No Compensation For Builders On Right Of Way – CRSG Warns

From Idongesit Inyang
CROSS RIVER
Cross River State Government has frowned at the payment of compensation to people who have hurriedly erected various structures on the right of way in the ongoing construction work along Ikot-Nyong – Itu Bridge federal highway.
  “They should not expect anything.Rather, compensation would be made to those with ancestral structures,” the state commissioner for works, Pius Ankpo, has disclosed.
Ankpo, who briefed journalists after the monthly State Executive Council meeting in Calabar, explained that what would be paid would be a fraction, while the balance would be the contribution of the landlord communities and owners to the road development.
He explained that payment of compensation had been one of the major issues that hindered the pace of work in the project.And, so, those who hurried to erect various structures on the right of way in order to make claims, should not expect anything.
Ankpo further stated that the State Executive Council has approved infrastructural intervention across senatorial districts including abandoned Adiabo-IkonetoBridge,which was initiated during the military era in the 90s, but abandoned by successive federal governments.
He noted that the bridge, when completed, would serve as a better alternative to the Calabar-Odukpani Junction-Itu Federal Highway, as an easier route into and out from Calabar to Akwa Ibom.
  The works commissioner maintained that the approved memo, tagged: “Aggregate Infrastructural Interest,” would bring significant development across the three senatorial districts of the state.
In the northern part of the state, the works commissioner revealed that Ogoja and YalaLocal Government Areas would receive repairs to their network of roads, including the UkelleRoad, AkrehaBridge, and the Yache-AlifokpaRoad.
In the Central Senatorial District, Yakurr and Ikom Local Government Areas have been earmarked for massive road interventions.
  In addition, Ankpo assured Cross Riverians that the projects would be handled with utmost compliance to professionalism and quality assurance, and completed within stipulated timeframe.
The State Executive Council also granted approval for the provision of street and traffic lights in urban areas in the Central and Northern Senatorial Districts, particularly Ugep, Ikom and Ogoja, according to the works commissioner.
Another important consideration in the fourth exco meeting of the year, presided over by Gov Bassey Otu, was a memo for the establishment and empowerment of 2,000 persons in catfish farming behind homes in Cross River State.
The memo, according to Ankpo, was brought by Cross River commissioner for livestock and aquaculture and was accepted and referred to the State Economic Management team.