By Lovina Anthony, Daily Post
- Deplorable state of Federal roads, result of negligence.
- Privatisation of Federal roads, the solution to having lasting roads.
The Senator representing Ikot Ekpene senatorial district, Sen. Christopher Ekpenyong, has urged the Federal Government to consider Ikot Ekpene-Umuahia, Aba-Ikot Ekpene, and Ikot Ekpene-Calabar Highways for privatisation.
Ekpenyong in an interview with Journalists in Uyo on Wednesday, said he is in total support of the plan of the Federal Government to give the management of some major roads to private investors.
He said that is the only panacea to the deplorable road conditions adding that Federal Government does not have the capacity to do quality roads that can last up to 15 to 20 years.
He, however, attributed the decay in Lagos-Ibadan expressway to management by Federal Government.
His words, “I support the recent plan by the Federal Government to privatise some major roads in the country. And I want Ikot Ekpene -Umuahia, Aba-Ikot Ekpene and Ikot Ekpene-Calabar roads to also be considered for privatisation.
“That is the only way to get those roads in deplorable condition to be fixed because the Federal Government does not have the capacity to do quality roads that can last up to 15 to 20years. That is the problem we have with the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
“So if we continue to depend on the Federal Government the roads will not be done. And those Highways are major entry points if you are coming from Abuja, Lagos, Port-Harcourt, Enugu and other parts of the country”.
Ekpenyong also said the deplorable condition of all the Federal roads linking Akwa Ibom State and its neighbouring Abia and Cross River States was as a result of insensitivity of the Federal Government to the sufferings of people in this part of the country.
He expressed happiness that Akwa Ibom Governors always think out of the box, stressing that, “past and present Governors of Akwa Ibom knows that if we don’t have good road network we will not have investment opportunities, so I commend them for the intervention in road infrastructure”.