By Jonathan Ugbal: Government House Correspondent
Cross River Deputy Governor, Professor Ivara Esu has inaugurated the steering and implementation committees of the Calabar Smart City project years after the project was completed by former Governor, Liyel Imoke.
The smart city project is aimed at improving the penetration of voice, data and video connection in the state with focus on the state’s capital city of Calabar and it’s environs at the moment.
The project: a Public Private Partnership initiative with telecommunication company, MTN was valued at NGN1.1billion by the past administration which led to the laying of 129 kilometers of 2 X 150mm Fibre Optic Cables from Anantigha in Calabar South to Odukpani local government with a total of 120 hotspots planned.
But, the state also laid its own 30 kilometers of 2 X 115mm PVC Fibre Optic Cables which as at then CrossRiverWatch learnt was part of the SMART.Gov initiative.
The ICT Commissioner, Chief Ofu Ayia has been reached for comments on the matter.
