By Abasi Ita
Calabar
Members of the National Assembly Joint Committee on Works have called for an urgent national intervention on the deplorable condition of federal roads in Cross River State, describing the situation as a humanitarian and economic crisis that requires immediate attention.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Works, Hon. Akinola Alabi, made the call on Monday during an inspection tour of the Calabar–Itu highway, one of the major routes linking Cross River to Akwa Ibom State and other parts of the country.
Alabi, who was accompanied by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, expressed shock over the level of decay along the highway and the hardship faced by motorists and commuters.
“As Chairman of the House Committee on Works, I have seen roads and projects across the country, but this is the worst I have ever seen. I have never encountered anything as terrible as this,” Alabi lamented.
He explained that the decision to convert the project from asphalt to concrete construction had slowed its progress, questioning the capacity of some contractors handling various sections of the highway.
“Not all contractors have the expertise to build concrete roads. We need a national emergency on this project, and as a parliament, we are calling for a public hearing to address it,” he said.
Alabi added that the committee would summon the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, top officials of the ministry, the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), and all contractors involved in the Calabar–Itu project to explain the delays and poor execution.
Also speaking, the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, Senator Rufai Hanga, backed the call for a national emergency and demanded urgent remedial measures.
“I fully support the call for a national emergency and a public hearing. What I have seen here is unacceptable. Something must be done immediately,” Hanga stated.
In his remarks, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, who represents Cross River South Senatorial District, recalled that he had earlier raised a motion on the Senate floor highlighting the deplorable state of the road.
“I moved this motion nearly a year ago because the Calabar–Itu road has been in disrepair for several years. We summoned the ministry and the contractors, yet one year later there has been no significant progress,” he said.
Ekpenyong decried the economic and social setbacks caused by the road’s poor condition, noting that it has crippled commercial and agricultural activities in the state.
“Cross River is the bedrock of production in the South-South and indeed Nigeria as a whole. Every day we see long lines of trucks carrying cement, flour, petroleum products, and agricultural produce. All construction materials for the South-South come from Akamkpa, which is close to Odukpani, my local government area. It is shameful that this critical road remains in such terrible shape,” he added.
The lawmakers assured that the National Assembly would intensify oversight functions and legislative pressure to ensure swift intervention for the benefit of the people of Cross River and Akwa Ibom states, who have suffered severe hardship for more than a decade due to the failed road network.