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| L-R : Messrs Donald Duke, Liyel Imoke and Ben Ayade |
Efio-Ita Nyok|22 November 2017
Eno Beké Ikwen, a Nigerian road user has narrated his ordeal in Calabar – Odukpani federal road, Cross River State with a condemnation of the quality of leadership of former Governors Donald Duke and Liyel Imoke, NegroidHaven has learnt.
Mr Ikwen, who reportedly trekked from Odukpani to Calabar in the midnight of yesterday revealed how he got stuck for four hours on the said road. For him, neither of Duke nor Imoke set the pace for road construction especially in Calabar, Cross River capital metropolis, a perceived reason why incumbent Gov Ben Ayade is opting for a superhighway. Ikwen supported his allegation against the former governors while further positing that there’s oil money in their respective administrations, from which they could fix some of the roads.
According to him, ‘Yesterday I got trapped along Calabar – Odukpani Road for 4hours. I had to trek from Odukpani to Calabar in the middle of the night.
‘Then I realised Donald Duke and Imoke didn’t do well as governors. At least they met oil wells. They laid no foundation to building good roads for Ayade to see and follow, hence his error to concentrate on building super highway.
‘A small bad spot by Scanobo halted economic activities in the state capital. People slept on that road. Others abandoned their vehicles there. Because it was a hopeless situation.
‘That Calabar – Odukpani Road really exposes Donald Duke and Imoke’s administration. They had access to money instead of opening up the only economic road, they were investing in white elephant project. Just imagine Tinapa a monumental loss.
Journalists, NYSC Corp member, social commentator pegs failure of road on VIO, FRSC, DOPT, etc…
A freelance journalist by name Mr Daniel Agbor, has rather faulted agencies, departments of government responsible for road traffic management instead of the state government.
For Mr Agbor, ‘When certain units of government completely and totally neglect their primary assignment for money, the result is always anarchy glorified. What is happening within Scanobo is a typical example.
‘Where are the men of the Road Safety, Police, DOPT etc? I know the Governor is not suppose to do this job of clearing the gridlock there but if his reprimands are like those of Eli and Samuel of old whose caution on their children were very weak.
‘Then, it is obvious that just as the children of Israel became fed up and demanded for a king, the people of Cross River will also be fed up and demand for a change of leadership’, he concluded.
For Ms Queen Agbor, an NYSC Corp member returning from her state of primary assignments, if not for gentlemen of the Nigerian Army, she would have slept on the road through the night. Her words, ‘Stuck in Odukpani holdup!!! (any Cross Riverian or regular visitor will understand)
no VIO
no POLICE
no ROAD SAFETY
no DOPT
no GREEN POLICE
no HOMELAND SECURITY
‘ONLY GENTLEMEN OF THE NIGERIAN ARMY are here HELPING to CORDINATE and REGULATE the traffic. The same NIGERIAN ARMY that’s saddled with protecting the NIGERIAN territory.
Later now they’ll say we are uniformed men!
‘Did I mention that earlier today before i got stuck, some POLICE MEN had harrassed the driver of the bus i boarded and even started a car chase just because of… You know na, #100’.
For Mr Inyali Peter a lecturer with the University of Calabar (UNICAL), ‘On the Calabar-Ikom highway traffic jam:
‘The Governor is not a ubiquitous and so can’t be everywhere doing everything at the same time.
‘DOPT and the entire ministry of transport should deploy their men to address the embarrassing situation. This department and ministry don’t only exist for the purpose of taxing taxi drivers and making life unbearable for road users within Calabar metropolis, clearing of traffic is also their job.
‘It’s ‘unCalababarly’.
Mr Richard Romanus a social commentator says in regards to the road, ‘I doubt if the Governor can be everywhere at the same time. I mean, in this State,we have a Department of Public Transportation (DOPT) supritented by a Special Adviser. We also have a Traffic Management Agency headed by a Director General, all appointed by the Governor. What about Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC)?
‘My thinking is that,these agencies ought to live up to their responsibilities. The traffic jam that i hear is currently being witness along 8 miles can easily be controlled if these men were on ground.
‘For me, heads of these Federal and State Agencies should be called out. They cannot be receiving salaries while their job suffers’, he concluded.
Let the road be fixed, that is the most important thing. FRSC, VIO, Police should desist from adding insult to injury by standing by the spot to get revenue as it’s been alleged.
Efio-Ita Nyok
Is a Blogger, the Editor-in-Chief & Publisher of NegroidHaven
