24 August 2018
Beyond the protection of lives and property which constitutes one of, if not, the basic responsibility of any government —national and sub-national, the concentration on Infrastructural development as well as provision of social services are other aspects that government (and not primarily the citizenry) holds itself accountable to.
With the advent of civilian rule in Nigeria nay Cross River State in 1999 through 2018, it was expected that normally, the Government of Cross River State (CRSG) would, in addition to protecting the lives and property of Nigerians resident in and of Cross River indigenisation, embark on massive infrastructural development especially road construction and provision of social services. Have these expectations being met? How did the previous political administrations of Donald Duke(1998-2007) and Liyel Imoke(2007-2015) and the three years old saddle of Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade (2015- present) faired in terms of road construction across the length and breath of the State?
An x-ray of former Governor Duke has it that road construction was given utmost priority. This is because of his urban renewal policy at the time. A source has it that, 'the 8 years of Donald witnessed massive urban renewal beginning with Calabar and moving to other major towns of Ugep, Ikom and Ogoja.' While it would be admitted that Duke fumbled in his first tenure (1999-2003) jumping from pillar to post to uniquely define his administration, in the succeeding second tenure, the then CEO happened on tourism as a public policy to be pushed with vigour and vitality. Accordingly, Duke would embark on urban renewal within which road infrastructure was composite, contemplated and executed.
Fast forward to Duke's successor —Imoke: the latter was keen about taking government to the people who needed them most, and for Imoke, it was the rural dwellers who needed more of government intervention than the urban people. In the thinking of Imoke, there was need for access roads to be created for the pro-agriculture rural dwellers. Concerning this, it has been said that, 'the idea was to create link roads within the rural communities and to enable farmers access markets for their products.
'Under Liyel's 8 years we witnessed a shift to rural access with massive construction of rural roads. Taking government to the people that needed them most.' An instantiation of the rural roads construction of Imoke is this: Ogboja-Nkum-Ekwaro road and Mbube East-Utugwang Road amongst others.
Granted that Imoke focused more on rural development, this is not to say that his administration didn't sustain the urban development drive of his predecessor. In fact, the government sustained urban renewal through constant rehabilitation and expansion into Calabar South and environs. While discussing with a civil engineer recently, he informed me that during Imoke, the maintenance of existing roads in Calabar metropolis was a constant feature because the administration signed a contract with his firm which allowed them to monitor and immediately fix dilapidating roads. Today, it seems such bureaucracy is alien to the government. It's now a utopia. Hmmm!
What's Ayade's score card on road infrastructure?
I guess you don't need this article to tell you the situation of things as roads are not abstract realities, but, material.
But, suffice it to be said that His Excellency, Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade, the incumbent Executive Governor of Cross River State has abandoned the rural transformation agenda of his immediate predecessor, Imoke. All the rural roads started by Liyel have all been abandoned! Again, Duke's urban renewal scheme which was sustained by Imoke has also been abandoned. For instance, the state capital city, Calabar is, as I write, littered with potholes all over with major streets, making them become inaccessible.
An opinion has it that, 'Rather than sustain Duke's and/or Imoke's road Infrastructural development outlook, upon assuming office, he came up with bogus projects like his so called 260km super highway of indeterminable source of funding and no feasibility nor proper planning.
'After spending billions of Cross River State funds in clearing and cutting down forest trees, the project has been abandoned. In all this his younger brother Frank has been the sole contractor. Cross River State forest reserve was sufficiently logged and marketed by the Ayades.
However, to be fair to Gov Ayade, there has been attempts at roads construction across the state. For instance, he also came up with another road project for the Northern Senatorial District which he calls the dualization of Mfom-Okpoma- Image through Bekwarra to Obudu road. After demolishing people's buildings, he has reviewed the scope to single lane with the project running at snail speed.
In all this so called projects, there is no known contractor. He claims the project is done through direct labour while they are actually been handled by their family company, syphoning CRS money into their personal accounts.
Never in the history of this State have we witnessed such gross violation of procurement laws and regulations. Just recently, he has come up with another project he calls dualization of Tinapa Junction to Odukpani with a Spaghetti Flyover at Odukpani Junction. Nothing is presently happen on the road apart from the initial bush clearing. The contract and contractor all wrapped up in secrecy.
A peep into Ayade's predecessor, has it that, Imoke's administration constructed over 500 kilometers of Rural Roads and 19 bridges in it's first phase through the Rural Development Agency(RUDA) in 16 LGAs. The 2nd phase of 500 kilometers have been abandoned by Ayade with three years already into the administration.
Solutions
Government, they say, is a continuum. The State Ministry of Works should be financially made buoyant to maintain the already constructed urban roads of both Duke and even preceding administrations.
While the unexecuted phases of rural roads construction should be prioritised by the government through a supplementary budget forwarded to the House of Assembly.
Or, I may be forced to query the industrialisation move of the Ayade administration: What's industrialisation without a solid urban and rural roads infrastructure?
It's not too late.
CRR… involves in sector-by-sector appraisal of governance in Cross River State
