By Bassey Nkponam
UYO
The Akwa Ibom governor has made a case for the completion of the abandoned 13km road project with bridge which was to connect Mbo Local Government Area to Hawkins Cemetery in Calabar, Cross River State.
Pastor Umo Eno, who made the plea at a stakeholders’ engagement on the alignment of Sections 3b and 4 of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, which took place at Ibom Hall, Uyo, Saturday,recalled that contract for the project was awarded to CCECC by the previous federal government but was later abandoned at the initial stage, and urged the federal government, through the Minister of Works, Mr David Umahi, an engineer, to revisit the project for possible completion for the benefit of the two sister states.
On the Calabar-Itu Highway project, Eno explained that government had completed evaluation of properties on the project’s right of way and released funds for payment of compensations,and called on the federal government to initiate action to expedite the completion of the road, considering its importance to the people of the two South-South states of Cross River and Akwa Ibom, and indeed the entire nation.
For the Aba-Ikot Ekpene Road, he said government was currently valuing the project to enable it pay the compensation and open up the corridor, adding that, “all these things are things we are willing to do with the federal government to ensure that we work to get dividends of democracy to our people, particularly now that we have the Senate President from our side. We are in a hurry to work with him to ensure that we finish whatever we have to do here”.
The governor assured of his government’s optimum cooperation to the President Tinubu-led federal government towards the actualisation of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project- a 700km road that would link Lagos State to Cross River State, through the shoreline states of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Rivers, Ogun and Ondo.
Eno expressed his support to the administration of President Tinubu and the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, to draw development to Akwa Ibom, saying that the State front will liaise with groups, communities and all stakeholders to achieve a smooth implementation of the Akwa Ibom portion of the 700km coastal highway.
“For us in Akwa Ibom, God has been very good to us. He put the Senate President at the top as a tall man, put me here as a short man so that I can bring the small small things from here and the big ones like these roads, he can influence and bring.But everything will land on the table for Akwa Ibom people.
“It doesn’t call for any fight. We have to work together for our people. So we will work with you. We will continue to give you our support,” Eno assured.
The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, noted the goodness the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway holds for Akwa Ibom, thanking President Tinubu for initiating the project as well as the minister of works for taking steps to actualise the project.
Akpabio, who described the project as huge and unprecedented for Akwa Ibom people, called on residents of the state to collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Works to fast track the construction of the highway.
The minister of works, Umahi, noted that out of the total span of 700km, 27km of the section 3b and 80km of Section 4, totalling107km, fall within Akwa Ibom boundaries, being the 4th longest portion of the entire coastal highway within a single state.
He commendedGovernor Eno for the peaceful and beautiful ambience in the State, particularly for his efforts in maintaining a cordial relationship with his predecessors.
Discussion about this post