The Akwa Ibom State International Worship Centre is to be inaugurated by the end of 2022, with assurances of being the best of its kind upon completion.
The state governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, gave the assurance today while inspecting the progress of work at Worship Centre construction site at Udo Udoma Avenue, Uyo, upon return from official engagements outside the state.
Governor Emmanuel expressed satisfaction with the quality of work so far put into the project and described the building as an unprecedented sacred place that will serve as an altar for Akwa Ibom people and generations unborn.
“I want to appreciate Julius Berger, what you are seeing here can challenge any engineering of any standard anywhere in the world. When you seat back you will have an understanding of the concept we have for the whole building I will give them kudos for that. Then come back to see what is buried underground, it is over 680 piles. People see a building, I don’t see a building, I see that I am raising an altar for my people and for generations yet unborn”.
Enunciating further on the significance of the Worship Centre, he said the project was of great significance to a state like Akwa Ibom, named after God and consisting of a 99% Christian population. The building, he added, will be an altar that will perpetually draw God’s pleasure and blessings to people of the state.
“If we say this is the only state named after God, then something must be there to show. I am sure God is happy and through this a lot of blessings will come from God to the entire people, even generations yet unborn in the state”, the Governor said.
The governor thanked people of the state and corporate organizations who have joined hands with the state government to see to the success of the project.
The gesture, he explained, was based on the level of understanding of the value of the project to the state and wished others will come to such understanding soonest.
He also thanked the supervising Ministry for ensuring the consistency of the work with the intensions of the state government.
On ground to take the governor on the facility tour were: the Chief of Staff to the governor, Mr. Ephraim Inyangeyen, Commissioner of the supervising Ministry of Lands, Mr. Umo Eno among other members in the state executive council and the Regional Manager of Julius Berger PLC, Mr. Juergen Fischer.
Mr. Juergen Fischer described the engineering design as complicated and very challenging, but expressed optimism that the project which will be ready by December, will turn out to be a pride of the people of the state, affirming that the project will be commissioned at the end of 2022.
“At the moment we are on the concrete works, which will soon be finished and the roof is under production in Europe and it will be shipped very soon then we will continue with the roof.
“The building is very complicated and the engineering is very challenging. It will look like a whale fish from the ark and I will be very proud if my people can realize the building.
It will be okay for Akwa Ibom and everybody will be proud”.
