 |
| The deplorable Calabar-Ogoja Highways |
The deplorable state of the Calabar-Ogoja Road, the only road linking Cross River State from the South to North as well as other states including the border to countries like Cameroon is getting from bad to worst and this has finally triggered the state government who are now interceding.
In a recent house sitting, the Cross River State (CRS) House of Assembly moved a motion asking the State Government, through the Governor to liaise with the Federal Government (FG) to urgently rehabilitate the Calabar – Ogoja highway to save Cross Riverians from the dangers of the highway.
Hon. Fred Osim, representing Ikom 1 State Constituency who moved the motion on the floor said there is no Federal Road in the State that is functioning as all the Federal roads have become impassable due to many years of non-repairs.
Osim stated in the meeting that the residents of the State pay their taxes as any other State, wondering why Cross River has to suffer.
Adding to the motion, Hon. Eteng Williams representing Yakurr 2 State Constituency regretted the fact that the road which was awarded in three sections since 2014 with some of the sections not paid for, didn’t even appear in the 2016 budget.
Eteng urged other members to support the motion as virtually all of them have problems going back home as that’s the only rout to their constituencies.
Also supporting the motion was Hon. Elizabeth Ironbar, Member Representing Akpabuyo who said people are dying on the road every day and that Cross Riverians and those doing business need to rise up and speak to the injustice being meted to the State.
She concluded that all efforts of the State Governor to lure investors to in the State will amount to nothing if the State has no good road networks.
Also speaking, the member representing Ikom 2 Hon. Simon Nkoro said Cross River has high ranking officials in the Federal Government and the State Government should explore that avenue too, so as to expedite action on the road.
