A ground-breaking ceremony to mark the recommencement of abandoned work on the Adiabo-Ikoneto road in the Odukpani LGA of Cross River state has been held on Monday.
The Cross River State Governor Bassey Edet Otu,at the event in Adiabo community, expressed joy for the recommencement of work on the road which has been abandoned for more than 30 years.
Governor Otu said that the road gave him a lot of pain when work on the project stopped a few decades ago.
He said to him, it was looking like its completion would never happen.
“But I never knew that God was going to use me to get this project to fruition,” he revealed.
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor Comrade Nsa Gill, in a social media post on Tuesday June18, 2024 said the Adiabo-Ikoneto road, when completed, will bring development to the area and also to the state.
Also, the road would provide access to Creek Town Road in Odukpani area of the state.
Governor Otu, wondered why the road was not fixed by the Late Sani Abacha’s as the Head of State of the defunct Military Government of Nigeria.
Thus Sen. Otu said “We know what infrastructure does to every community.”
Therefore, “We are making an effort to take infrastructure to all nooks and crannies in the state.”
As a result, “What we are doing here, we are also doing in Calabar; in the central district, and in the northern senatorial district.”
Accordingly, “We have shared the resources in a way and manner that is balanced so that our aggregate growth as a state can come off structurally.”
Indeed, “We are not leaving any locality out of it,” the Governor said.
He said his government came to change the narrative and add value to life.
He promised that he will create an economy that will carry everybody along, including opportunities for everyone to benefit.
While he called on the inhabitants of Adiabo-Ikoneto to be law-abiding, and supportive to the project, Governor Otu said discipline is a critical ingredient for building a serene and robust society.
Truth Live News learned that Zenith Construction Company Limited, who had been part of the abandoned project since its inception is now the project contractor.
“Having a good knowledge of the nagging issues of the project, would bring its expertise to bear and deliver the job in record time,” Otu said.
Meanwhile, the lead engineer of Zenith Construction Company Limited, Engr Tony Makhlof, pledged to deliver on the project.
On his part, the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Pius Ankpo, said the 11-kilometre road project with the construction of three bridges across swampy areas is commencing with the first phase of 4.5 kilometres, to make for effective resource management.
He said his Ministry would supervise the project to completion at the stipulated 18-month period.
The Obong of Calabar His Eminence Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu V. attended the ceremony.