By Ushang Ewa
A pothole along Yellow Duke Street which defied two interventions during the administration of Governor Ben Ayade currently stares the Bassey Otu’s administration while repairs of roads ahead of the yuletide progress in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.
The rehabilitation of some sections of roads in the Calabar metropolis commenced a few weeks ago. The pace has picked up with Faith Plant, a local construction firm handling the project, of which details remain sketchy about the scope and cost to taxpaying Cross Riverians.
But, a giant pothole that has claimed at least two lives at Yellow Duke Street, has been fixed thrice since it began appearing in 2016 remains untouched while work progresses on other streets.
The Giant Pothole
Findings by CrossRiverWatch reveal the pothole has been fixed, at least three times since 2016 by Governor Ayade’s administration.
The hole first appeared in 2016 and was fixed in 2017. It appeared again in 2018 and by May 2018, residents edited the signage “Ayade Is Working” to read; “It’s A Lie, Ayade Is Not Working.” It was fixed late in 2018.
Furthermore, it reappeared in 2021. By October of that year, an accident occurred on the road. On the night of November 1, 2021, two lost their lives after a vehicle somersaulted into the giant hole. It was fixed again between 2021 December and January 2022.
The hole reappeared during the rainy season of 2022 and has remained untouched since then, with motorists complaining about the delays in movement it usually creates.
Other Potholes And Sharp Business
While potholes across the major roads have been fixed, others in interior routes still beg for attention, while some scavengers make brisk business.
Potholes in New Airport Road, Mount Zion by Orok Orok, Atamunu, Palm Street, some parts of Akai Effa and Ikot Ansa, and many others are yet to receive any attention.
For instance, the effort to evacuate the blocked gutters and drainage systems across some routes in the city has led to the removal of concrete slabs reinforced with steel rods.
The steel rods have become the target of scavengers who destroy these concrete slabs to remove them and sell them off to scrap dealers.
This presents another challenge as the State will need to approve another contract for the provision of the slabs to prevent accidents from other road users and provide passage for those trekking and using bicycles on routes where there are no shoulders.
