By The Calabar-Odukpani Peoples’ Assembly
October 15, 2025
We the undersigned, on behalf of the Calabar-Odukpani Peoples’ Assembly, hereby make known our position that, the Odukpani-Itu-Ikot Ekpene federal highway, a vital artery connecting Cross River and Akwa Ibom States, remains a national disgrace, mired in neglect, broken promises, and bureaucratic inertia. In recent years, this 100-kilometer road has deteriorated into a death trap, strangulating commerce, endangering lives, and fueling insecurity across Nigeria’s South-South and South-East regions. As stakeholders from Cross River State—representing communities, traders, youths, and civil society—we raise this alarm to the Federal Government of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Honourable Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, and the 10th National Assembly especially the committees on Works: the deplorable state of this road is a betrayal of our people and a threat to Nigeria’s economic progress. Immediate action is non-negotiable.
This road, originally built in the 1970s, was meant to facilitate trade, connect agricultural hubs, and link our ports to the hinterlands. Today, it is a nightmare of potholes, gullies, and collapsed sections, stretching travel times from one hour to between four to eight. Farmers in Odukpani and traders in Ikot Ekpene watch their produce rot due to impassable routes, while transport costs have quadrupled, impoverishing families and inflating food prices nationwide. The road’s condition stifles Nigeria’s economic potential, undermining the Renewed Hope Agenda’s promise of prosperity. How can we speak of GDP growth when a key economic corridor lies in ruins?
The human toll is even more heartbreaking. Countless lives have been lost to accidents caused by treacherous potholes and eroded sections. Families mourn loved ones who never returned from journeys on this road. Commuters, students, and workers endure daily trauma, stranded for hours in swampy, flood-prone stretches like Odukpani junction to Mkpara. Worse still, the road has become a haven for kidnappers and bandits, exploiting slow-moving vehicles trapped in its quagmire. Every day of delay is a day of agony for our people, a stain on the conscience of our nation.
We acknowledge efforts by the Federal Government, including the N54 billion contract awarded to Julius Berger in 2020, the recent N55 billion to Decon Construction in March 2025, and palliative works by NDDC and FERMA. Yet, these interventions have yielded little. Contractors have abandoned sites, citing “miscommunication” or unresolved right-of-way disputes, while inflation erodes budgets and communities await compensation. The Senate Committee on Works and local groups have repeatedly called for action, yet progress remains at a dismal 22% in some sections. This is not just a failure of infrastructure—it is a failure of trust.
We, the Calabar-Odukpani Peoples’ Assembly, demand the following from the Federal Government:
1. Immediate Full Funding: Prioritize and disburse adequate funds in the 2025 budget to complete the dualization of the Odukpani-Itu-Ikot Ekpene road without further delays.
2. Contractor Accountability: Enforce strict oversight on contractors like Julius Berger, Sermatech, CCECC, and Decon. Revoke contracts of those who abandon sites and reallocate resources to committed firms.
3. Resolution of Right-of-Way Issues: Fast-track land compensation processes with transparency to ensure community cooperation and halt disruptions.
4. Security and Safety Measures: Deploy security personnel to curb banditry and provide alternative routes with clear signage during ongoing construction closures, such as those at Ekim Itam and Ibiakpan junctions.
5. Rigid Pavement Design: Expedite the redesign to durable rigid pavement, as directed in 2023, to ensure a lasting solution suited to the region’s terrain.
The Odukpani-Itu-Ikot Ekpene road is not just a Cross River or Akwa Ibom problem—it is a national crisis. Its rehabilitation will unlock trade, reduce food inflation, enhance security, and restore hope to millions. We call on President Tinubu to honor his administration’s commitment to infrastructure as a cornerstone of progress. The people of Cross River and Akwa Ibom deserve better than a road that mocks their resilience.
We urge the National Assembly, civil society, and the Nigerian public to join us in holding the government accountable. This is a clarion call to end the suffering, revive our economy, and reclaim our dignity. Let the Odukpani-Itu-Ikot Ekpene road become a symbol of Nigeria’s renewed hope, not a monument to neglect.
Signatories,
H. E., Etubom Dr Nya Asuquo
Chief Mrs Winnifred Oyo Ita
HRM Etinyin Otu Asuquo Otu Meseme VI (JP)
Paramount Ruler of Odukpani LGA,
