FG committed to completion of Calabar-Itu-Ikot Ekpene road – Enang

The Federal Government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, is committed to the construction and completion of Calabar-Itu-Ikot Ekpene road spanning Akwa Ibom and Cross River.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Ita Enang, renewed the commitment while fielding questions from newsmen on the deplorable state of the road on Saturday in Uyo.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Federal Government in 2018, mobilised contractors, Julius Berger Construction Company to site to commence the construction of Calabar- Itu dual carriageway.

Enang urged the people to remain calm, assuring that the contractor, Julius Berger, would soon return to site after the rains.

He also assured the people that the federal government had awarded the contract for the construction of the road since 2017, however, only N3 billion was released in 2018 budget.

He explained that the total span of the road from Odukpani Junction in Cross River to Ibiakpan Junction in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom was about 22 kilometres with a cost of about N51 billion.

“We have taken steps to ensure Julius Berger returns to site. In 2019 budget, we secured N3.9 billion but much has not been released to the contractor.

“We are appealing to them, that even though we have not given them what is substantial enough, they will return to site when the rain stops.

“I urge Akwa Ibom people to be patience as the Federal Government was not insensitive of the plight the people were going through on the Calabar-Itu-Ikot Ekpene road,” Enang said.

The presidential aide also urged Akwa Ibom Government to join hands with the federal government in the maintenance of good roads across the state.

Enang disclosed that the federal government, under President Muhammadu Buhari, within this year had refunded N78 billion to Akwa Ibom Government, being amount spent on the construction of federal roads by previous administrations.

NAN reports that travelling along Calabar-Itu road is a nightmare as a journey of about one hour now takes more than four hours with economic consequences.