Cross River – The Cross River State Consultative Forum (CRSCF), Wednesday, has issued a counter-response to a joint defense by SERMATECH and the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) regarding the ongoing dualization of the Odukpani–Itu highway. The forum accuses SERMATECH of incompetence, ineptitude, and fraudulent activities, shedding light on the untold sufferings of the masses on the Calabar–Itu Federal Highway NEGROIDHAVEN has confirmed.
In a press release titled “Re: ROMANCE OF SERMATECH AND NIGERIAN SOCIETY OF ENGINEERS,” the CRSCF raised critical questions about the competence of SERMATECH and the integrity of NSE in defending the construction company. The forum questions the rush by NSE to put up a joint defense with SERMATECH and whether such an association should not exhibit objectivity by condemning incompetence to protect public safety.
The Forum particular noted that she “is not surprised at this publication and attempt to defend incompetence, ineptitude, and fraud by SERMATECH and its pay rollee, NSE. To say the least, the principal actors behind the suffering of the masses on this highway are beginning to unveil their shield of complicity in the underdevelopment of our poor State”.
CRSCF also challenged that SERMATECH to provide evidence of its current construction work, emphasizing the need for photographic evidence of the actual construction site. The forum highlights the deplorable state of the Jonathan Bypass, a project handled by SERMATECH, and criticizes NSE for commending the track record of SERMATECH while evading issues of incompetence.
The Forum posed the following queries: “Why has the NSE rushed to put a joint defence with SERMATECH if it has no pecuniary benefit to defend in this construction saga brought to the fore by the CRSCF?… Why did SERMATECH display photographic evidence or picture of the portion of Itu-Uyo Road constructed by His Excellency Senator Godswill Akpabio during his first tenure as Governor of Akwa Ibom State and handled by Julius Berger, rather that pictures of the actual construction site or portions awarded under the current dualization contract. This picture is clearly on display in the guardian newspaper publication referred to above?… Has NSE while rushing to file a compromised defence for SERMATECH by casting aspersions on a well-meaning body like CRSCF, commented on the state of the Jonathan Bypass filled with collapsed culverts?”
The forum urges the suffering masses to question the extended timeline of the project, emphasizing that a competent engineering company should not take an excessive amount of time to dualize and resurface a 28.8-kilometer road with four short bridges, as acknowledged by SERMATECH and NSE.
CRSCF called for a termination of the contract awarded to SERMATECH and NSE on the Calabar–Itu Federal Highway, alleging complicity, incompetence, and fraudulent activities. The Forum affirmed its commitment to breaking the culture of silence that has hindered the development of Cross River State.
The release is signed by Hon. Barr. Joseph E. Etene, Rev. Hon. James Anam, Hon. Victor E. Okon, Sir Maurice Effiwatt, Hon. (Chief) Ani Esin, Hon. Mrs Ada Charles Egwu, Prof. (Barr) Emmanuel Eyo And Barr. Eyo Nsa.
