Flood Worsens Calabar-Itu Highway As Contractors Ignore Ultimatum

Motorists along the Calabar – Itu highway have expressed concern as floods have worsened the road linking Akwa Ibom with the neihbouring Cross River State, checks by our correspondent have shown.

The minister of works, David Umahi, had expressed anger at the slow pace of work on the road and given a fresh one week ultimatum to contractors to return to site or face termination of the contract.
Umahi at the Stakeholders’ Engagement on the Alignment of 3 ‘b’ and 4 phases of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road (Akwa Ibom/ Cross River portions) last month in Uyo urged the construction firms – Julius Berger, the China Civil Engineering and Construction Company (CCECC) to return to site to accelerate work on the project.

Despite that, no meaningful work has been done as the road, especially at the Odukpani section, remains more deplorable.

A stranded passenger, Effiom Akpaikot, said successive administrations since the era of the former works minister, Babatunde Fashola, had played politics with the road.
Senator Ita Enang, then senior special assistant to former president, Muhamadu Buhari, on Niger Delta Affairs, had given assurance in 2019, but the situation has not changed.