Members of the House of Representatives’ Committee to determine why the eastern port complexes of Warri,Calabar,Port Harcourt, Onne and the inland port of Onitsha are not being put to maximum use have called on the Federal Government to pay urgent attention to the Itu-Odukpani-Calabar Road. . The committee noted that the condition of the road,which has been in the budget since 2017,has become a serious threat to the nation’s economy and the lives of the people.
Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub,Chairman of the Committee, who spoke at Ikot Nkpara in Odukpani Local Government Area of Cross River State ,expressed disappointment that the only major road that leads into and out of Calabar was allowed to deteriorate to a point where commuters sleep in traffic gridlock and are left at the mercy of hoodlums for days.
Nkem Anyata-Lafia, SA to Hon. Buba Yakub on Media and Public Affairs, made the statement available on Friday in Abuja.
“This is totally unacceptable to all Nigerians and we cannot allow things to continue this way.
“We have been on this road for over three hours with full excorts consisting of different paramilitary personnel.
“Many people here have been in this traffic gridlock for three to four days and this is neither good for our economy nor for the lives of the people.
“I am aware that this stretch of road has been in the Federal Budget since 2017.Something urgent must be done to redeem manhours lost here and the sabotage it constitutes to our economy.
“This is not to talk of the criminal activities perpetrated by hoodlums who take advantage of our failure as leaders to rob and exploit the people.
“Of course,we all can see why there are serious challenges for businessmen to choose to patronise the port here.
“We,therefore, call on the Federal Government to take urgent steps to redress this condition,” he said.
Other road users who fielded questions at the scene of the over 10- kilometre traffic gridlock lamented what they termed gross negligence of failing infrastructure across the area by successive administrations and called on the Ministry of Works and Housing to step up activities in order to offer the people the governance dividends they voted for.
Among Honourable Members at the scene of the gridlock were Hon.Ibrahim Al- Mustapha Aliyu,Hon.Haruna Mshelia,Hon.Prestige Ossy,Hon.Abiante Awaji as well as Hon.Anthony Ifeanyi Ibezi.
Others include Hon.Haruna Maitala,Hon.Kolade Victor Akinjo and others. The Members are in Calabar as part of activities aimed at determining why the Eastern Port Complexes are not operating optimally.
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