The Pan Niger Delta Forum PANDEF has deplored the poor state of the Calabar-Itu federal highway, saying its now a death trap for the people.
The Forum, in a statement made available to journalists after it’s emergency meeting in Calabar, and signed by the Cross River state chairman, Senator Bassey Henshaw and eleven others, called for immediate reconstruction of the road as well as an extension of the East-West Road to state.
The statement read in part: “It is deeply regrettable that the road remains a death trap and in such a deplorable condition in spite of assurances.
“Because of the heavy traffic of cement, tanker and granite trucks, which the Calabar-Itu-Ikot Ekpene Road must cope with, needs complete reconstruction and dualization.
“We also draw the attention of the ministry of the Niger Delta and indeed the federal government to Section of the East-West Road spanning Oron to Calabar.
“We demand that the contract for the construction of this remaining portion of the East-West Road be rewarded without further delay as it offers alternative route to Calabar in view of the collapse of the Calabar-Itu-Ikot Ekpene Road”, the statement read.
On the unsettled issue of ceding Bakassi to Cameroon, the Forum said it the inability of federal government not to do the right has created some security challenge to the state.
It noted that it is high time all concerned took to the matter by at least showing empathy for the plight and suffering of the people.
Sun News
