From Judex Okoro, Calabar
Cross River State communities have raised the alarm over abandoned federal roads and an erosion site in Calabar Municipality and Odukpani Local Government Areas, calling on authorities to complete the projects.
The projects, including the 3km with side drainage Ring Road at Etimakim in Calabar Municipalcity, Akpap-Oboroko-Okurikang 3km road in Obot Oko of Akamkpa Ward in Odukpani are all handled by NDDC and are part of constituency projects attracted by Rt Hon Eta Mbora representing Calabar Municipality/Odukpani federal constituency.
Decrying the state of the Ring Road in Akim community during a project tour of the area by Rt Hon Mbora, the Village Head of Etimakim Community in Calabar Municipality, Esinjo Ekong Edim, appealed to the federal government and concerned authorities to complete the Mbora Ring Road project in the area to avert a massive erosion that is building up in the area.
Edim said the road has become a threat to the community and motorists following the menace of erosion in which cars and strangers have been entrapped, adding that businesses are also collapsing as the road has become unmotorable.
‘We really appreciate what the honourable has done as far as the ring roads are concerned,’ Edim stated.
‘As it is, everybody within the area is happy about the job that has been done so far but the main thing is the Mbora Street. It has become a death trap.
‘So, we are appealing to the federal government that having intervened thus far now that it remains a very small portion of the job to be completed, we are pleading that let this death trap be off here.
‘We are saying that the federal government has done so much for us in this area. So, it cannot be that because of this we disqualify the federal government but I am believing that the job would be completed,’ he said.
The Obot Oko community of Akamkpa Ward in Odukpani LGA of Cross River tasked the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to return to the abandoned site of construction of the Akpap-Oboroko-Okurikang 3km.
Our correspondent learned of the the development during the facility inspection tour of designated projects in Odukpani/Calabar Municipality Federal Constituency by Rt Hon Eta Mbora, the lawmaker representing the federal constituency.
‘We are happy at ongoing construction projects especially the completion and furnishing of the 6 classroom blocks at Government Primary School, Oboroko Okoyong in Odukpani, but we are sad at the abandoned work and threatening erosion at section of the Akpap-Oboroko-Okurikang 3KM joint road project with the NDDC, and Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs,’ he stated.
It is worrisome that the NDDC section has not been fixed. We are asking the NDDC to return to site because of the rains that is coming.’
Commending the federal government for embarking on the community-based project, the former Commissioner for Works in Cross River and Commissioner at the NDDC, Elder Denoenou Ekpo Okon, also expressed concern at the slow pace of work on the road on the NDDC section of the road
‘This is an opportunity to thank our representative at the House of Representatives for his community-focused projects because Oboroko Okoyong is a village with a lot of agricultural potentials. One of its greatest challenges has been access,’ Okon stated.
‘The NDDC section of the project is facing a lot of challenges because the contractor has moved out of site for awhile. But that does not in any way undermine the fact that it’s a project that, our representative out of love for the people undertook to push.
‘We want to use this opportunity to beg the NDDC to look into this project because it’s a project that is being threatened by massive erosion and if not looked into now, the purpose would have been defeated.’
Speaking generally after the inspection of some key constituency projects, Rt Hon Eta Mbora said: ‘We understand the complications and problems of the contractors and the Oboroko people with regard to the issue of roads.
‘We appeal to the agencies including NDDC and ministry of Niger Delta Affairs to intervene. Ours is to push and facilitate at the floor of the House and ensure the completion of these jobs.
‘I will profile these visits and the agencies that are concerned will have copies, I will liaise with them and press on the floor of the House for the completion of the jobs.’
He noted that President Buhari had ordered that priority be given to on-going jobs and ensure completion before new contracts are awarded.