By CrossRiverWatch Admin
Cross River Governor, Sen. Bassey Otu on Thursday, commissioned the 20-kilometer new evacuation road, constructed by cement manufacturing giant, Lafarge Africa Plc and commended Larfage for investing in the State.
The road, which construction started in 2010, spans from Mfamosing, extending through Abiati, Etamkpini and terminating at Odukpani junction.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Governor Otu assured that road users including customers and truck drivers would be safe while plying the road.
“Development comes with implications. When you have a road, the good people will use it and the bad people will also try to use it.
“I want to give you every assurance that the security agencies we have here are up and doing, I am not sure you will have issues on this road, particularly now that the security of the area has been highlighted.
“I will give everybody assurance both the customers and the trucks that would ply the road that everybody would be safe.
“For the Cross River government, I want to give you every assurance that we will continue to give you the enablement, strength, proper and enabling environment for you to expand and succeed.
Otu who commended Lafarge for taking trucks and traffic out of the town given associated road crashes, urged other corporate bodies to emulate the cement company.
“It would have been difficult to have about 200 trucks passing through the town, driving out, amid stress and accidents.
“What you have done has taken this whole traffic completely out of town and straight to the road where they are actually looking to take things out of the State. I commend you and wish that other corporate bodies would emulate Lafarge,” the governor concluded.
The Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Lafarge, Alade Akinyemi, traced the history of the new evacuation road to 2010 when it started, remarking that it later faced suspension due to critical inadequacies in geotechnical studies and design.
According to him, the road so commissioned would improve safety, enhance productivity, and drive economic growth.
Community leaders and traditional Chiefs represented by the paramount ruler of Odukpani Local Government Area His Royal Highness Etinyin Otu Asuquo Otu Mesembe VI thanked both the government and the company for the economic implications of the road to the people and the adjoining communities.
