Princewill Odidi|2 February 2016|5:59am
The Calabar -Ugep -Ikom-Ogoja road is undoubtedly the live-wire of Cross River States economy. It is largely responsible for over 70-80% of our internally generated income. It is important for the government of the day to ensure that above every other project, this road should be given priority No 1. No other proposed project would gain economic traction without this current road.
I just read about contracts awarded for the rehabilitation of sections of the road for 2015-2017. To be candid, this road does not need rehabilitation or pot holes filling after almost 40 years of continued use. What this road need is outright reconstruction, preferably a dual carriage highway.
Until our policy makers come to a realization that our IGR will continue to drop until total reconstruction and NOT rehabilitation is embarked upon this road, we will continue to go in circles.
As a state, its time we sit up and guard our loins. Its time we sit up and build our economy based on our own internally generated income because thats the only true source for any form of development that may qualify to be termed "sustainable".
We cannot continue to depend on federal allocations. Crude oil will continue to drop, with increased international investments in clean energy, Iran back in the market, Syria taking back their wells from ISIS, Americans looking inwards for her energy needs, OPEC weakened daily by Russian Oil flooding the markets, Naira on a free fall against the dollar even without deregulation, to those who understand these dynamics, we cannot continue to pretend that all is well.
In the next two years, only Nigerian states with strong IGR may still be standing. From my economic thinking, though I stand to be corrected, our states economy as it bothers on Agriculture, Small skilled trades, and services depend more on this road than any other road. If there should be any conversation at all on our collective future as a people, let it start with this road.
Princewill Odidi
Is a Development Consultant who writes from Atlanta, USA
