By Joseph Kingston, Calabar

Despite last year’s intervention by the Cross River State government on the Calabar-Akpabuyo- Ikang road which links Nigeria with Cameroon, commuters have continued to experience nightmare on the Atimbo axis of the road.

Recall that the entire stretch of the road, said to be the federal government road, had caused many auto crashes with many deaths recorded before the Cross River State government hurriedly intervened.

But a particular spot close to the Navy barracks at Atimbo, nick-named ‘Atimbo deep seaport’ has defied solution as it continues to expand wide and deep, creating gullies on either side.

Many commuters, who spoke to our reporter, expressed disappointment that both the state and federal governments would allow such an important road to remain a challenge despite huge amount paid as toll by the cement manufacturer, Lafarge, who uses the road to evacuate their cement product.

Our reporter observed that passengers, except drivers, would have to disembark from every vehicle, walk through a muddy busy path across the bad spot to the other end of the road before the now empty vehicles they boarded would pick them to their destination, that is, after painstakingly navigating the collapsed spot.

Despite the pains commuters are passing through navigating the spot, men of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), the Police, Vehicle Inspection Officers, VIOs amongst others, were seen lined up to collect what a commuter said was a ‘toll gate fee for making use of the Atimbo deep seaport.’ This, they say, was constituting another nuisance.

A commuter, who lamented the pains he goes through on the road, said “we suffer here at this bad spot to pass. When you cross over, you witness assorted types of road blocks. The experience is very painful. I use this road at least three times a day, and then FRSC, Police (even with DPO), VIO are waiting 200 metres apart to collect toll from cars with all types of silly reasons. It is pathetic.”

Also speaking, a truck driver, who gave his name as Audu told this writer: “every truck that leaves Lafarge pays N12, 800 to the state government. We are talking about a minimum of 200 trucks per day which adds up to a lot of money and if your state government cannot fix this road with the little contribution we are making then this unfortunate situation will continue to rub off on all of us.”

However, the state government has promised to handle the situation as soon as practicable. Mr. Christian Ita, the chief press secretary to Governor Ben Ayade, said incessant rainfalls in Calabar this year was contributing to the ugly situation.

“If you look around, you will see that government has begun the rehabilitation of roads in the state and even though the Atimbo road is a federal road, the state government, which fixed it last year, will still fix it again this year. It is so unfortunate that the rains this year have been something else, but government will respond please,” he said.

Ita explained that the levy paid by Lafarge was not used for the maintenance of the bad Atimbo road alone but other roads as well, including the Goodluck Jonathan bye-pass which the trucks also use.

He assured that before the end of the year, the nightmare spot would be a thing of the past.

Lalasticlala Seun

http://orientdailynews.com.ng/cityscope/agony-disquiet-calabar-bakassi-road/

Buhari ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

APC has failed oh..cant maintain, cant repair, cant replace

See MTN, Econet, Airtel and Glo fibre optics surviving the collapse

Who will repair it now?
When will Nigeria get it right?
When will we start fixing roads that can last for decades ?

wow!...... The End..

Jeeeeeeeesssssssssuuuuuuuuuusssssssss!!!

The government is one chance and the citizens don't know their power.
Parliament is supreme but sovereignty belong the peoples

Disunity and disintegration everywhere, even between the gods. Everywhere is road and bridge collapse. Buhari why this hate?

Again? Na wa o

Interesting

Dividend of a failed nation

How do u turn rivers to be road .......I see it collapsing again and again...cos the water will always try to create a path for itself. Simple law of nature.....Water must follow its path

see the thickness of the road. house built on sand, wetin go happen to am

Governor Ben Ayade why?

Keneking:
Buhari ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

APC has failed oh..cant maintain, cant repair, cant replace

See MTN, Econet, Airtel and Glo fibre optics surviving the collapse

Someone help the guy before he slumps and die of hypertension on Buhari matter.

ok

Patch Patch repair cannot fight nature........ A brand new approach is required .............

Very poor job done there

When will Nigerian government start placing value on people's lives? No standard road, no constant power supply, health sector and many other projects left on the government care are far below standard.

Is Nigeria a country or a gathering of people from different tribes and ethnicities?

"Nigeria will get better"
Was it good in the first place?

Hmmmmmmmm..............

Where is Honourable Babatunde Raji Fashola when you need him?

Are Nigerians surprised?

**SingingItLike** Its a normal Raji something! Its a normal Raji something!! Its a normal Raji something.........

Too bad .....

See the video of the road here


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MrH7uF7NmU

Politheifcians will leave it till 2019 and then use it for campaigning so no need to blame Buhari for this one. Just wait till election period.

That road is a death trap to those who know the place. I just hope the act fast.

GEJ bypass road is a useless 1 built by Imoke company dat not upto a year it started having swollen3 belly all around give roads 2 good construction company is an issue and Ayade a short scammed dat is out rightly confused

evanso6226:
Too bad .....
See the video of the road here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MrH7uF7NmU

chai

....aiit

Just put a culvert there, that's all.