As a follow up to the motion raised by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong on the urgent need to investigate the slow pace of work on the Odukpani – Itu federal highway, an investigative hearing was held on Wednesday, 27th November 2034 by the Senate Committee on Works.
Officials of the Federal Ministry of Works alongside the contractors in charge of the repairs – Sermatech, Julius Berger, and CCECC, were also summoned by the committee with a view towards unearthing all the challenges that have led to the delays.
The hearing was also attended by the President of the Senate, His Excellency Godswill Akpabio, and other ranking members of the National Assembly. In his remarks, HE Godswill Akpabio urged the committee to conduct a thorough investigation into the issues, as repair of the road should be treated as a National emergency. He recounted several personal sad experiences, including the loss of a classmate who was forced to use the waterways as an alternative and, unfortunately, drowned.
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Also speaking, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong described the heart wrenching recent case of a lady who was forced to give birth in a bus due to induced labour as a direct result of the bumps and potholes suffered over several hours on the same road. He lamented that the almost permanent state of disrepair defied all human logic given the annual budgetary allocations to the project.
Support was also given to all the views by Senators, Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe and Eteng Williams, all from Cross River.
The committee also frowned at the absence of the Managing Directors of both Julius Berger and CCECC from the hearing and a motion was unanimously adopted summoning both MDs to appear at the next hearing, with a resolution stating that their failure to appear at the next hearing would immediately result in the issuance of an arrest warrant for both MDs.
A minute of silence was also moved by the committee chairman, Senator Barinada Mpigi, in honour of all who had lost their lives as a result of the terrible state of the road.