The re-construction to rehabilitate the Calabar-Itu-Ikot-Ekpene road in Nigeria has commenced. The 35 years old road will be reconstructed by the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA). This was revealed by Young Harry, the South-South coordinator of the agency during his inspection tour at the road site. He added that all the roads nationwide will be maintained especially during the rainy seasons to ensure that they are passable.
The Nigerian road has been experiencing threatening soil erosion from the Calabar-Itu Highway at Enen Atai village in Itu Council Area. However, Udom Emmanuel, the Akwa Ibom State Governor has appealed to the Federal Government for immediate intervention on the road situation.
According to the State Governor, the road has been heavily affected due to heavy rains that lead to more potholes. He added that the road agency (FERMA) is responsible of maintaining all the roads but they are limited to do much due to insufficient funds toward the maintenance project.
The road was constructed 35 years ago by the Nigerian military administration is now at the verge of total destruction from both sides arising major threats to motorist using the highway particularly the Akwa Ibom and Cross River route, since the landslide is acknowledged 25 metres from the median of the road.
During his inspection at the Calabar-Itu-Ikot-Ekpene road, Governor Emmanuel appealed to the Federal Government to consider coming together with the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) who will be responsible of constructing and maintaining the road on regular basis.
The road is known to be the busiest highway conducting heavy commercial activities for the people of the South-South Region, hence boosting the economic growth of the region. It is now in the Federal Government’s hands to respond the road situation and prevent it from total destruction as well as saving the region’s economy from collapsing.
