By Abasi Ita
Once a vital artery connecting central and northern Cross River State to major markets and urban centres, the Ikom–Obudu highway has over the years devolved into a symbol of neglect, despair, and mounting danger.
Stretching roughly 120 kilometres and constructed in 1979, the federal road links Ikom, Etung, Boki, Obanliku, and Obudu. It serves as the primary route for transporting timber, cocoa, bananas, and other agricultural produce from the state’s fertile forest belt. Yet residents report that several sections have collapsed, leaving more than 80 communities isolated and plunging them into economic and social distress.
At a recent press briefing in Calabar, community leaders and youth representatives painted a grim picture of life along the corridor. They described a road transformed into a death trap, where accidents, vehicle breakdowns, and long delays have become routine.
Chief Assam Martins Etta, representing Boki Ward in the National Youth Council, recounted that communities were compelled to stage a week-long protest to draw attention to their plight. Farmers watch helplessly as trucks carrying perishable goods break down for days, resulting in heavy losses. Pregnant women are reportedly forced to deliver by the roadside, and tragic deaths have occurred due to delayed access to medical care.
“The trauma, grief, and economic hardship inflicted on our communities are enormous,” he said, stressing that protecting lives and property must be a government priority.
The communities highlight a troubling paradox: the corridor generates substantial revenue. In a statement titled The Electorate Concern and Provocation, residents noted that at least 70 timber trucks traverse the road weekly, generating an estimated 670,000 naira per truck. This translates to tens of millions weekly and billions annually from timber alone, not including cocoa and banana haulage. Yet the road remains in a state of disrepair.
Residents further alleged that multiple contracts to rehabilitate the highway have been awarded without results. Companies cited include Afro Construction Company Nig. Ltd, Leophina Works Limited, John Paca Investment Limited, and Ryte Reasons Ltd. They are calling for immediate action by contractors or a thorough investigation into past contracts.
As frustration grows, communities are urging federal and state lawmakers to allocate constituency funds for emergency repairs before the peak of the rainy season. They have proposed temporarily suspending revenue collection across the five affected local government areas, allowing a community-led committee to channel funds directly into urgent interventions. They also called on the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency and the state Ministry of Works to deploy equipment immediately, with local oversight of all remedial work.
The agitation has also taken on a political dimension. Under the slogan No Road, No Election, protesters warned that continued neglect could influence voter participation in upcoming elections.
Responding to public concerns, the Cross River State Commissioner for Information, Erasmus Ekpang, acknowledged the dire condition of the highway. He said the state government had engaged the Federal Ministry of Works and was exploring collaboration with the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, adding that any major financial commitment would require approval from the state executive council.
Meanwhile, Senator Eteng Jonah Williams, representing Cross River Central, has intensified efforts to secure federal intervention. He met with the Minister of State for Works, Bello Muhammad Goronyo, to fast-track remedial action. The minister assured that engineers would be deployed for an on-site assessment to determine short-term, medium-term, and long-term solutions to the road’s deterioration.
Goronyo commended Senator Williams for his proactive leadership, while the senator thanked the minister for the prompt attention. He appealed to residents to remain calm, assuring them that concrete steps are underway to prevent further accidents and restore safe passage. Senator Williams also noted that ongoing state government measures would complement federal intervention to provide a comprehensive and lasting solution.
For now, residents along the Ikom–Obudu corridor remain trapped in uncertainty, navigating a broken highway that was once their lifeline but has now become a corridor of hardship.