Uyo — Akwa Ibom Governor, Chief Godswill O. Akpabio, has charged the management of Akwa Ibom Property and Investment Company (APICO) to revitalize and re-position the company to provide more housing estates for the people. Chief Akpabio, gave this charge when the management of APICO, led by its chairman, Arc. Otu Ita Toyo paid him a courtesy visit in Government House, Uyo.

He directed the management to commence the building of 10,000 housing estates in the three senatorial districts in the state immediately.He described housing as a critical need of everybody and gave the Ministry of Lands and Town Planning, in partnership with the company, one month to complete architectural drawings and designs and to begin construction work on the APICO additional estates in the senatorial districts.

"Building 2000-3000 houses in Ikot Ekpene, 3000-4000 in Eket and 4000-5000 units in Uyo senatorial districts would not be enough because commissioners, House of Assemblymen, Akwa Ibom people in diaspora, Akwa Ibom people retiring from the military and civil servants, among others would want to own those houses", the governor explained.

He urged APICO management to work harder to meet the housing yearnings of the people, adding "The dream of this government is to use you as a point of contact to provide homes to every Akwa Ibom child". Chief Akpabio, however, hinted that the administration has liquidated N430 million loan owed Union Homes by the erstwhile management of APICO and directed government parastatals seeking loan from commercial banks to obtain a written permission from the governor to avoid any embarrassment.

Chief Akpabio further announced that last year the government, on behalf of APICO, paid N500 million partnership fund to QUACEM for bagging of cement He directed APICO management to take a critical look at, and to submit its investments on quarrying and asphalt plant to the government, wondering why government was spending more when it has the plant. He pointed out that over the years APICO was an albatross and a waste pipe due to its heavy indebtedness.

The governor also requested APICO to take an inventory of its earmarked parcels of land and to ensure pay compensation to genuine land owners to avoid trespass on such acquired land. Commenting on waste disposal in Itiam-Ewet Housing Estate, he promised to look into it with a view to sending a bill on waste disposal to the House of Assembly for passage into law.