By Godwin Ajom
Chaos erupted earlier Monday May 25th, and 26th, 2026 as several residents of Ikom in Cross River central appeared trapped in a section of the Ikom-Etomi Federal Road construction site.
The Contractor had resumed work just as the rain began two weeks ago, a situation that made the Mankono axis of the road impassable.
The project “Rehabilitation of Ikom-Etomi road in Cross River State” is awarded to Sharpnez Construction Engineering Limited, based in Katsina State.
Residents, pupils, business owners and commercial vehicle operators were visibly stocked at the road due to the high volume of muddy fillings used for surface elevation at the Mankono stretch of the road.
While school children were seen tiptoeing their way on the mud on their way to school, other road users carried footwears on their hands as they worked barefoot through the mud .
Several vehicles could not drive through as their tires were held by the mud leaving residents stranded, frustrated and visibly angry.
One of the stranded residents who identifies self as Oga Kingsley expressed displeasure of the situation.
Caroline Agbor, sharing in Kingsley’s sentiment, said that the condition is unbearable as the project should have been taken care of before the rain began. She said the contractor should speed up to reduce the suffering so far experienced the past week.
“I live in this Mankono area, now we can’t pass to our place of work and there’s no other road leading to the other side of the town, we are stranded, see my legs all muddy,” she lamented.
Efforts to reach the contractor on the condition of the road is still ongoing, as none of the officials at the construction site were visibly seen at the time our reporter visited the site.
Our reporter gathered that the project began last year and is still haphazardly done. The Ikom urban axis is also still under construction and is posing challenges to residents.
When contacted, a source from the federal ministry of works, told our reporter that the ministry will meet with the contractor to see how the situation would be remedied.
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