy season.
James Ekpo, a former youth leader of Ikot Nte, told news reporters that there have been incidents where some kinsmen were injured and required hospitalisation during the road maintenance efforts.
“We recognise that our Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has made progress in enhancing infrastructure in other local government areas. We respectfully request his support and intervention so that our community can also benefit,” he stated.
Imoette Inyangudo, the Youth Leader of Ikot Nte, expressed frustration, saying, “The road has been neglected for far too long. It feels as though the residents do not matter”. He added, “Successive administrations in the Etinan local government council have consistently overlooked Ikot Nte.”
Even if the roads were repaired, the community’s school, the Community Secondary Commercial School, Ikot Nte, remains in disrepair, with students attending classes under a rusted roof that leaks and walls that are collapsing.
It was gathered that children from nearby communities such as Ikot Mfon, Ikot Ibok, Ikot Obio Eka, and Ikot Ese have stopped attending the school due to the dangerous journey, while teachers assigned to the school often request transfers upon seeing the condition of the road and the school.
“If you visit at the start of the school year, you will find that many students have left due to the lack of teachers,” Inyangudo added.
Meanwhile, since a 120-meter bridge collapsed on the Efa–Ikot Ese–Ikot Ibok–Ikot Mfon–Ndiya Road in 2011, the communities of Efa, Ikot Ibok, and Ikot Mfon in Etinan Local Government Area, along with Ndiya in Nsit Ubium LGA, have been completely isolated from the outside world.
The issue of the bridge was first raised in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly in October 2019 through a motion by then Etinan lawmaker, Barr Aniefiok Dennis Akpan. It resurfaced in July 2023 when the current Etinan lawmaker, Engr Uduak Ekpo-Ufot, called for urgent repairs, yet no action has been taken.
During a recent visit to the community, this reporter observed that no motorists were using the route. Some commercial motorcyclists lamented that the poor condition of the road and the bridge has made transportation to and from the villages exceedingly difficult, leaving residents cut off from schools, markets, and healthcare services.
