33 Years After, C' River Gov't Commences Work On Abandoned FG Road Project
Ndifereke BASSEY
Barlely 33 years after, the Cross River government says work is progressing significantly on the 33-year old Idiabo-Eseku road project abandoned by the late Gen. Sani Abacha led military administration.
The government stated that the progress of work so far has seen to the sand filling of the swampy area of about 2.7km of the 10km road.
The state commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr Ankpo Edet, who made the disclosure during a guided tour of the project by the Think Cross River initiative, said the federal government had already contructed three bridges on the road which was awarded in 1992 before it was abandoned.
The Commissioner, however, said two of the three bridges failed integrity test and will be reinforced to stand the test of time.
He noted that the 10km Idiabo-Eseku road will reduce traveling time from Calabar to Akwa Ibom by 30km because of the diversion.
According to him, "The decision of the state to take over the road project is to reduce the bad traveling experience by Cross River people and road users.
"Before the project was abandoned with three bridges, the two of them failed integrity test and will be reinforced. The same contractor that was awarded the project in 1992 is that same handling the project now.
"The major challenge of the project is that about 4km to 5km of the road is swampy and needs to be sand filled.
"Already, we have done about 2.7km of the sand filing and also realigned the road."
Speaking during the tour, Director General of the Think Cross River initiative, Mr Darlington Edem, said the idea of the tour is to be able to update the people about what the government is doing.
He noted that the Idiabo-Eseku road is about the single biggest project embarked upon by the present administration who kept with the "People's First" mantra.
"Our idea is to get the minds of the people into his (Governor's) idea and support his projects. What the governor is doing affects everybody, whether you are from Cross River or not," he stated.
Edem said when completed, the Idiabo-Eseku road project will give relieve to the people that have had to endure several years of turtoure using Calabar-Itu road as an alternative.
According to him, "there are time where the people going to Idiabo or Eseku spend like two to three days on the road because of its bad state. In most cases, funerals have been canceled on the bad road also.
"The Idiabo-Eseku road will provide an alternative and relieve the people of untold hardship."
