A renowned entrepreneur and businessman, Uwem Okoko, has lauded Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State for his confidence and patronage of indigenous contractors in the state. Okoko, who is also the Managing Director of Hensek Integrated Services told journalists shortly before the com-missioning of a 9.4km, 10 lane dual carriage road in Uyo by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, that the governor’s action has helped to improve the contractors’ competence and empower them, while also creating employment for youths. He noted that the road with a 7m deep covered drainage system has not only challenged him, but has also brought out the best in his company and showed that indigenous contractors could do better than foreign ones when given the right support and platform. “I want to thank His Excellency, because I I don’t see any government in Nigeria that would have awarded this kind of contract to not just an indigenous contractor but a local contractor from Akwa Ibom, so my sincere appreciation goes to him for taking the risk to award this contract to Hensek.”