Senate probes uncompleted Cross River Road repair
The Senate on Wednesday directed its Committee on Works to probe the non-completion of repairs on the Odukpani-Itu Highway in Cross River State.
This includes assessing how funds allocated for the project across budget cycles have been utilised.
The Red Chamber further instructed the committee to summon relevant agencies, including the Federal Ministry of Works, the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), and contractors, to provide detailed reports on the highway’s status and the challenges hindering its completion.
The Senate urged the Federal Government to prioritise the highway’s immediate completion, emphasising its importance in alleviating the suffering of the people and unlocking the economic potential of the region.
It also recommended that the government restrict its policy on concrete road construction to new projects, allowing existing contracts to use asphalt to accelerate progress.
These resolutions followed the Senate’s consideration and adoption of a motion of urgent national importance titled, “Urgent Need to Investigate the Slow Pace of Work on the Odukpani-Itu Federal Highway in Cross River State,” sponsored by Senator Asuquo Ekpeyong and co-sponsored by Senator Ekong Sampson.
In his lead debate, Senator Ekpeyong highlighted the highway’s strategic importance, describing it as “a major highway in Cross River State connecting Calabar, the first capital of Nigeria, to Itu in Akwa Ibom State, and a vital route for transportation, commerce, and social integration within the South-East and South-South regions of Nigeria.”
He noted, “The highway is the primary corridor for transporting agricultural produce—such as cocoa, palm oil, cassava, yams, and bananas—from rural areas to urban markets.
“It also provides access to tourist attractions like the Obudu Mountain Resort and the Agbokim Waterfalls.”
Ekpeyong further explained that the road serves as a key evacuation route for solid minerals in the South-South and South-East regions and supports the Calabar Port, which is strategically important as a bulk cargo port for petroleum products transported to the North-Central and North-East of Nigeria.
“The Senate is aware that this highway has been in a state of disrepair for years, with significant portions uncompleted despite repeated promises and allocations in federal budgets,” he lamented.
He continued, “The delay in completing the highway has caused untold hardship to commuters and residents, disrupted economic activities, and increased transportation costs for agricultural produce and other goods.”
Ekpeyong stressed that completing the Odukpani-Itu Highway is “not only a matter of infrastructure development but also a moral and economic obligation to the people of Cross River State and the Niger Delta region at large.”
He expressed confidence that finishing the project would align with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, as it would foster economic growth, improve connectivity, and enhance social welfare in Cross River State and beyond.
He added that it would create jobs, improve market access, and support MSMEs through better infrastructure.
Several senators, including Ekong Sampson, Seriake Dickson, Victor Umeh, and Shaibu Isa Lau, supported the motion.
The Senate unanimously approved its prayers through a voice vote conducted by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
