By Jimmy Jackson
The Cross River Government has revealed that the 33-year old Adiabo-Eseku road project abandoned during the late Gen. Sani Abacha’s led military administration has achieved significant progress.
Hon. Ankpo Edet, commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, made the disclosure during a guided tour of the project by the Think Cross River initiative.
Hon. Edet said that the federal government had already contructed three bridges on the road which was awarded in 1992 before its abandonment.
He noted that the 10km road will reduce traveling time from Calabar to Akwa Ibom by about 30km because of the diversion.
“The decision of the state government to take over the road project is to reduce the bad traveling experience by Cross Riverians and Nigerians at large.
“The same contractor that was awarded the project in 1992 is that same entity handling the project as we speak and they have made reasonable progress.
“The major challenge of the project is that about 4km to 5km of the road is swampy and needs to be sand filled to achieve the quality of road we need.
“Already, we have done about 2.7km of the sand filing and also realigned the road.”
Speaking during the tour, the Think Cross River initiator, Mr Edem Darlington, said the road traverses and connects several communities and will bring succor to the people that have had to endure several years of turtoure using Calabar-Itu road as an alternative.
He explained that the tour was to update CrossRiverians about government’s activities in the state.
“Our idea is to get the minds of the people to buy into the (Governor’s) idea and support his projects across the three Senatorial Districts
“What the governor is doing affects everybody, whether you are from Cross River or not,” he stated.
