Residents of Ikot Usop in Ikpa Nung Asang clan in Ikot Abasi and Ikot Uboh Akpe in Mkpat Enin Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom State have lamented being cut off from vehicular access for eight months.
The section of the road which is part of Ekparakwa – Ikot Abasi – Port Harcourt road has become a death trap particularly to private drivers who are unaware of the bad portion traversing Ikot Uboh Akpe village.
- EndSARS: Youth protest bad roads in Benue LG
- Kogi: Stakeholders call for intervention on Ijowa-Ejuku-Jege-Ife-Olukotun road
Speaking to our correspondent on Wednesday in Mkpat Enin, one of the village leaders, Mr Emmanuel Udo, revealed that for eight months, vehicles were not able to pass through the Ikot Uboh Akpe section of the road.
He stated that motorists plying Ikot Abasi and Port Harcourt have been forced to use a diversion which is longer, adding that those not familiar with the road have suffered terrible consequences as many people have lost their lives on the road.
He explained that the bad road portion has affected the economic fortune of the community as many women whose livelihood depended on displaying their goods for motorists to buy have been forced to restrict the display of their wares only in the market.
He called on the state government to rescue the community by repairing the road.
“For eight months now, no vehicle passes through Ikot Usop, Nnung Asan clan in Ikot Abasi and Ikot Uboh Akpe in Mkpat Enin Local Government Area. The road has become a dead trap especially to private drivers who do not have any knowledge about the condition of road in Ikot Uboh akpe village.
“We are still begging the government to come to our aid. We all voted the governor there and now, he has abandoned us.
“Due to this bad road, our wives only take goods to the market, because the travellers were our highest buyers, especially my wife who deals in plantain. Travellers buy at a high price but the village people in the market want it cheap,” he stated.
When the Commissioner of Works, Prof. Eno Ibanga, was contacted, he stated that there was an ongoing intervention work in the area by the state government even though the road is a federal government road.
He said that the remedial work has started from the Abak axis of the road leading to Ekparakwa and on to Ikot Abasi.
He disclosed that the road linking Ekparakwa and Ikot Akpaden has also been awarded for rehabilitation, and assured that critical road works will be embarked upon as soon as the rain subsides.
“Though that is a federal government road, the state government had to award the intervention to CCECC which is still on site as we speak.
“Unfortunately, the construction company cannot do much earth work as the collapsed portion as of today requires earth work. The construction company has said it cannot embark on critical earth work to avoid waste of resources as the road may not stand the test of time.
“CCECC has had course to leave the spot they are working on to intervene in communities with need for urgent intervention still along that road,” he said.
The Works Commissioner said the state would continue to intervene in critical areas of need as it is doing in Ekparakwa and Calabar – Itu highway, adding that government is in constant talks with the federal government to intervene in federal roads within the state.
