NGO Tasks Gov. Otu To Fix Deplorable Ibil Bridge
By Ogbu KOSY
Godshield Kanjal Journalism Foundation (GKJF), a nonprofit media organisation, has called on Cross River State Governor, Sen. Bassey Otu to intervene to revamp the dangerously deteriorated bridge in Shi-Aya in Ogoja Local Government Area of Cross River State.
The founder of the organisation, Godshield Kanjal made the call during the Foundation's on-the-spot visit to the deplorable bridge - for its community Vox Pop Initiative, which seeks to tell the untold stories of neglected and underserved communities in the state.
The bridge which links Ejama and Ibil communities in Yala and Ogoja Local Government Areas, respectively, has consigned the two communities to untold hardship, as it has become a dead trap to its users, especially farmers who convey their agricultural produce to the markets within and outside the LGAs.
"It's on this note that we call on the governor of Cross River State, to immediately intervene by fixing the dilapidated bridge which has become a dead trap.
"These two LGAs - Yala and Ogoja - are majorly into farming and it is on this bridge that they convey their agricultural commodities to the markets for onward sales. But as you can see, the two neighboring LGAs have been cut off.
"The locals are suffering. We have contacted the Senator representing Cross River Northern Senatorial District, who happens to come from this community, Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, to draw his attention to the dilapidated bridge but the senator said a legislator has no budget provided for such emergencies.
When contacted, Senator Jarigbe said: "Cross River has no governor? That is not the work of a legislator. A legislator has no budget provided for such emergencies.
"Almost all the projects going on in Cross River North were put in the national budget by me.
"All the projects in Ibil are done by my intervention in the national budget. What is the work of Local Government Chairmen and governor?" Jarigbe questioned.
Some of the villagers who spoke to GKJF described the bridge as a dead trap, with a passionate plea on authorities to rehabilitate the bridge immediately for ease of conveying their farm produce to the markets.
One of the locals, Emmanuel Alaga, 35, said: "this bridge has been in this deplorable state since more than two years and we have just been managing it like this.
"We have been looking for a way to convey our message to relevant authorities but to no avail, thank God you GKJF have come to see things for yourself.
"Please take our message to relevant authorities in Government to come and rehabilitate the only bridge we have. We are suffering," he said.
Another villager and farmer, Martina Awum called on Government to intervene immediately to uplift the economy of the two LGAs.
