Cross River has one of the worst inter-states roads network in Nigeria. The Calabar-Itu road is an eyesore and may even become worst in five years time because the contract for the construction of some sections of the road has been given to SEMATECH which is notorious for constructing some of the worst roads in the state.
Some sections of the Calabar-Ikom-Ogoja may have been rehabilited but the quality of rehabilitation has been called to question as so many areas have started failing, less than three years of rehabilitation. Some of the failing areas were constructed by the same SEMATECH that’s to cover the gap between the portions handled by Julius Berger and CCEC in Calabar-Itu.
Also, it’s almost only Cross River that I know that has just a single road to and fro the state capital, and the road is so tiny. For a state that housed Nigeria first capital, this is not just enough. It’s unacceptable.
For these reasons and many more, I feel the Lagos-Calabar coastal rail construction should start from the state to others. Lagos already has rail lines, and standard express highways linking it to other states.
The coastal rail project should start from Cross River which is the most disadvantaged state in terms of Federal road network. Time is running out for this government, so even if the project is not completed upto Lagos but the Buhari’s administration is able to connect us to a few other states with rail line, it’s either we’ll manage it or we’ll feel better that at least, there’s hope.
We really need to be the priority now not Lagos.
Inyali Peter writes from CALABAR
