In a bid to re-energise and increase footfalls into the famous Obudu ranch<\/p>\n
resort as well as provide access to produce markets, Cross River State
\nGovernor, Prof. Ben Ayade, weekend, flagged off the construction work on a
\n134 kilometers Mfom-Okpoma-Imaje-Bekwarra-Obudu-Obanliku dual carriage
\nroad.
\nThe construction of the Federal road which will traverse the five local
\ngovernment areas that constitute the Northern Senatorial District of the
\nstate is valued at N31 billion and it is expected to be completed in 30
\nmonths.
\nSpeaking at the groundbreaking ceremony that was attended by his deputy,
\nProf Ivara Esu, House of Representatives members from the five local
\ngovernment areas, traditional rulers as well as a huge crowd of indigenes
\nfrom the five local government areas of Bekwarra, Yala, Ogoja, Obudu and
\nObanliku, Ayade said the event marks \u201cthe beginning of a new journey in the
\nhistory of the Northern Senatorial District which for 45 years has been
\ndenied the luxury of driving on good roads occasioned by the challenges of
\nthe times and circumstances not occasioned by our people.\u201d
\nAyade lamented due to this the \u201cpeople are totally disconnected from the
\npoint of mercantile, social interactions and indeed all prospect that gives
\npeople dignity.
\n“Our economic life is completely gone, our large farms that fed the entire
\nSouth-south and South-east is gone. Our educational institutions and all
\nthat united us have gone as a result of perpetual neglect and bad roads,
\nbut God has brought us again to take our destiny into our hands that we
\nshall be reconnected and be united.\u201d
\nThe governor further declared: \u201cWe will succeed because I know the trying
\nmoments of my people, difficulty in gaining access to farm lands, locating
\nstreams, coupled with hash weather condition is over. They toil so much,
\npray so hard struggle so much but earn so little. God cannot forsake us at
\nthis point.\u201d
\nOn the state’s financial power to embark on such a massive road project,
\nAyade explained: \u201cAt this trying time, a time of recession, it is almost
\nimpossible to do over 134 kilometres of a dual carriage road at the cost of
\nN31 billion. That is absolutely impossible within the ambit of our
\nfinancial calculus.
\n\u201cHowever, there is an intellectual architecture that I am designing to make
\nup for these financial difficulties. It is so unique that only I know the
\nsolution. We cannot wait to have enough money to get the road done. If that
\nwas the case we will not have the salaries we are earning today.
\n\u201cCross River State is number 35 out of 36 states in terms of federation
\nallocations. In spite of this, we are the most outstanding in the payment
\nof salaries, not because we have enough but it\u2019s because we care enough.\u201d
\nAyade further stressed that \u201cWhen you have the interest of the people and
\nare committed to their wellbeing, combined with spiritual vision, God will
\nmake the provision because He sees the sincerity of our heart that indeed,
\nour people are in dire need of this road.\u201d
\nThe governor assured that \u201cNothing financial, spiritual or political will
\nstop this project. Those who know me will attest to the fact that I never
\nstart a thing that I won\u2019t complete. I am indeed a promised keeper. I
\nalways keep my word and I am ready to give my right eye to honour my words
\nand will ensure that the job is completed in good time.\u201d
\nOn the economic viability of the road, Ayade pointed out that \u201cThis road is
\nnot driven by ambition nor childhood propensity to achieve what you have
\nset, but it is a thorough reflection of the yearnings and needs of our
\npeople.
\n\u201cI believe that this road is the beginning of prosperity and in the words
\nof the Paramount Ruler of Obudu,\u00a0 it is clear that it is one thing that is
\ngoing to build us again as a team and as a people and I l believe that the
\npeople of the Northern Senatorial District are totally united in solidarity
\nwith this road.\u201d The governor said: \u201cIt is an opportunity to attract the
\ndesired traffic from the eastern flank of the country to access our
\nfacilities at the Obudu, return back to our bustling Okuku market once
\nagain and most importantly rewrite the Ogoja\u2019s name\u00a0 in our country\u2019s map.
\n\u201cThis project is beaconed on a promise of decoupling our people from over
\ndependence on government because road is a major infrastructure in the
\nsocio economic development of our state”.
\nThe governor particularly thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for his
\nability to appreciate the capacity of every governor particularly those
\nworking to free their people from financial crisis.
\nAlso speaking, members of the House of Representatives from the area, Hon.
\nAgom Jarigbe Agom and Hon Legor Idabor in their separate remarks, described
\nthe project as a novelty because it is the first major project to be
\nembarked in the area since they resumed offices as lawmakers, saying that
\nthey were proud to be associated with the governor in his quest to
\ntransform the socio-economic landscape of the state..
\nWhile assuring Ayade of their support, the lawmakers thanked the people of
\nthe state for the confidence imposed in him, adding: \u201cI can now see that we
\ndid not make a mistake by voting Ayade as our governor.\u201d
\nSpeaking on behalf of the Traditional Rulers in the area, Paramount Ruler
\nof Obudu, Uti Joseph-Davies Agba, described the road as a twain that will
\nbind and unite the people again, even as he thanked Ayade for his
\npragmatism in ensuring that he brings back life to the oldest and neglected
\nlocal government in Nigeria, Ogoja.
\nHe prayed for wisdom, strength and God\u2019s provision of resources to enable
\nthe governor fulfil all his lofty dreams for the transformation of the
\nstate to a more prosperous destination.
\nFormer Minister of the Environment, Chief John Odey who spoke on behalf of
\nthe host communities, promised to collaborate with the firm handling the
\nproject to ensure its timely completion, adding that the importance of the
\nroad to the socio-economic life of his people cannot be overemphasized.
\nOn his part, the Federal Controller of Works, Federal Ministry of Works,
\nEngr. Agbara promised to support the state in its effort at constructing
\nthe road, assuring that the ministry will be on site to ensure that
\ncontractors keep to the scope, design and specification during the course
\nof the exercise.
\nCommissioner for Works, Hon Dane Osim-Asu who disclosed that the state
\nstarted procurement for the construction exercise in January 2016, said
\nthat after a very transparent process, Messer Sydney Construction was
\nchosen by the state executive council in October 2016 for the commencement
\nof construction work.
\nHe thanked the contracting firm for the show of love for the state by
\ncommencing construction work before mobilization was paid,\u00a0 describing it
\nas unprecedented. He urged them to maintain the tempo to ensure completion
\nof work according to time line.
\nPic caption
\nCross river State Governor, Prof Ben Ayade flanked by his Deputy prof.
\nIvara Esu, Speaker House of assembly, hon. John Gaul Lebor and Commissioner
\nfor works performing the symbolic ground\u00a0 breaking ceremony for the 134
\nkilometre dual carriage road in Mfom, Ogoja, weekend.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In a bid to re-energise and increase footfalls into the famous Obudu ranch resort as well as provide access to produce markets, Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, weekend,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":54311,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-54309","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n