By Sylvia Akpan, Government House Correspondent
The Chairperson of the Senate ad-hoc committee on the East–West Road project has described the Calabar – Oron axis, which is the fifth segment, as “something else” after his committee traveled via the route into Calabar to meet with Cross River Governor, Senator Bassey Otu on Tuesday.
Mr. Ningi who represents Bauchi Central Senatorial district averred; “Yes, there is an infrastructural deficit across the country, but what we witnessed was something else on that road.”
His comment comes amidst continuous reportage of sufferings by motorists plying the route, which is part of the East–West Road project that has defeated the administrations of Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan, and Muhammadu Buhari.
Senator Ningi told Governor Otu that; “We have traversed the East-West Road from Bayelsa, Delta, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and now Cross River, it is disturbing what we have found during this assignment, the inability of the overseeing agencies of government to come together and give the road the much-needed attention.”
He lamented the “complete lack of constructive collaboration between the NDDC, Federal Ministry of Works, FERMA, and the States which the road passes through. So, I believe that something urgent needs to be done, including the fifth and final stage of the East-West Road which is the Calabar – Oron end of the road.”
On Monday, while in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, the Senator had told Governor Umo Eno that there was a need for collaboration as there exists duplication of contracts by all parties earlier mentioned. He announced that the committee would organize a public hearing over the project in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.
Meanwhile, Governor Otu has advocated for more infrastructural support for the State, which he says is suffering from the lack of implementation of the Green Tree Agreement and the ceding of the State’s littoral assets.
“We have borne and bear the pain of the country over the Green Tree Agreement, and it is only fair that Nigeria does right by our state. We need more interventions, and my hope is that your committee, though ad-hoc in nature, will present our case to the Senate and ease our burden,” he said.
Seeking interventions, the Governor averred that; “The East-West Road is one of the several critical infrastructures that have been left to decay in our country over time. Even in this period of palliatives, if there is anything worse than not having the palliatives, then it is when the main arteries that connect the state and should help in carrying the palliatives are not there.”
Speaking further, he said there was a need for modifications to the East-West Road drawings into Calabar to avoid traffic snarls as witnessed in some major cities in the country. Furthermore, he drew their attention to the Calabar – Ikom – Katsina-Ala highway which, he said, was in a deplorable state, and expressed confidence that President Bola Tinubu’s administration will rise to the occasion and provide the much-needed infrastructural repairs and upgrade.
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