Following the constant complaints and hardship faced by road users of the Calabar – Odukpani – Itu – Ikot Ekpene federal highway, the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee on Works and Abandoned Projects, on Saturday 26th October 2019 embarked on a fact-finding mission.

The 6-man committee headed by Rt. Hon. Francis Uduyok, member representing Ikot Abasi Federal Constituency of Akwa Ibom State, was accompanied by a team from Julius Berger, the project contractors, led by its Regional Manager (South and East), Engr. Juergen Fischer to ascertain the actual state of the highly controversial Odukpani-Itu (with spur to ididep) – Ikot Ekpene Road in Cross Rivers and Akwa Ibom States.

Also on the delegation were the Members representing Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency, Hon.Obong Emmanuel Ukpong-udo, his counterpart from Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika, Hon.Aniekan Umanah, Hon Bamidele Salam (Osun), Hon Makwe (Ebonyi) and Rt Hon Tunji Shoyinka (Lagos).

In line with its responsibility of investigating abandoned projects all over the country, the Committee found out that the contract for the 87km road which is supposed to start from Calabar-Itu road Junction in Ikot Ekpene and terminate at Odukpani Junction, was haphazardly and unprofessionally awarded due to political interest.

It was discovered that out of the proposed 87km, only 21.9km was awarded for construction at a whooping sum of 54 billion, with a large chunk of 65.1km not awarded. This is at gross variance with blatant lies by some persons that the entire stretch was awarded and work almost completed.

A breakdown of the “awarded” and “not awarded” portions of the road showed that Ikot Ekpene to Ididep which is 36.1Km had not been awarded, while the portion from Ididep to Ayadehe bridge which is a distance of only 12.2km was awarded. From Ayadehe bridge to the Power Plant which is 29km was also not awarded, while the remaining portion from the Power Plant to Odukpani Junction, totalling 9.7km, had been awarded.

Further investigations revealed that the contract, awarded on April 24, 2018, was supposed to last for 30 months but non-funding resulted in the suspension of the job in May 2019 by Julius Berger Plc. The project contractors, Julius Berger disclosed that they received only 7.4 billion out of the 54.1billion earmarked for the project, with about 60% of the 7.4 billion withheld for compensation purposes leaving them with a paltry 3.4 billion to execute the project, which was grossly inadequate. In other words, only less than 13% contract works and payment has been fulfilled.

The House of Representatives Committee wondered why the project would be punctuated by bushes in between, a situation it frowned at, describing it as unacceptable.

The Committee, having concluded investigations will present a final report about the actual state of the project to the National Assembly and the President through the Minister of Works and Housing. The committee has warned agents of falsehood peddling lies about the project to the undiscerning public, to desist forthwith.



Source:https://naijadriva./2019/11/18/national-assembly-committee-uncovers-the-truth-behind-abandoned-calabar-odukpani-itu-ikot-ekpene-road/

More photos:

In Cross River alone, Naijadriva can confirm that after 8 Miles Calabar to Ugep (where local boys wait for sinking vehicles to push and make money), to Odukpani, to Biase are in a deplorable state.

Calabar - Ikom road is bad. It takes about 8 hours to get to Ikom. Okpoma-Oba Road is bad (near Ogoja and Ebonyi State).



More photos of some bad sections of the road:

Chai, this our road. As soon as you leave Calabar, from Ugep to Odukpani(Pamol and Mark Sino Construction axis), Akamkpa, Uyanga, through Biase are in a bad shape.


I dont advise a pregnant woman to pass that road because the bumps fit shit her womb.
The Federal Government should come to our aid.

This road is more than a dead trap, the road is called, grave- itu road.

The question should be how much have been awarded by both present and past government for this same roads?

Majority of the committes at Nigeria house of Reps are Jegudujera committee

lalasticlala

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helinues:
The question should be how much have been awarded by both present and past government for this same roads?

Majority of the committes at Nigeria house of Reps are Jegudujera committee

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Bad Okpoma-Oba Road, Cross River (near Ogoja and Ebonyi State)

My race is something else

.......and billions of naira must have gone into this road.
And you see some youths with miserable lives fighting for these people that don't care about them.

.

next level

Calabar to Ikom is hell

This road even dey learn for where Benin to Warri road dey... Men that road bad no be small.. And if trailer fall put join eh..

Just know say you no go reach where you dey go again

NaijaOlosho:
next level

Empty brain Olosho. na 2015 dem discover the road abi?

Which kind overload that white bus dey carry like this

Nigeria is really in a sorry state..

Jegiosowor:
Calabar to Ikom is hell

as in..see the hold up last week Friday as I was going to ikom...I reached around 6...left the house by 8...4 to 3 hours drive normally turned to hell.

All roads in the south south and south east are in deplorable condition.

OP, your story is not complete oooo. Who awarded the project? Is the project a state or FG Project?

CHANGE TO NEXT LEVEL

naijadrivablog:
In Cross River alone, Naijadriva can confirm that after 8 Miles Calabar to Ugep (where local boys wait for sinking vehicles to push and make money), to Odukpani, to Biase are in a deplorable state.

Calabar - Ikom road is bad. It takes about 8 hours to get to Ikom. Okpoma-Oba Road is bad (near Ogoja and Ebonyi State).



More photos of some bad sections of the road:

The bold is more than bad, I wonder what Ayade has been doing this past five years.

Nigeria as a whole is one abandoned project

Patrick33:
as in..see the hold up last week Friday as I was going to ikom...I reached around 6...left the house by 8...4 to 3 hours drive normally turned to hell.

Just imagine
We have a sleeping Administration
Ayade isn't helping matters at all.
God help us

modelmike7:
Empty brain Olosho. na 2015 dem discover the road abi?

BECAUSE THE ROAD WAS NOT DISCOVERED IN 2015 IT SHOULD BE LEFT UNDONE, WELL DONE NL RESIDENT ZOMBIE,

That's why we need to fix the railways, and take pressure off the roads...

Lagos-calabar rail...how far?

Blacknote:

The bold is more than bad, I wonder what Ayade has been doing this past five years.

That man has to be the worst Governor presently

lastmessenger:
All roads in the south south and south east are in deplorable condition.

Yet our governor take huge collections.
Meanwhile roads in the north r good